Holy Bible, Book Divine

Representative Text

1 Holy Bible, book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came,
Mine to teach me what I am:

2 Mine to chide me when I rove;
Mine to show a Savior's love;
Mine thou art to guide and guard;
Mine to punish or reward;

3 Mine to comfort in distress,
Suffering in this wilderness;
Mine to show by living faith,
Man can triumph over death;

4 Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner's doom;
O thou holy book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine.

Source: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #205

Author: John Burton

Burton, John, born 1773, in Nottingham, where he resided until 1813, when he removed to Leicester, at which town he died in 1822. He was a Baptist, a very earnest Sunday School teacher, and one of the compilers of the Nottingham Sunday School Union Hymn Book, 1812. This book reached the 20th edition in 1861. The 1st edition contains 43 hymns which have his signature. He is known almost exclusively by one hymn, "Holy Bible, book divine" (q.v.). He was also author of The Youth's Monitor, and other similar productions for the young. Robert Hall wrote a recommendatory preface to one of his works. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M. A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)  Go to person page >

Notes

Holy Bible, book Divine. J. Burton, sen. [Holy Scripture.] This popular hymn first appeared in the author's Youth's Monitor in Verse, &c, 1803, and again in the Evangelical Magazine, June, 1805, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, where it is signed, "Nottingham—J. B."
In 1806 it was also given as No. 1 of pt. ii. of the author's Hymns for Sunday Schools; or, Incentives to Early Piety. As it is frequently altered in modern collections we add the original text.

"Holy Bible, book Divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came,
Mine to teach me what I am.

"Mine to chide me when I rove,
Mine to shew a Saviour's love;
Mine art thou to guide my feet,
Mine to judge, condemn, acquit.

"Mine to comfort in distress,
If the Holy Spirit bless;
Mine to shew by living faith
Man can triumph over death.

"Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner's doom;
Holy Bible, book Divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine."

This hymn has gradually grown into favour, and now it is in common use in most English-speaking countries.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Media

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #260
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Full Score (PDF)
The Cyber Hymnal #2520
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 27 of 27)
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African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal #205

Ambassador Hymnal #268

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Baptist Hymnal 1991 #260

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Baptist Hymnal 2008 #345

Christian Science Hymnal #494

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #231

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Hymns for a Pilgrim People #254

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Hymns of Faith #114

Hymns of the Christian Life #408

Praise for the Lord (Expanded Edition) #228

Praise y Adoración #273a

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Praise! Our Songs and Hymns #124

Redeeming Love #182

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Rejoice Hymns #179

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Sing Joyfully #176

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Soul-stirring Songs and Hymns (Rev. ed.) #368

Text

The Celebration Hymnal #412

The Christian Life Hymnal #233

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2520

Text

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #273

TextPage Scan

The New National Baptist Hymnal (21st Century Edition) #294

Text

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #652

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Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #137

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Worship and Service Hymnal #156

Worship His Majesty #320

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Yes, Lord! #64

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #110

Include 540 pre-1979 instances
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