Behold us, Lord, before thee met


Behold us, Lord, before thee met,
whom each bright angel serves and fears,
who on thy throne rememberest yet
thy spotless boyhood's quiet years;
whose feet the hills of Nazareth trod,
who art true Man and perfect God.

To thee we look, in thee we confide,
our help is in thine own dear Name;
for who on Jesus' e'er relied,
and found not Jesus still the same?
Thus far thy love our souls hath brought:
O 'stablish well what thou hast wrought.

The seed of our baptismal life,
O living Word, by thee was sown;
so where thy soldiers wage their strife
our post we take, our vows we own,
and ask, in thine appointed way,
confirm us in thy grace today.

We need thee more than tongue can speak,
'mid foes that well might cast us down;
but thousands, once as young and weak,
have fought the fight, and won the crown;
we ask the help that bore them through,
we trust the Faithful and the True.

So bless us with the gift complete
by hands of thy chief pastors given,
that awful Presence kind and sweet
which comes in sevenfold might from heaven;
Eternal Christ, to thee we bow,
give us thy Spirit here and now.


Words: William Bright (1824-1901), 1865

Music: Saint Matthias (William Henry Monk, 1823-1889, 1861)

Meter: 88 88 88

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874 353 Song 24  
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins)      
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874 232 Benison  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924 348 St. Matthias  
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879      
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885      
The Hymnal Companion, 1890      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Parker)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter)      
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
     
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903 270 Giessen  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904 293 St. Matthias  
The English Hymnal, 1906 340 Lambeth  
The Book of Common Praise, 1908      
The Hymnal 1916      
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919      
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920
(Hutchins)
     
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925      
Songs of Praise, 1925      
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931      
The Book of Common Praise, 1938      
The Hymnal 1940      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950      
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960      
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965      
The Hymn Book 1971      
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977      
The Hymnal 1982      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983      
The New English Hymnal, 1985      
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988      
Church Family Worship, 1988      
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996      
Common Praise (The Anglican Church of Canada), 1998      
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999      
Sing Glory, 1999      
Complete Mission Praise, 2000      
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000      
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000      

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2004.