Scripture Verse

I will establish my covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant. Genesis 17:7

Introduction

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship (Lon­don: Bu­rton & Briggs, 1818), num­ber 685. The Rich and Faith­ful Word.

Music: St. Aus­tin Gre­gor­ian chant. Ar­ranged in the Bris­tol Tune Book, 1876 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

Fixed the cov’nant is, and cer­tain,
Ratified by blood di­vine;
Saints, with lov­ing ex­ul­ta­tion,
Celebrate the kind de­sign:
Sing of mer­cy,
As it now in Je­sus shines.

Hence pro­ceed un­numbered bless­ings
Pardon, peace and end­less joy,
Those with cov’nant-truth re­cord­ed,
Shall our dai­ly thoughts em­ploy:
Precious Bi­ble,
Thus to bring a Sav­ior nigh.

All its pro­mis­es and pre­cepts,
All the doc­trines it con­tains,
Are a rich and bound­less trea­sure,
Far ex­ceed­ing earth­ly gains:
Sacred vol­ume,
Antidote to mor­tal pains.

Let thy light be still ex­tend­ed,
Reaching all the hu­man race,
Let the migh­ty con­quer­ing Sav­ior,
Show the glo­ries of His face:
Win the na­tions,
By His so­ver­eign pow­er and grace.