Scripture Verse

How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men! Psalm 31:19

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 34: The good­ness which God has wrought, and laid up for His peo­ple.

Music: Cre­di­ton Tho­mas Clark, 1807 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Clark (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Our souls with pleasing wonder view
The bounties of Thy grace;
How much bestowed, how much reserved,
For them that seek Thy face!

Thy liberal hand with worldly bliss
Oft makes their cup run o’er;
And in the covenant of Thy love
They find diviner store.

Here mercy hides their numerous sins;
Here grace their souls renews;
Here Thine own reconcilèd face
Doth heav’nly beams diffuse.

But O! what treasures yet unknown
Are lodged in worlds to come?
If these th’enjoyment of the Way,
How happy is their home?

And what shall mortal worms reply?
Or how such goodness own?
But ’tis our joy that, Lord, to Thee
Thy servants’ hearts are known.

Thine eyes shall read those grateful thoughts,
No language can express;
Yet when our liveliest thanks we pay,
Our debts do most increase.

Since time’s too short, all gracious God,
To utter half Thy praise,
Lord, to the honor of Thy name
Eternal hymns we’ll raise.