O God, our help in ages past

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:

Under the shadow of thy throne,
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly, forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guide while troubles last,
and our eternal home!

Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), 1719

MIDI: Irish

Meter: CM

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874 197 St. Anne  
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868 292 Old 81st  
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869 206 Gloucester  
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley) 029 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert) 029 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau) 029 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins) 029 Farrant  
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874 446 Windsor  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874 090ii Irish  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924 165 St. Anne  
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879 348 St. Anne  
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885 522 St. Anne  
The Hymnal Companion, 1890 279 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington) 418 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Parker) 418 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins) 418 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau) 418 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein) 418 St. Anne  
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter) 418 St. Anne  
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
 076 St. Anne  
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903 488 St. Anne  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904 403 St. Anne  
The English Hymnal, 1906 450 St. Anne  
The Book of Common Praise, 1908 566 St. Anne, St. Leonard, St. Savior  
The Hymnal 1916 445 St. Anne  
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917 128 St. Anne  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919 501 St. Anne, Irish  
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920
(Hutchins)		 409 St. Anne  
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925 273 St. Anne  
Songs of Praise, 1925 319 St. Anne  
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931 598 St. Anne  
The Book of Common Praise, 1938 379 St. Anne  
The Hymnal 1940 289 St. Anne  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950 165 St. Anne  
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955 094 St. Anne  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960 504 St. Anne, Irish  
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965 244 St. Anne  
The Hymn Book 1971 133 St. Anne  
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977 046 St. Anne  
The Hymnal 1982 680 St. Anne  
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983 099 St. Anne  
The New English Hymnal, 1985 417 St. Anne  
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988 037 St. Anne  
Church Family Worship, 1988 050 St. Anne  
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996 366 St. Anne  
Common Praise (The Anglican Church of Canada), 1998 528 St. Anne  
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999 047 St. Anne  
Sing Glory, 1999 542 St. Anne  
Complete Mission Praise, 2000 498 St. Anne  
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000 537 St. Anne  
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000 494 St. Anne  
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000 537 St. Anne  

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2003.