Scripture Verse

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35

Introduction

portrait
Franz Haydn (1732–1809)

Words: Sam­uel Long­fel­low, Hymns of the Spir­it (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Tick­nor & Fields, 1864), num­ber 635.

Music: Aus­tria (Hay­dn) ar­ranged by Franz J. Hay­dn, 1797, pos­sib­ly from a Croa­tian folk tune (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Samuel Longfellow
(1819–1892)

Lyrics

God of ag­es and of na­tions!
Every race, and ev­ery time,
Hath re­ceived Thine in­spir­ations,
Glimpses of Thy truth sublime.
Ever spir­its in rapt vi­sion
Passed the heav­en­ly veil with­in,
Ever hearts bowed in con­tri­tion
Found sal­va­tion from their sin.

Reason’s no­ble as­pir­ation
Truth in grow­ing clear­ness saw;
Conscience spoke its con­dem­na­tion,
Or pro­claimed the eter­nal law.
While Thine in­ward re­ve­la­tions
Told Thy saints their pray­ers were heard.
Prophets to the guil­ty na­tions
Spoke Thine ev­er­last­ing word.

Lord, that word ab­ld­eth ev­er;
Revelation is not sealed;
Answering un­to man’s en­dea­vor,
Truth and right are still re­vealed.
That which came to an­cient sag­es,
Greek, bar­barian, Ro­man, Jew,
Written in the heart’s deep pag­es,
Shines to-day, forever new!