Bless God, my soul; thou, Lord, alone


Bless God, my soul; thou, Lord, alone
possessest empire without bounds;
with honor thou art crowned, thy throne
eternal majesty surrounds.

With light thou dost thyself enrobe,
and glory for a garment take;
Heaven's curtains stretch beyond the globe,
the canopy of state to make.

God builds on liquid air, and forms
his palace chambers in the skies;
the clouds his chariot are, and storms
the swift-wing'd steeds with which he flies.

As bright as flame, and swift as wind,
his ministers heaven's palace fill,
they have their sundry tasks assigned;
all prompt to do their sovereign's will.

In praising God, while he prolongs
my breath, I will that breath employ;
and join devotion to my songs,
sincere as in him is my joy.


Words: Nahum Tate (1652-1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659-1726);
A New Version of the Psalms of David, 1696;
complete text can be found here.

Music: Hebron (Lowell Mason, 1830)

Meter: LM

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874      
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley) 410 Wareham  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert) 410 Devonshire  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau) 410 Eisenach  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins) 410 Hebron  
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924      
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      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904      
The English Hymnal, 1906      
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.