O Word of God incarnate

General information

Lyricist: William Walsham How.

Settings by composers

• Joseph Barnby SATB
• Henry Thomas Smart SATB

Original text and translations

English text

1  O Word of God Incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
 O Truth, unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky,
 We praise thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page,
 A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age.

2  The Church from her dear Master Received the gift divine,
 And still that light she lifteth, O'er all the earth to shine;
 It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored;
 It is the heaven-drawn picture Of Christ, the living Word;

3  It floateth like a banner Before God's host unfurled;
 It shineth like a beacon, Above the darkling world;
 It is the chart and compass That, o'er life's surging sea,
 'Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, Still guides, O Christ, to Thee.

4  O make thy Church, dear Saviour, A lamp of purest gold,
 To bear before the nations Thy true light, as of old;
 O teach thy wandering pilgrims By this their path to trace,
 Till, clouds and darkness ended, They see Thee face to face.