Scripture Verse

O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 107:1

Introduction

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Charles H. Gabriel (1856–1932)

Words: Is­aac Watts, The Psalms of Da­vid 1719. Is­ra­el led to Ca­naan, and Chris­tians to Hea­ven.

Music: High­er Ground Charles H. Ga­bri­el, in Songs of Love and Praise, No. 5, by John R. Swe­ney et al. (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: John J. Hood, 1898) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Wilbraham Lo­well Ma­son, Car­mi­na Sac­ra (Bos­ton Mas­sa­chu­setts: John H. Wil­kins & Ri­chard B. Car­ter, 1844), page 62 (🔊 pdf nwc)
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Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Lyrics

Give thanks to God, He reigns above,
Kind are His thoughts, His name is Love;
His mercy ages past have known,
And ages long to come shall own.
Let the redeemèd of the Lord
The wonders of His grace record;
Israel, the nation whom He chose,
And rescued from their mighty foes.

When God’s al­migh­ty arm had broke
Their fetters and th’Egyptian yoke,
They traced the desert, wandering round
A wild and solitary ground.
There they could find no leading road,
Nor city for a fixed abode;
Nor food, nor fountain to assuage
Their burning thirst or hunger’s rage.

In their distress, to God they cried;
God was their Sav­ior and their guide;
He led their march far wandering round—
’Twas the right path to Canaan’s ground.
Thus when our first release we gain
From sin’s old yoke, and Satan’s chain,
We have this desert world to pass,
A dangerous and a tiresome place.

He feeds and clothes us all the way,
He guides our footsteps lest we stray,
He guards us with a pow­er­ful hand,
And brings us to the heav’nly land.
O let the saints with joy record
The truth and goodness of the Lord!
How great His works! How kind His ways!
Let every tongue pronounce His praise.