My song shall be of mercy, To Thee, O Lord, I Sing

Author: Henry Downton

Downton, Henry, M.A, son of Mr. John Downton, Sub-Librarian of Trinity College, Cambridge, was born at Pulverbatch, Shropshire, Feb. 12, 1818, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1840, and M.A. 1843. Taking Holy Orders in 1843, he became Curate of Bembridge, Isle of Wight, 1843, and of Holy Trinity, Cambridge, 1847. In 1849 he was preferred to the Incumbency of St. John's, Chatham. He went to Geneva as English Chaplain in 1857; and was appointed Rector of Hopton in 1873. He was also for some time Domestic Chaplain to the late Lord Monson. He died at Hopton, June 8, 1885. Mr. Downton published a translation of Professor Ernest Naville's Lectures on Modern Atheism, 1865; and Holy Scripture and the Temperance Qu… Go to person page >

My song shall be of mercy. H. Downton. [Psalms ci.] Written for his congregation at St. John's Church, Chatham, and first printed at the close of his Sermon, preached in 1852, on "God, the Refuge of His people" (Chatham, A. Etherington); and then in Barry's Psalms & Hymns, 1867. It was also included in his Hymns & Verses, 1873. [William T. Brooke]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)