HYMN STORIES: The Songs We Sing

“God of Grace and God of Glory”

This Sunday in the 8:30 service we will open the service with God of Grace and God of Glory written by prominent Baptist minister Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1930.  The lyrics were penned for the opening and dedication of the Rockefeller-financed Riverside Church in New York City. The words were crafted as a plea for divine strength and moral clarity during the social unrest and poverty of the Great Depression.

Harry Emerson Fosdick, who had served as an Army chaplain during World War I, witnessed firsthand the devastating tragedies and societal fractures brought on by global conflict. When he was called to pastor Riverside Church, he wanted a hymn that wasn't about passive waiting, but about active Christian responsibility. 

The text directly tackles contemporary societal sins and the need for courage: The Hour: Fosdick was referring to the economic disaster of the Depression and the lingering traumas of WWI.  The Prayer: The famous recurring chorus, "Grant us wisdom, grant us courage / For the facing of this hour," became an iconic plea for believers to actively engage in solving society's problems.  The Stanzas: He challenges the church to cure "warring madness," bend human pride, and save people from "weak resignation to the evils we deplore".

Fosdick originally wrote the lyrics to be sung to the hymn tune Regent Square. However, in 1935, Methodist hymnologist Robert G. McCutchan paired the text with the robust, swelling Welsh tune CWM RHONDDA (commonly associated with "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"). This dynamic pairing was an instant success and is now universally used, perfectly matching the soaring, triumphant nature of Fosdick's lyrics.

As we sing this great hymn together let us seek Gods’ guidance for the facing of each hour!

Shared by Lindrew Johnson, Director of Worship