Scripture Verse

I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation. Isaiah 28:16

Introduction

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John M. Neale (1818–1866)
Wikipedia

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Words: Un­known au­thor, 7th Cen­tu­ry (An­gu­lar­is fun­da­ment­um). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale in Med­iæ­val Hymns, 1851.

Music: Re­gent Square Hen­ry T. Smart, in Psalms and Hymns for Di­vine Wor­ship (Lon­don: 1867) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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Henry T. Smart (1813–1879)

Lyrics

Christ is made the sure foun­da­tion,
Christ the head and cor­ner­stone;
Chosen of the Lord, and pre­cious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Zi­on’s help for­ev­er,
And her con­fi­dence alone.

All that de­di­cat­ed ci­ty,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In ex­ult­ant ju­bi­la­tion,
Pours per­pe­tu­al me­lo­dy,
God the One in Three ador­ing
In glad hymns eter­na­lly.

To this tem­ple, where we call Thee,
Come, O Lord of Hosts, to­day;
With Thy wont­ed lov­ing­kind­ness
Hear Thy ser­vants as they pray.
And Thy full­est be­ne­dic­tion
Shed with­in its walls al­way.

Here vouch­safe to all Thy se­rvants
What they ask of Thee to gain;
What they gain from Thee for­ev­er
With the bless­èd to re­tain,
And here­af­ter in Thy glo­ry
Evermore with Thee to reign.

Laud and hon­or to the Fa­ther,
Laud and hon­or to the Son,
Laud and hon­or to the Spir­it,
Ever Three and ev­er One;
Consubstantial, co-eter­nal,
While un­end­ing ag­es run.