Now Unto Him (Doxology / Benediction)

This is a short worship hymn which is sometimes used as a blessing.  It was originally called Benediction.  The words are directly based on the final three verses of the Epistle to Jude, ie Jude 23-25.   This is sometimes called Jude 1:23-25, but the 1 is unnecessary because the book only has one chapter.

The song was written by New Zealand resident Olive Wood in the early 1970s.  (Most sources say 1972 - but the first publication was apparently in 1971.)

Comments on on-line forums suggest that the song was regularly used in some churches / families in New Zealand and Australia in the 1970 to perhaps 90s - and more recent YouTube videos suggest it has been used in other countries, too.

Hymn-books that it has been published in include:

• Songs of Praise, Scripture in Song Recordings Ltd, Auckland New Zealand, 1971
• Scripture in Song, Songs of Praise Volume 1, 1979
• New Zealand Praise, NZ Worship Trust 1988 (ref)
• Alleluia Aotearoa, New Zealand Hymnbook Trust, 1999

Similar hymns

Another setting of the text, with slight variations and a totally different tune, was written by David W Morris, and has been recorded by the Maranatha singers.   See sheet music for it.

Downloads

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Lead sheet
(melody + guitar chords)

PowerPoint
slides

Examples

Solo singer, backing track style accompaniment:

Family sing-along with piano:

Small group, unaccompanied:

Unaccompanied close-harmony quartet:

Instrumental - xylophone recital

Lyrics

Now unto Him
Who is able to keep,
Able to keep you from falling.
And present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory
With exceeding joy.
To the only wise God our saviour
Be glory and majesty,
dominion and power,
both now and forever
Amen.

ABC Notation

About ABC notation

X:1
T:Now Unto Him
T:BENEDICTION
C:Olive Wood
M:4/4
L:1/4
K:G
"G"D2 B,/2C/2 D2 B,/2C/2 | "D"D E F "G"G3 | G F G "G7" B A G | "C"E3 "E"E3 |
w:Now un-to Him who is ab-le to keep, ab-le to keep you from fall-ing.
"Am" C3/2 B,/2 C/2E/2 B A/2F/2 D/2C/2 | "Bm"B,3/2 ^A,/2 B,/2D/2 "Em"=A G F/2G/2 | "A"A3 A3 | A3-A2 ^C/2D/2 |
w:And pre-sent you fault-less be-fore the pres-ence of His glo-ry, with ex-ceed-ing joy._ to the
"G"B3/2 ^A/2 B "B7"=A2 G | "C" E3 "E"E2 E | "Am"c3/2 B/2 c (BA) G | "D"F3-F2 D |
w: on-ly wise God our Sav-iour be glo-ry and ma_jes-ty, do-
"Bm"d3/2 ^c/2 d "C"=c2 B | "Bm"B A G F E2 | ("G"D3 "D7"A2 G) | "G" G2-G2 |]
w: min-ion and power, both now and for-ev-er A__men.

See more ...

• Hymns from New Zealand
• Benediction hymns

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY
Now unto Him
Who is able to keep,
Able to keep you from falling.
And present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory
With exceeding joy.
To the only wise God our saviour
Be glory and majesty,
dominion and power,
both now and forever
Amen.