Scripture Verse

I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word. Psalm 119:16

Introduction

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Edward Miller (1735–1807)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship, ed­it­ed by R. Hall (Lon­don: Bur­ton & Briggs, 1817), num­ber 691, alt. De­light­ing in the Word.

Music: Rock­ing­ham (Mill­er) Karl P. E. Bach (1714–1788). Ar­ranged by Ed­ward Mill­er, 1790 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

More joy than earth can e’er af­ford,
Is found in God’s de­light­ful Word;
Be it my stu­dy night and day,
My guide through all the lone­ly way.

Clothed with a ma­jes­ty di­vine,
Its doc­trines and its pre­cepts shine;
Unbounded wis­dom, truth and grace,
Appear in all its pro­mis­es.

’Tis here the Lord, as in a glass,
Displays the glo­ries of His face;
He stoops from His im­pe­ri­al throne
And makes His great sal­va­tion known.

Then be His Word to all ad­dressed;
Know that it makes us wise and blessed,
Till all the earth shall own His name,
And all His bound­less love pro­claim.