God of Grace and
God of Glory Lyrics
by Harry Emerson Fosdick
(1878-1969)
God of grace and God of glory,
On Thy people pour Thy power.
Crown Thine ancient church’s story,
Bring her bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the facing of this hour,
For the facing of this hour.
(Free Our Hearts)
Lo! the hosts of evil ’round us,
Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways.
From the fears that long have bound us,
Free our hearts to faith and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
For the living of these days,
For the living of these days.
Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
Bend our pride to Thy control.
Shame our wanton selfish gladness,
Rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.
(Gird Our Lives)
Set our feet on lofty places,
Gird our lives that they may be,
Armored with all Christ-like graces,
In the fight to set men free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
That we fail not man nor Thee,
That we fail not man nor Thee.
(Be Our Glory)
Save us from weak resignation,
To the evils we deplore.
Let the search for Thy salvation,
Be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
Serving Thee whom we adore,
Serving Thee whom we adore.
Notes on the Hymn
Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote this hymn for the 1931 dedication of the Riverside Church in the Morningside area of upper Manhattan. He served as pastor from 1931 until his retirement in 1946. Fosdick remained active as a preacher, author and radio personality during retirement. He was certainly one of the most imminent clergy of the twentieth century. God of Grace and God of Glory was first published in 1932 and has enjoyed increasing popularity to the present.
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