1. Our nation, God, its heart to Thee upraiseth,
O Lord, the nation bows before Thy face:
With high thanksgiving, Thee Thy glad church praiseth,
Our strength Thy Spir’t, our trust and hope Thy grace.
2. Unto great honor, glory undeservèd,
Hast Thou exalted us, and drawn Thee nigh:
Nor, from Thy judgments, when our feet had swervèd,
Didst Thou forsake, nor leave us, Lord most high.
3. In Thee our fathers trusted, and were savèd,
In Thee destroyèd thrones of tyrants proud:
From ancient bondage freed the poor enslavèd;
To sow Thy truth poured out their saintly blood.
4. Us now, we pray, O God, in anger scorn not,
Nor to vainglorying leave, nor brutish sense
In time of trouble Thy face from us turn not,
Who art our rock, our stately sure defense.
5. Unto our minds give freedom and uprightness;
Let strengthened courage lead o’er land and wave,
To our souls’ armor grant celestial brightness,
Joy to our hearts, and faith beyond the grave.
6. Our plenteous nation still in power extending,
Increase our joy, uphold us by Thy Word:
Beauty and wisdom all our ways attending,
Good will to man and peace through Christ our Lord.
Robert S. Bridges (b. Walmer, Kent, England, 1844; d. Boar's Hill, Abingdon, Berkshire, England, 1930) In a modern listing of important poets Bridges' name is often omitted, but in his generation he was considered a great poet and fine scholar. He studied medicine and practiced as a physician until 1881, when he moved to the village of Yattendon. He had already written some poetry, but after 1881 his literary career became a full-time occupation, and in 1913 he was awarded the position of poet laureate in England. Bridges published The Yattendon Hymnal (1899), a collection of one hundred hymns (forty-four written or translated by him with settings mainly from the Genevan psalter, arranged for unaccompanied singing. In addition to volumes… Go to person page >
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