Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9).

What a powerful passage and wonderful promise that God made to Joshua, and it can be applied to our own lives. The Lord is always with us, during good times and hard times; his presence is always near so we can face any situation, and this was the message that Harry Emerson Fosdick shared with us through his hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory.”

“God of grace and God of glory,
on Thy people pour Thy pow'r;
crown Thine ancient church's story,
bring her bud to glorious flow'r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.”

Fosdick was a pastor in the early twentieth century, at­tend­ed Col­gate Un­i­ver­si­ty, Un­ion The­o­lo­gic­al Sem­in­a­ry, and Co­lum­bia Un­i­ver­si­ty. His ordination was in 1903 and was a faithful pastor in several churches like First Bap­tist Church in Mont­clair, New Jer­sey, from 1904 to 1915. He wrote several hymns and books, but he is famous for this one. This hymn was written for the construction of Riverside Church in New York City.

“Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways!
Fears and doubts too 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.”

The melody is the very familiar melody of the other loved hymn, “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.”

“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.”

Dear saint, you might have a hard time right now, but trust in the Lord during these days, because, after all, he is the God of grace and the God of glory.
​
In His service,
Israel