O Thou, the One Supreme

O Thou, the One Supreme, O Thou, the deathless King

Translator: Allen W. Chatfield; Author: St. Gregory of Nazianzus
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

1.
O Thou, the One Supreme,
O thou, the deathless King,
Be Thou my only theme:
Grant me Thyself to sing.
To Thee the hymn, to Thee the praise,
Celestial choirs for ever raise.

2.
For Thee the ages run
In order as was given;
For Thee shines forth the sun,
The day-born eye of heaven:
For Thee the moon, and grand array
Of stars, hold on their nightly way.

3.

With reasonable soul
For Thee learns favoured man
His passions to control,
And the Divine to scan;
For Thou of all Creator art,
Thou madst the whole and every part.

4.
All march in ordered band:
O'er all Thou hold'st the reins:
All creatures of Thy hand
Thy Providence sustains.
For Thou the word didst speak--'twas done--
That Word of Thine is God the Son.

5.
For of same honour He,
Thine own begotten Son,
In form and quality
With Thee the Father one:
Who placed all things in harmony,
That over all He King might be.

6.

And all Thy works infolding
In bonds of love and truth,
The Spirit all-upholding,
Renews creation's youth
Foreseeing, He for all provides,
And Guardian over all presides.

7.
Thee, Thee, the Triune King,
The One Eternal Lord,
Thee evermore I'll sing,
By earth and heaven adored,
The Three in One, the One in Three,
The ever-living Trinity.

8.
Immovable of mind,
Of ways past mortal ken,
The boundless, undefined,
Wisdom's deep origin,
Upholder of the heavenly towers,
Ruler of all created powers.

9.

Beginning none, nor end:
The self-sprung Light art Thou:
We cannot comprehend,
But to Thy Brightness bow,
Whose eye, repelling mortal gaze,
All things above, below, surveys.

10.
Unseen, yet ever near,
Father, propitious be:
This my petition hear,
This boon accord to me:
That Light to serve through endless day,
And have my sins all washed away;

11.
That I, with conscience clear
From every evil thought,
May love with filial fear,
And worship as I ought,
Pure holy hands and heart upraising,
And Christ the Lord for ever praising.

12.

To Thee I bend the knee;
When He shall come, grant me,
That I His glory see,
That I His servant be:
When He shall come--shall come again;
When He shall come--shall come to reign.

13.
Father, propitious be!
On me Thy mercy show!
Bow down Thine ear to me,
On me Thy grace bestow;
For Thine the glory, Thine the grace,
While countless ages run their race.

Songs and Hymns of Earliest Greek Christian Poets, 1876

Translator: Allen W. Chatfield

Chatfield, Allen William, M.A., born at Chatteris, Oct. 2nd, 1808, and educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was Bell's Univ. Scholar and Members' Prizeman. He graduated in 1831, taking a first class in classical honours. Taking Holy Orders in 1832, he was from 1833 to 1847 Vicar of Stotfold, Bedfordshire; and since 1847 Vicar of Much-Marcle, Herefordshire. Mr. Chatfield has published various Sermons from time to time. His Litany, &c. [Prayer Book] in Greek verse is admirable, and has been commended by many eminent scholars. His Songs and Hymns of Earliest Greek Christian Poets, Bishops, and others, translated into English Verse, 1876, has not received the attention of hymnal compilers which it merits. One… Go to person page >

Author: St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus (St. Gregory Nazianzen), Bishop of Sasima and of Constantinople, son of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus in Cappadocia, and Nonna, his wife, was born at a village near that city where his father had an estate, and called Arizanzus. The date of his birth is unknown, but is generally given as A.D. 325. In early childhood he was taught to read the Scriptures by his mother. From his home he passed with his brother Caesarius to a school at Caesarea, the capital of Cappadocia, where he was instructed by one Carterius, supposed by some to be the same as the subsequent head of the monasteries of Antioch, and instructor of St. Chrysostom. At Caesarea he probably met with Basil, with whom he maintained a life-long friendship. From Ca… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O Thou, the One Supreme, O Thou, the deathless King
Title: O Thou, the One Supreme
Translator: Allen W. Chatfield
Author: St. Gregory of Nazianzus
Language: English

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Songs and Hymns of the Earliest Greek Christian Poets #11

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