Words: Walter Chalmers Smith, Hymns of Christ and the Christian Life, 1876.
Music: “St. Denio (Joanna),” Welsh melody; from Canaidau y Cyssegr, by John Roberts, 1839 (MIDI, score).
If you know where to find a picture of Walter Smith or John Roberts, please click here.
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our
eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
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.
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;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord,
impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.
All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light
hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His
story, Thy Christ to the heart.