thirsting soul.

This is currently my favorite hymn text. The innovative worship band Ascend The Hill has a great version of it that you can listen to HERE. 

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
Words by Walter C. Smith, 1867
Arr. and added chorus by Kevin Sanders

from Songs and Hymns: 

Based on I Timothy 1:17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever”, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” reminds us of the awe and reverence that we need to have as we worship our God. Even as we cannot see the sun, we see merely the light reflected by the hot gases surrounding the sun, so God’s glory is hid from our eyes. Even the angels cover their faces in God’s presence (Isaiah 6:2) because they cannot look on God’s full glory.

 Lyrics/Chords:

Em              D/F#     C             G

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, 

   Em            D/F#    C                   G

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, 

Em                          D/F#            C                G 

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, 

Em                D/F#              C

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. 

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. 

G                            C      Em                        D/F#

There is none like You, There is none like You

Am                             G/B

Immortal, Invisible, God only wise

      C                                       D/F#

We bow down before You we lift up our eyes

C             D/F#       G

There is none like You

To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small; 

In all life Thou livest, the true life of all; 

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, 

And wither and perish - but naught changeth Thee. 

Great Father of glory, pure Father of 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! 

Behold What Wondrous Grace!
Lyrics by Isaac Watts (slightly adapted)
Originally published in Hymns and Spiritual Songs in 1707
Arr. by Kevin Sanders 

In reading some of Watts’ hymns I came across this and fell in love with it. It’s simply a celebration of God’s grace poured out upon His children! Listen with Galatians 4:4-7 in mind… 

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.  (Galatians 4:4-7 ESV)

Lyrics: 

Behold what wondrous grace the father has bestowed

on sinners of a mortal race to call them sons of God

‘tis no surprising thing that we should be unknown 

the world knew not their King, God’s everlasting son

Nor doth it yet appear how great we must be made

But when we see Him here we shall be like our head

A hope so much divine may trials well endure

to purge our souls from sense and sin

as Christ the Lord is pure 

If in my father’s love I share a filial part

send down your spirit O to rest upon my heart

We would no longer lie like slaves beneath the throne

my faith shall Abba cry and thou the kindred own