O God in Heaven

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Source: Common Praise: A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern #535

Author: Hugh Martin

Martin, Hugh. (1890--1964). Chair of the Editorial Committee of the Psalms and Hymns Trust of the Baptist Churches of Britain; active in the Christian Student Movement Press which he served from 1929 to 1950. Graduate of Glasgow University. --The Hymn Society, DNAH Archives… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O God in heaven, whose loving plan
Title: O God in Heaven
Author: Hugh Martin (1961)
Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8
Language: English
Refrain First Line: Our Father, on the homes we love
Copyright: © 1961, The Hymn Society of America, admin. Hope Publishing Co.

Notes

The British editor of The Baptist Hymn Book Companion, Hugh Martin (b. Glasgow, Scotland, 1890; d. East Grinstead, Sussex, England, 1964), wrote this text. It was chosen as one of thirteen finalists from among some 450 new texts submitted to the Hymn Society of America on the topic of "Home and Family." The text was first published in a Hymn Society pamphlet, Thirteen New Marriage and Family Life Hymns (1961). This publication was the result of a joint project by the Department of Family Life of the National Council of Churches (U.S.), the Canadian Council of Churches, and the Hymn Society of America. Their mandate was to find new hymns that "recognize the fundamental nature of marriage and family life; express the Christian ideals which should guide such relationships; and stress the responsibility of the church for developing and maintaining such ideals."

"O God in Heaven" is united by the refrain's prayer for divine blessing on family life. The four stanzas confirm God's care in our lives when he gave us Christian parents and homes and fellowship in times of “Joy and sorrow, work and play” (st. 1-2). The text presents a prayer for forgiveness and wisdom as young and old relate together (st. 3) and a prayer for joy in doing daily tasks–"housework," which every member should share with "delight" (st. 4). The humble gratitude for the ordinary aspects of family living and the sensitivity to the good and bad times exhibited in this text are attitudes that seem increasingly scarce in our hurried and often broken family lives.

Educated at Glasgow University, Martin studied for the Baptist ministry. From 1914 to 1950 he was active in the Student Christian Movement and served as the editor of its press. He later served as the moderator of the Free Church Federal Council and chairman of the executive committee of the British Council of Churches. One of his many publications, They Wrote Our Hymns (1961), is a notable book about the work of the great hymn writers.

Liturgical Use:
As a homemaker's prayer in family life services of various kinds (also fitting for doing the laundry and other chores during weekdays).

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune

HALAD


WYCH CROSS


ST. PETERSBURG

Dmitri Stephanovich Bortnianski (b. Gloukoff, Ukraine, 1751; d. St. Petersburg, Russia, 1825) was a Russian composer of church music, operas, and instrumental music. His tune ST. PETERSBURG (also known as RUSSIAN HYMN) was first published in J. H. Tscherlitzky's Choralbuch (1825). The tune is suppo…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 4 of 4)
TextPage Scan

Common Praise #535

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #407

Text InfoTune InfoTextAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #587

The New Century Hymnal #279

Include 5 pre-1979 instances
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