Scripture Verse

Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

Introduction

Words: Sam­uel F. Smith, 1894. Pub­lished in the Pres­by­ter­ian Hymn­al (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: 1895).

Music: Warr­ing­ton Ralph Har­ris­on, 1784 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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

portrait
Samuel F. Smith
(1808–1895)

Lyrics

illustration
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
James Tissot (1836–1902)

Founded on Thee, our only Lord,
On Thee, the ev­er­last­ing rock,
Thy Church shall stand, as stands Thy Word,
Nor fear the storm, nor dread the shock.

For Thee our waiting spirits yearn,
For Thee this house of praise we rear;
To Thee with longing hearts we turn:
Come, fix Thy glo­ri­ous presence here.

Come, with Thy Spir­it and Thy power,
The Con­quer­or, once the Cru­ci­fied;
Our God, our Strength, our king, our tower,
Here plant Thy throne, and here abide.

Accept the work our hands have wrought;
Accept, O God, this earthly shrine;
Be Thou our rock, our life, our thought,
And we, as living temples, Thine.