Hymn for Monday, November 20, 2017

To God Be the Glory

This hymn was one of 9,000 hymns  written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915). She became blind shortly after birth (See Fanny Crosby: Prolific and Blind Hymn Writer). Someone said to her that it was a shame God did not grant her sight, seeing he gave her so many other gifts. Fanny Crosby replied:

" "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I was born blind?" said the poet, who had been able to see only for her first six weeks of life. 'Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior.'"

She wrote her first verse at age 8:

"Oh, what a happy soul I am,
although I cannot see!
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don't,
To weep and sigh because I'm blind
I cannot, and I won't!"

I'm looking forward to meeting Fanny Crosby one day!

Recommended reading & hymnbooks:

Recommended Psalm for Monday, April 11, 2016

Wholehearted Thanksgiving Based on Psalm 9:

Here are the words:

1 Wholehearted thanksgiving to Thee I will bring;
In praise of Thy marvelous works I will sing,
In Thee I will joy and exultingly cry
Thy Name I will praise, O Jehovah Most High.


2 My enemies turn and are scattered in fear,
They stumble and perish because Thou art near;
For Thou hast defended my right and my cause,
Thou sittest in judgment, upholding Thy laws.


3 Rebuked are the nations, the wicked destroyed,
Their memory perished, their dwelling-place void;
Enthroned and eternal, Jehovah shall reign,
The peoples to judge and the right to maintain.


4 Thou, Lord, art a refuge for all the oppressed;
All trust Thee who know Thee, and trusting are blest;
For never, O Lord, did Thy mercy forsake
The soul that has sought of Thy grace to partake.


5 Give praise to Jehovah, the mighty deeds tell
Of Him Who has chosen in Zion to dwell,
Of Him to Whom justice and vengeance belong,
Who visits the lowly and overthrows wrong.


6 Behold my affliction, Thy mercy accord,
And back from death's portals restore me, O Lord,
That I in the gates of Thy Zion may raise
My song of salvation and show forth Thy praise.


7 The sins of the nations their ruin have wrought,
Their own evildoing destruction has brought;
In this the Lord's justice eternally stands,
That sinners are snared in the work of their hands.


8 The wicked shall perish, the nations shall fall
Forgetting their God, Who is God over all;
But God will remember the prayer of the weak,
Most surely fulfilling the hope of the meek.


9 Arise in Thy justice, O Lord, and Thy might,
No longer let sinners prevail in Thy sight;
Great Judge of the nations, in judgment appear
To humble the proud and to teach them to fear.

Source: Hymnary.org

You may be more familiar with the wonderful hymn To God Be The Glory (sung to the same tune).

Recommended reading:

Psalter Hymnal
A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of God-Centered Worship, by Dr. Michael Horton
Some Thoughts on True Worship

Previously recommended Psalms:


Recommended Psalm for Saturday, April 9, 2016
Recommended Psalm for Friday, April 8, 2016