What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mark 10:9
Words: John Keble, 1857.
Music: Eden (Boston) Sacred Hymns and Tunes (Boston, Massachusetts: 1880) (🔊 pdf nwc).
Alternate Tunes:
This hymn was sung at the marriage of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. It’s a good choice for weddings, and is still sung in marriage ceremonies at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, in the house where Montgomery wed.
The voice that breathed o’er Eden,
That earliest wedding day,
The primal wedding blessing,
It hath not passed away.
Still in the pure espousal
Of Christian man and maid
The Holy Three are with us,
The threefold grace is said.
Be present, awful Father,
To give away this bride
As Thou gav’st Eve to Adam,
A helpmate at his side.
Be present, Son of Mary,
To join their loving hands
As Thou didst bind two natures
In Thine eternal bands.
Be present, Holy Spirit,
To bless them as they kneel,
As Thou for Christ, the Bridegroom,
The heav’nly Spouse dost seal.
O spread Thy pure wing o’er them,
Let no ill power find place
When onward to Thine altar
Their hallowed path they trace.
To cast their crowns before Thee
In perfect sacrifice,
Till to the home of gladness
With Christ’s own Bride they rise.
To Father, Son, and Spirit,
Eternal One and Three,
And was and is forever,
All praise and glory be.
This verse is used only with 76.76 tunes, such as Matrimony, above.
For dower of blessèd children,
For love and faith’s sweet sake,
For high mysterious union
Which naught on earth may break.