I turned to my hymnbook for a song for today. I found “The God of Abraham Praise”. I had to think for a bit if I knew this song and vaguely remember singing it a time or two.
The God of Abraham Praise was written by Thomas Olivers. He wrote the song to fit with the Jewish Yigdal. He did this because he heard cantor Meyer Leoni sing the Doxology of the Yigdal at Duke’s Place Synagogue in the 1700’s. Olivers was so impressed by this that he wrote this Christian hymn, based on the yigdal. The tune was named after the cantor.
Olivers was a firm follower of John Wesley, and his song made it in the Wesley’s hymnal Sacred Songs. Prior to becoming a follower of Wesley he had life of a wastrel. But God moved in his heart and he became one of Wesley’s assistants and thereafter was engaged in itinerant ministry.
Lyrics
Interesting, the lyrics between my hymnbook and the verses I found on-line were quite different from each other, beyond the first verse. For all the verses, see here. Below are the verses from my hymnbook.
The God of Abraham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days
And God of love.
Jehovah, great I Am!
By earth and heaven confessed;
I bow and bless the sacred name
Forever blest.
His spirit floweth free,
High surging where it will
In prophet's word He spoke of old
He speaketh still.
Established is his law
and changeless it shall stand
Deep writ upon the human heart
On sea, or land.
He hath eternal life
implanted in the soul
His love shall be our strength and stay
while ages roll.
Praise to the living God!
All praises be his name.
Who was and is and is to be
For aye the same.
