“O God of Truth, We Praise Your Name.”

“O God of Truth, We Praise Your Name.”
To the tune “My hope is built on nothing less/ST. CATHERINE” (8.8.8.8; alternate tune: “MELITA”).

1. O God of truth, we praise Your name,
You are, and none but You can claim
True source of all that is, and was,
The source of being, life, and bliss,

Your truth alone our souls can feed,
You give us strength in time of need.

2. Your Word, O Lord, is pure and right,
It shines with everlasting light,
What You have spoken shall remain,
Creation sings in sweet refrain:
The Scriptures speak your glorious ways

Our hearts rejoice in all your praise.

3. Your Spirit sees all things aright,
In Him You search the depth and height—

Spirit through whom all wisdom springs,
We give you thanks, who guide all things

No thought is hid from You, O LORD,

Give us your Spirit, speak your word!

4. O Christ, the Truth, revealed to save,
In You we rise from sin and grave,
Your truth alone can lead the soul,
It orders thought, and will, and goal,
So teach us, Lord, to love Your word,
That we may grow in sweet accord.

5. By faith we see You made the world,
All things through You were shaped and formed
O Christ, the Truth, the Life, the Way,
Oh lead us in to brightening day,
Give thanks to Father, Spirit, Son

Our joy in you, salvation won.

This hymn summarises the doctrines we covered way back in questions 4-6:

Question 4: What does it mean to say that God is truth?

Answer: To say that God is truth means that God himself exists as the ultimate ground and source of all that is, was, or will be; that his Word perfectly reflects, conforms to, reveals, and expresses the divine mind, determining also that which exists in creation; and that, in his Spirit, he perfectly, fully, and truly perceives and reveals all things.

Question 5: Why do we say that God himself exists as the ultimate ground and source of all that is, was, or will be?

Answer: We say that God himself exists because holy scripture affirms it, and the creation itself bears witness to his divine power and majesty. Furthermore, we say that he is the ultimate ground and source of all that is, was, or will be because by faith in his word we perceive that he made all things.

Question 6: In what way is truth essential to life?

Answer: As the means by which we may know God, savingly perceive Christ, and move forward into greater degrees of spiritual maturity, as well as being the means by which we may understand all things rightly and thereby order our thoughts, will, affections, and actions properly, the truth is essential unto life for all people.