I think it was at Trinity Baptist Church that I first heard this hymn tune (that seems to be where I hear all the good hymn tunes!). It is a lovely English melody arranged by Ralph V. Williams.
We will not be singing the words that this page links to, instead we will sing to another Watts hymn as written below:
Have You Not Known?
Have you not known, have you not heard
That firm remains on high
The everlasting throne of him
Who formed the earth and sky?
Are you afraid his power shall fail
When comes your evil day?
And can an all-creating arm
Grow weary or decay?
Supreme in wisdom, as in power
The Rock of Ages stands,
Though him you cannot see, nor trace
The working of his hands.
He gives the conquest to the weak,
Supports the fainting heart,
And courage in the evil hour
His heavenly aids impart.
Mere human pow'r shall fast decay,
And youthful vigor cease,
But they who wait upon the Lord
In strength shall still increase.
They with unwearied feet shall tread
The path of life divine,
With growing ardor onward move,
With growing brightness shine.
On eagles' wings they mount, they soar,
Their wings are faith and love,
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
They rise to heaven above.
Have you not known, have you not heard
That firm remains on high
The everlasting throne of him
Who formed the earth and sky?
Words: Isaac Watts, 1707. Altered in 1781 in Scottish Paraphrases and modernized by Paul W. Martin. Public Domain. Music: FOREST GREEN, traditional English melody, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.
Have you not known, have you not heard
That firm remains on high
The everlasting throne of him
Who formed the earth and sky?
Are you afraid his power shall fail
When comes your evil day?
And can an all-creating arm
Grow weary or decay?
Supreme in wisdom, as in power
The Rock of Ages stands,
Though him you cannot see, nor trace
The working of his hands.
He gives the conquest to the weak,
Supports the fainting heart,
And courage in the evil hour
His heavenly aids impart.
Mere human pow'r shall fast decay,
And youthful vigor cease,
But they who wait upon the Lord
In strength shall still increase.
They with unwearied feet shall tread
The path of life divine,
With growing ardor onward move,
With growing brightness shine.
On eagles' wings they mount, they soar,
Their wings are faith and love,
Till, past the cloudy regions here,
They rise to heaven above.
Have you not known, have you not heard
That firm remains on high
The everlasting throne of him
Who formed the earth and sky?
Words: Isaac Watts, 1707. Altered in 1781 in Scottish Paraphrases and modernized by Paul W. Martin. Public Domain. Music: FOREST GREEN, traditional English melody, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteIn Australia where I grew up we use that tune for "O Little Town of Bethlehem". I love it a lot more than the American tune. Vaughan Williams is da man.
BTW, I pop by your blog periodically because I'm a Challies fan and occasionally I just have to go to what is obviously the source of the depth of his insight. Looks like you da man too!
RF:
ReplyDeleteI am afraid it is the other way around concerning Challies... he is my inspiration!
Well, at the very least, he is a lot smarter than me. And he invented blogging... the internet, too, I think!
Thanks for dropping by and the comment.