Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Text written in 1779 by John Newton (1725-1807)

Sung to AUSTRIA, composed in 1797 by F. Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Psalm 87:3 Glorious things are said about you, city of God. Selah

Isaiah 60:18 Violence will never again be heard of in your land; devastation and destruction will be gone from your borders. But you will name your walls salvation and your gates, praise.

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. 

V. 1 Glorious things of thee are spoken,

Zion, city of our God;

He whose word cannot be broken

Formed thee for His own abode;

On the Rock of Ages founded,

What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's wall surrounded,

Thou mayst smile at all thy foes.

Revelation 22:1 Then he showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb....

V. 2 See the streams of living waters

Springing from eternal love,

Well supply thy sons and daughters,

And all fear and want remove;

Who can faint when such a river

Ever flows their thirst to assuage?

Grace, which, like the Lord, the Giver,

Never fails from age to age.

Exodus 13:21 The Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to lead them on their way during the day and in a pillar of fire to give them light at night, so that they could travel day or night. 

Revelation 1:5 ...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood,...

Revelation 5:10 You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.

V. 3 Round each habitation hovering,

See the cloud and fire appear

For a glory and a covering,

Showing that the Lord is near;

Blest inhabitants of Zion, 

Washed in the Redeemer's blood;

Jesus, whom their souls rely on ,

Makes them kings and priests to God.

Psalm 105:3 Honor His holy name; 

let the hearts of those who seek Yahweh rejoice.

1 John 2:17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.

V. 4 Savior, if of Zion's city 

I, through grace, a member am,

Let the world deride or pity,

I will glory in Thy name;

Fading is the worldling's pleasure,

All his boasted pomp and show;

Solid joys and lasting treasure

None but Zion's children know.