The Lord receives his highest praise

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The Lord receives his highest praise

Author: William Cowper
Published in 20 hymnals

Representative Text

1 The Lord receives his highest praise,
From humble minds and hearts sincere;
While all the loud professor says,
Offends the righteous Judge's ear.

2 To walk as children of the day,
To mark his precepts holy light,
To wage the warfare watch and pray,
Shew who are pleasing in his sight.

3 Not words alone it cost the Lord,
To purchase pardon for his own;
Nor will a soul, by grace restored,
Rest in his forms and words alone.

4 Easy indeed it were to reach
A mansion in the courts above,
If watery floods and fluent speech
Might serve, instead of faith and love.

5 But none shall gain the blissful place,
Or God's unclouded glory see;
Who talks of rich and sovereign grace,
Unless from sin he is made free.

The Hartford Selection of Hymns from the most approved authors, 1799

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Author: William Cowper

William Cowper (pronounced "Cooper"; b. Berkampstead, Hertfordshire, England, 1731; d. East Dereham, Norfolk, England, 1800) is regarded as one of the best early Romantic poets. To biographers he is also known as "mad Cowper." His literary talents produced some of the finest English hymn texts, but his chronic depression accounts for the somber tone of many of those texts. Educated to become an attorney, Cowper was called to the bar in 1754 but never practiced law. In 1763 he had the opportunity to become a clerk for the House of Lords, but the dread of the required public examination triggered his tendency to depression, and he attempted suicide. His subsequent hospitalization and friendship with Morley and Mary Unwin provided emotional st… Go to person page >

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