The words are based on a poem written by English devotional author and poet, Harriet Auber (1773-1862), which is in turn based on Psalm 78.
With meter 8.6.8.6 D, tunes it is set to include:
Hymn-books that this song is published in include McCrimmon's Celebration Hymnal for Everyone 2012 edition, which is still in-print.
There is some confusion over whether the words should be "O Praise our Great and Gracious God" or "O Praise our Great and Gracious Lord".
And call upon His name;
To strains of joy tune every chord,
His mighty acts proclaim.
Tell how He led His chosen race
To Canaan's promised land;
Tell how His covenant of grace,
Unchanged shall ever stand.
He gave the shadowing cloud by day,
The moving fire by night;
To guide His children on their way,
He made their darkness light.
We also have a sure retreat,
A Saviour ever nigh;
And clearest light to guide our feet,
A Word from God on high!
We, too, have manna from above,
The bread that came from Heaven;
And Jesus, from His hand of love,
Has living waters given.
A Rock we have, from which a spring
In rich abundance flows;
That Rock is Christ, our Priest, our King,
Who life and health bestows.
O Lord, we lean upon Thy Word,
And Thee our heavenly Guide;
So shall we find death's fearful flood
Serene as Jordan's tide;
And safely reach that happy shore,
The land of peace and rest,
Where we shall worship and adore,
In God's own presence blest.
He gave the shadowing cloud by day,
The moving fire by night;
To guide His Israel on their way,
He made their darkness light;
And have we not a sure retreat,
A Saviour ever nigh,
The same clear light to guide our feet,
The day-spring from on high?
With meter 8.6.8.6 D, tunes it is set to include:
- ST URSULA, by Frederick Westlake, Hymns and Sacred Songs for the Year, Part I, 1863
- MAOZ TSUR, a traditional Hanukkah or German Ashkenazic melody
- ELLACOMBE, from the Gesangbuch der Herzogl. Hofkapelle, Würtemberg, 1784
- KINGSFOLD, a traditional English tune, harmonised by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Hymn-books that this song is published in include McCrimmon's Celebration Hymnal for Everyone 2012 edition, which is still in-print.
There is some confusion over whether the words should be "O Praise our Great and Gracious God" or "O Praise our Great and Gracious Lord".
Downloads
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Examples
Lead singer with organ -tune ELLACOMBE
(Apologies for the poor sound quality - if you know a better example of this hymn, please leave a message in the comments box near the bottom of the page.)
(Apologies for the poor sound quality - if you know a better example of this hymn, please leave a message in the comments box near the bottom of the page.)
Instrumental - piano and flute. Tune MAOZ TSUR
Instrumental - piano, tune ELLACOMBE:
Solo singer and keyboard, tune KINGSFOLD:
Lyrics
O praise our great and gracious Lord,And call upon His name;
To strains of joy tune every chord,
His mighty acts proclaim.
Tell how He led His chosen race
To Canaan's promised land;
Tell how His covenant of grace,
Unchanged shall ever stand.
He gave the shadowing cloud by day,
The moving fire by night;
To guide His children on their way,
He made their darkness light.
We also have a sure retreat,
A Saviour ever nigh;
And clearest light to guide our feet,
A Word from God on high!
We, too, have manna from above,
The bread that came from Heaven;
And Jesus, from His hand of love,
Has living waters given.
A Rock we have, from which a spring
In rich abundance flows;
That Rock is Christ, our Priest, our King,
Who life and health bestows.
O Lord, we lean upon Thy Word,
And Thee our heavenly Guide;
So shall we find death's fearful flood
Serene as Jordan's tide;
And safely reach that happy shore,
The land of peace and rest,
Where we shall worship and adore,
In God's own presence blest.
He gave the shadowing cloud by day,
The moving fire by night;
To guide His Israel on their way,
He made their darkness light;
And have we not a sure retreat,
A Saviour ever nigh,
The same clear light to guide our feet,
The day-spring from on high?
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