Walter Chalmers Smith (1824 – 1908) was a Scottish hymnist, poet and minister of the Free Church of Scotland and is chiefly remembered for his hymn Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.
Immortal Invisible God Only Wise Lyrics
1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. To all, life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish, but naught changeth thee.
4. Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light;
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.
Meter: 11 11 11 11. Lyrics by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824 – 1908) based upon 1 Timothy 1: 17. Public Domain.
Immortal Invisible God Only Wise : Recording
- Tune: St Denio a traditional Welsh, hymn melody by an anonymous composer found in John Robert’s Canuadu y Cyssegr (1833).
- Performance ℗ 2020 Richard M. S. Irwin. All rights reserved
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Score
Available from MobileHymns.org
Lectionary and Other Uses
- Ascension
- General
- Holy Week Monday
- Trinity Sunday
- Year A Christmas 1
- Year A Proper 14, Ordinary 19, Trinity 9
- Year B Advent 1
- Year B Proper 27, Ordinary 32, Trinity 23
- Year B Proper 9, Ordinary 14, Trinity 5
- Year C Easter 6
- Year C Epiphany 7
- Year C Epiphany Transfiguration Sunday, Next Before Lent
- Year C Proper 19, Ordinary 24, Trinity 23
- Year C Proper 29, Ordinary 34, Trinity 33
Notes on Immortal Invisible God Only Wise
The text used by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824 – 1908) is based on “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.” from this text on 1 Timothy 1: 17 and first published with six verses in his Hymns of Christ and the Christian Life (1867).