Welcome!  Hymns have been and continue to be a real source of inspiration to me.  My desire in this blog is to share special hymns with my readers hoping that the words will minister to them, especially in times of great personal need.  If one of these hymns ministers to you, please take time to leave a comment so that I know that my blog is helping others as much as it helps me. Sometimes I will also provide a link where you can go to hear the hymn played.  So, please join me here each week and sing along as we praise God together.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

What more can I say about the blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby? We have shared many of her great hymns on this site and have marveled at how the Lord has used her hymns over the years to influence the lives of so many. Some times there have been interesting stories about how she was led to write them. Other times we know very little about them. This week's choice is like that. However this great hymn has an interesting history in that it was almost forgotten until it was discovered and suddenly became very popular. Originally composed in America sometime before 1875, it was almost immediately forgotten in its native land. In 1954, however, "To God Be The Glory" was rediscovered and claimed as a new favorite. Cliff Barrows, Billy Graham's song leader explains: 'It was suggested that we include "To God Be The Glory" in a songbook we were compiling for the London crusade of 1954. Because of its strong text of praise and its attractive melody, I agreed. We introduced the hymn during the early days of those meetings in Harringay Arena. As a result, Billy Graham asked that we repeat it often because he was impressed with the enthusiastic participation of the audience. In the closing weeks of the crusade it became our theme hymn, repeated almost every night. The words well expressed our praise to God, who was doing wondrous things in Britain. Returning to America, we brought the hymn with us and used it first in Nashville, Tennessee crusade of August, 1954." It was quickly adopted by many church groups and found its rightful place in the singing of our congregations. Today it is well-recognized as a wonderful hymn of praise and adoration of God. The hymn should be the daily testimony of every believer for He has truly done great things for us. To God be the glory!

(1) To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.
Refrain
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

(2) O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Refrain
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

(3) Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
Refrain
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

Listen to it here. LISTEN

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