O Thou Who camest from above. C. Wesley. [For Holiness, and for Earnestness in Work.] Published in his Short Hymns, &c, 1762, vol. i. p. 57, in 2 stanzas of 8 lines. (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. ix. p. 58). It was included in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 318, and has become one of the most popular hymns in the Methodist denominations. To some hymnbook compilers the opening lines of stanza ii.,
"There let it for Thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,"
have presented difficulties which have caused its omission from many collections. Bishop E. H. Bickersteth, in his Hymnal Companion, has done much towards removing this difficulty by rendering the lines:—
"There let it for Thy glory burn
Unquenched, undimmed in darkest days."
This reading has been adopted by others. Bp. Bickersteth's note thereto explains the cause and meaning of the change:—
" The Editor believes that this admirable hymn would have been far more popular if it had not been for the very long word 'inextinguishable.' Words of five syllables must be admitted into hymns sparingly; but for a whole congregation to be poised on six, practically leads to a hymn being passed by. It is hoped that the line given in the text, which only paraphrases the same thought, will be allowed."
In Martineau's Hymns, 1840, and 1873, the opening line of this hymn is changed to "O Thou, Who deignest from above."
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files
