Sometimes I’ll think of a hymn that I want to share here on the blog, but I don’t need it right away so I add it to my “drafts” folder for some day when I’m feeling uninspired. Well, as I was looking at my drafts folder recently I saw this song – To God Be the Glory – and knew that I wanted to do it this week.

I have always loved this song. The beauty of the words and music, but the words aren’t just beautiful they have an amazing message. I had never pondered the message too deeply until I heard our wedding guests singing it just before I walked down the aisle. We had quite a few unsaved people there, and all I could think was, “Thank you, Lord, for directing me to pick this song.” This song really encompasses what the Christian life is about…Jesus and the Gospel.

Then when my husband and I were planning his funeral he picked this song for one of the songs to be sung. Again, with everything else on my mind I didn’t give it a lot of thought until we were singing it. Again I was struck by the powerful message. And this time the third verse really spoke to me because my husband had rejoiced so much in what Jesus had done for him, and now he was rejoicing the presence of Jesus.

I’ve always loved this song, but now it is doubly precious to me.

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life our redemption to win,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.

Chorus:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice;
Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory; great things He hath done.

Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see.

~Fanny J. Crosby