San Francisco Central Seventh-day Adventist Church

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17 Lord of All Being, Throned Afar

Today's Hymn of Praise is #17, Lord of all Being, Throned Afar. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote it in 1848, and it was published in The Atlantic Monthly (which Holmes founded and edited) in December 1859. Holmes was a famous physician and literary figure. Because of his quick wit, some thought him irreverent; but there was nothing irreverent about his hymns! No more sublime praises to God have been written in the English language than those of today’s hymn.

PARK STREET is the tune, named for the old Congregational church on Park Street, Boston: which was an old Puritan meeting house. It has been arranged from a secular composition about 1810 by the English musician Frederick Venua, but the arranger’s name from the old Park Street Church is unknown.

Lord of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of every sphere
Yet to each loving heart how near!
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray
Shed on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night,
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, Thy mercy's sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine,
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.

Lord of all life, below, above
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever-blazing throne
We ask no luster of our own,
We ask no luster of our own.

Grant us Thy truth to make us free
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee;
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame!
One holy light, one heavenly flame.