A FAMOUS HYMN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11478, 28 August 1915, Page 8

A FAMOUS HYMN.

" O'.'R GOD, OUR LLI? MAGES FAST. -

u It was in the midst of these dramatic alarms and cnanges," say 3 Taomas Wright, biographer of i>r Isaac Watts, referring to events o2 Queen Anne's reign, " that Watts wrote that glorious and rousing hymn, of triumph and faith, ' Our God. our he.p in agea past,' . . . and impressed upon his own generation and upon posterity that the grace of God —and the grace of God alone —renders man invincible. England has taken this hymn to her heart. It has been sung on great and national occasions, whether of peril or joy." " Compilers hare spoilt the first line of tho hymn by altering it to '0 God ? our help in ages past,' the object bemg to avoid repetition of the word 'our. To alter it, however, is to weaken—• nay, to profane—the whole line, which admits of no improvement. . . . The oompilers have not boen entirely -unkind to this hymrt, however. Foe example, they have improved tho rhythm of verse two by altering Under ' to ' Beneath.' " The following verses <rf the hymn ai» given as ]>r Watts wrote them:— " Our God, our help in ages past. Our hope for years to oome; Our ©belter from the stormy blast* And our eternal home. " Under the shadow of thy thiw Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone And our defence is sure. " Before the bills In order stood, . Or earth receiv'd its frame, From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same. " Our God, our help in ages pasS» Our hope for years to come: Be Thou our guard while troubles la" 4 * And our eternal home," • "