Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

John Newton is so well known as the author of Amazing Grace that it is easy to forget that he also wrote this famous hymn.  The hymn dropped considerably in popularity in the 1940s and 1950s, because it is typically associated with the Franz Haydn tune used with varying words -- including Deutschland uber Alles -- as German and Austrian national anthems.  Although this negative association is fading, the hymn's popularity has suffered.  Another factor may be a general tendency to dismiss songs about heaven as concerning "pie in the sky."  The song is not helped, in any case, by some archaic/overly-poetic language.

Comments and Suggestions:

The third verse slant rhyme "I thro' grace a member am/I will glory in your name" can be improved and clarified:  "I MY MEMBERSHIP CAN CLAIM" -- but does so at the cost of omitting the reference to grace..

Renewal lyrics:

Glorious things of YOU are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed YOU for His own abode.

On the Rock of ages founded,
What can shake YOUR sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
YOU MAY smile at all YOUR foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply YOUR sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove;

Who can faint, while such a river
FLOWS TO HEART AND MIND ENGAGE?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Savior, since of Zion’s city
I, thro’ grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in YOUR name.

Fading is ALL HUMAN pleasure,
All OUR boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

Renewal lyric changes by RH Reinhard (c) 2014

Original lyrics:

Glorious things of THEE are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He, whose word cannot be broken,
Formed THEE for His own abode.

On the Rock of ages founded,
What can shake THY sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
THOU MAY’ST smile at all THY foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply THY sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove;

Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst T’ASSUAGE?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Savior, since of Zion’s city
I, thro’ grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in THY name.

Fading is the WORLDLING’S pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

Lyrics by John Newton, 1779