Hymn Challenge #19: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
Words by: Walter Chalmer Smith, D.D.
b. Dec. 5, 1824; d. September 19, 1908
Dr. Walter Chalmer Smith was born in Scotland in 1824. He attended college in Edinburgh and was an ordained pastor, poet, and hymnist. He authored at least 12 hymns that I could find, and he is best known for this hymn. I really did not find any other information regarding Dr. Smith so let's look at the words of his hymn.
1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:
thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3 To all, life thou givest, to both great and small.
In all life thou livest, the true life of all.
We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.
4 Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light.
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight.
All praise we would render; O help us to see
'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!
This is a hymn I have been singing for many, many years. I love so much about this hymn. First, there are many attributes of God within the verses of this hymn. Did you find them? Make a list and concentrate on His greatness and all of who God is! This hymn talks about His glory, His greatness, and His majesty.
One of our leaders in BSF shared Friday morning that sometimes in her prayer time she approaches God calling Him "daddy" because sometimes she needs a daddy. At other times she calls Him "Father" and at other times "Yahweh." At different times during the day, we all have various needs and approach God differently. How do you approach God each day? Are you only treating God as a friend and someone that is just there to give you what you need? He certainly is our friend and He certainly does supply us with what we need but we must remember that He is Holy, and we need to approach Him with reverence. Here is a wonderful quote I found:
"First of all, my child, think magnificently of God.
Magnify His providence; adore His power,
pray to Him frequently and incessantly.
Bear Him always in your mind.
Teach your thoughts to reverence Him in every place
for there is no place where He is not.
Therefore, my child, fear and worship and love God;
first and last, think magnificently of Him!" —Paternus, Advice to a Son
As you read this hymn again (above) and look at the scriptures below, I pray you will reflect on God's goodness, greatness, and majesty!
Job 37:21-24 "Now no one can look at the sun,
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north He comes in golden splendor;
God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
in His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress. Therefore, people revere Him,
for does He not have regard for all the wise in heart?"
Psalms 36:5-6 "Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, Your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals."
Psalms 104:1-5 "Praise the Lord, my soul.
Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of His upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds His chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants. He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved."
Colossians 1:15-19 "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him."
1 Timothy 1:17 "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Revelation 21:23 "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp."
Below is the sheet music to this hymn, and click here to listen to this hymn.
Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Fall Foliage (w/various embossing powders and mists), Broken Rings (misted w/Lindy's Stamp Gang t-bird turquoise)
Embellishments: Petaloo Wild Blossoms paprika and aqua; Prima leaves; My Mind's Eye buttons; misc. burlap; misc. twine; sewing machine
Remember to use Keyword HSCRC13 when posting your creations in any online galleries. Also, please leave a link to your creation here using Inlinkz! To see all of the information regarding this challenge and the previous studies, please see this post here. Have a blessed week ahead!
2 comments:
Amen, Patter! This is a favorite of mine, too--Thank you for the beautiful way you point out various details and then accent them in your work, both written and visual. I appreciate you, and pray God's blessing upon you as you run with patience the race before you today. (A friend is running her first marathon today, so I've got that type of scripture in mind as I pray for her, too.)
Your repetition of the circles in the twine caught my eye, along with the texture of the burlap contrasting to the flowers, which look softer. In the pocket looks like the 1956 Baptist hymnal I grew up singing! Thanks---Jennifer in Ohio
Patter....thank you fore these hymn and scripture devotions...your pages are always so interesting and creative...
Post a Comment