Adventist Pioneer Library

Worship — Praise and Reverence of God

O thou to whom, in ancient time

  • No. 24
  • Words John Pierpont.
  • 4 stanzas
  • Words only in the original

Words

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1

O thou to whom, in ancient time,
The psalmist's sacred harp was strung,
Whom kings adored in songs sublime,
And prophets praised with glowing tongue.

2

Not now on Zion's hight alone
Thy favored worshipers may dwell,
Nor where, at sultry noon, thy Son
Sat weary by the patriarch's well.

3

From every place below the skies,
The grateful song, the fervent prayer—
The incense of the heart—may rise
To heaven, and find acceptance there.

4

To thee shall age, with snowy hair,
And strength, and beauty, bend the knee,
And childhood lisp with reverent air
Its praises and its prayers to thee.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «24», reference line «197, 47, 108.» in italics (sing to the tune of hymn 197, 47 or 108), four numbered stanzas in the left column of p. 13, «John Pierpont.» in italics at the end. The first words «O THOU» are set in small capitals. Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print; the fourth line of stanza 1 is too long for the column and its last word «tongue.» is carried to a turnover line (indented further) — one verse line here. In stanza 4, line 2 («And strength, and beauty, bend the knee,») is set so tightly that no space is visible between «And» and «strength». Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's («hight», «favored», «worshipers»; the dashes of stanza 3 are the print's em dashes). No meter is printed (the text is L. M., 8.8.8.8).

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
Worship — Praise and Reverence of God · No. 24 · printed page 13
Checked
lyrics verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-09-25