O God Our Help In Ages Past!
Our Hope For Years To Come!
Our Shelter From The Stormy Blast
And Our Eternal Home!

These are the opening words of the hymn "O God Our Help In
Ages Past," which is a touching hymn telling about the frality of
mortal man and the eternity of God. The music was composed
in 1706 by John Convey, an organist at an English Church
named St. Anne's. The lyrics were written 13 years by an English
poet named Isaac Watts, and is based on the 90th. Psalm. It
tells us about the short time we have on this Earth, and how, like
the day itself, our life ends.
"Lord, you have been our dwelling place through all generations.
Before the mountains were formed,
or before you formed the sea and the land,
you are God from age to age!"
The poem goes on to say that time is like a single day in God's
sight, and that all men must face their mortality and return to the
dust from which they came from. However, God's mercy is
endless, for he wishes all of us to dwell with him in Heaven for
all eternity.
I think the last verse of the hymn shows us the promise of
eternal life:
O God Our Help In Ages Past!
Our Hope For Years To Come!
Be Thou Our Hope While Life Shall Last
And Our Eternal Home!
This hymn was sung at the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill,
which was telecast live around the world via satellite in 1965. It's
also heard on many radio stations as part of their religious
programming. When I listen to Family Radio, for example, it's
heard at the start of their daily Bible Reading programs.
One more thing, the 90th. hymn is based on the beautiful Easter
hymn "A Jubilant Song," which I'll speak about in detail in a later
email.

Material for this hymn comes from the Cyberhymnal web page at
cyberhymnal.org.

Next time, I'll tell you about Martin Luther's great hymn, "Ein Feste
Burg Is Unser Gott," also known as "A Mighty Fortress Is Our
God."