Thou Whose Unmeasured Temple Stands

Representative Text

1 Thou, whose unmeasured temple stands,
Built over earth and sea
Accept the walls that human hands
Have raised, O God, to Thee.

2 And let the Comforter and Friend,
Thy Holy Spirit, meet
With those who here is worship bend
Before thy mercy-seat.

3 May they who err be guided here
To find the better way;
And they who mourn, and they who fear,
Be strengthened as they pray.

4 May faith grow firm, and love grow warm,
And pure devotion rise,
While round these hallowed walls the storm
Of earth-born passion dies.

AMEN.

Source: The A.M.E. Zion Hymnal: official hymnal of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church #373

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Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

Author: William Cullen Bryant

Bryant, William Cullen. First in order of time of the great American poets, Bryant was born at Cummington, Mass., Nov. 3, 1794, and was educated at Williams College. In 1815 he'was called to the Bar, and practised for a time at Great Barrington. In 1825 he retired from the Bar, settled at New York, and devoted himself to literary pursuits, founding the New York Review, and editing for a short time the New York Evening Post. He died June 12, 1878. His poetical and other works are well known. His hymns were written at intervals during his long life. They were collected and privately printed in 1869, and number over 20. Those in common use are:— 1. Almighty, listen while we raise. Praise. This is given as "Almighty hear us,” &c,… Go to person page >

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First Line:	O Thou whose own vast temple stands
Title:	Thou Whose Unmeasured Temple Stands
Author:	William Cullen Bryant (1820)
Author:	Isaac Watts
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

English

10 shown out of 151

French

Chants Sacres. Deuxieme serie #d51

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Notes

O Thou Whose own vast temple stands. Opening of a Place of Worship. Written in 1835 for the Dedication of a Chapel in Prince Street, N. Y. This is the most widely known of this author's hymns. It was introduced into Great Britain as early as 1837, when it was included in Beard's Collection, No. 405. It is in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. Orig. text in Songs for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865, No. 1017, and Martineau, 1873, No. 727. Another form of the hymn is "Thou, Whose unmeasured temple stands," This is No. 569 in the American Presb. Psalms and Hymns, Richmond, 1867, Horder's Congregational Hymns, Lond. 1884, No. 747, and others.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Tune

ST. ANNE

Though no firm documentation exists, ST. ANNE was probably composed by William Croft (PHH 149), possibly when he was organist from 1700-1711 at St. Anne's Church in Soho, London, England. (According to tradition, St. Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary.) The tune was first published in A Suppleme…

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DUNDEE (Ravenscroft)

DUNDEE first appeared in the 1615 edition of the Scottish Psalter published in Edinburgh by Andro Hart. Called a "French" tune (thus it also goes by the name of FRENCH), DUNDEE was one of that hymnal's twelve "common tunes"; that is, it was not associated with a specific psalm. In the Psalter Hymnal…

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Arrangements

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