Sunday's Hymn: God's Eternality

It seems fitting during this time of the year, when we are especially conscious of the passing of time, to reflect at little on the eternality of God and what it means for us. This hymn from Isaac Watts considers God’s relationship to time, how different it is from our own relationship to time, and how God’s eternal nature is crucial to our security in Him.

 

It is also a favorite hymn of one of my favorite blog readers. 

Our God, Our Help in Ages Past

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
“Return, ye sons of men:”
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home. (Listen, courtesy of Center for Church Music)

More on God’s attribute of eternality:

• God’s eternality

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• Holy Lord God! I Love Thy Truth at joythruChrist
• The Collect for the Sunday after Christmas-Day at Magic Statistics
• Another Year is Dawning at The Happy Wonderer
• Lord’s Day 52, 2007 at The Thirsty Theologian
  
• Mighty God, While Angel’s Bless Thee at Hiraeth
• For Thy Mercy and Thy Grace at Seasoning of the Heart
• Great God, We Sing Your Mighty Hand at Whatever Things…
• Update: What Wondrous Love is This at Cathy’s Grace Notes
  

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Comments

[Cathy]

I posted one of the hymns we sang at church today here:
What Wondrous Love is this

[rebecca]

Thanks Cathy. I've added you to the list. :)

[Karen]

Beauiful!

[Mummymac]

Hymns like this make me sure the old ones are the best.