6 O Worship the Lord

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6 O Worship the Lord

Our Hymn of Praise today is O Worship the Lord, In the Beauty of Holiness. It was written in 1861, by John Monsell, for Epiphany (which is the commemoration of the visit of the Wise Men to the Baby Jesus). The first line is an exact rendering of Psalm 96:9 � O Worship the Lord, in the beauty of holiness; bow down before Him, His glory proclaim! Did you ever notice the wise men�s gifts in this hymn? How about: gold of obedience, incense of lowliness, and burden of carefulness. The last needs explaining: myrrh is bitter, and symbolizes the burden of careful duty.

SOUTHAMPTON was composed by Edwin Barnes for these words in 1886, while he was helping F. E. Belden put together the first Adventist hymnal, The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (generally known as Hymns and Tunes). . He was converted to Adventism by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, and headed the music department at Battle Creek College, and later left the Adventist Church along with Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
Bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore Him: the Lord is His name.

Low at His feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
High on His heart He will bear it for thee,
Comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
Guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter His courts in the slenderness
Of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine;
Truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
These are the offerings to lay on His shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
He will accept for the name that is dear;
Mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
Trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear.