God, the Omnipotent!

"God, the Omnipotent!" is a hymn with words written in 1842 by Henry F. Chorley (1808–1872) and 3rd and 4th stanzas by John Ellerton (1826–1893) in 1870.[1] It is based on a text from Revelation 19:6, "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (KJV). Set in 11.10.11.9 meter, the tune is from the 19th century Russian national anthem, God Save The Tsar!, composed by Alexei Lvov (1798–1870) in 1833.[2]

God, the Omnipotent!
GenreHymn
Written1842
TextHenry F. Chorley
Based onRevelation 19:6
Meter11.10.11.9
Melody"Russian Hymn" by Alexei Lvov

The tune name is Russian Hymn in various modern hymnals, such as those of the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), or just Russia, as in The Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.[1] Called "stirring" by one hymn editor, the hymn is described as having "a triumphant, positive quality".[3] The lyrics are as follows:

God, the Omnipotent!
"God the Omnipotent! King, who ordainest

Thunder Thy clarion, the lightning Thy sword;
Show forth Thy pity on high where Thou reignest;

Give to us peace in our time, O Lord.

God the All-merciful! earth hath forsaken
Meekness and mercy, and slighted Thy Word;
Let not Thy wrath in its terrors awaken;

Give to us peace in our time, O Lord.

God the All-righteous One! Man hath defied Thee
Yet to eternity standeth Thy word
Falsehood and wrong shall not tarry beside Thee

Give to us peace in our time, O Lord.

God the All-provident! Earth by Thy chastening
Yet shall to freedom and truth be restored
Through the thick darkness Thy Kingdom is hastening

Thou wilt give peace in Thy time, O Lord."

In 1982, new words to the Russian Hymn tune were composed by Carl P. Daw Jr., entitled Christ the Victorious, for the U.S. Episcopal Church's The Hymnal 1982.[3] Both versions, God, the Omnipotent! and Christ the Victorious, appear in The Hymnal 1982.[1]

References
  1. The Hymnal 1982. New York: Episcopal Church Publishing. 1985. p. 569.
  2. The Methodist Hymnal. Nashville, Tennessee: The Methodist Publishing House. 1966. p. 544.
  3. Diana Sanchez (1989). The Hymns of the United Methodist Hymnal. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press. p. 220. ISBN 0-687-43149-2.
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