God appointed, dear to us;
Thy dear self is so attractive,
To our heart so beauteous!
Who can tell Thy preciousness;
All Thy love we deeply treasure
And Thine untold loveliness.
Thou art sweeter than the sweet;
Thou art meek and Thou art gracious,
None can e’er with Thee compete.
And Thy lips are filled with grace;
In the savor of Thy suffering,
We in love Thyself embrace.
Thy God hath anointed Thee;
From the palaces of ivory
Praise shall ever rise to Thee.
Thou hast won the victory;
Now we see Thee throned in glory
With Thy pow’r and majesty.
All Thy worth they’ll ever prove;
Thou, the chiefest of ten thousand,
Ever worthy of our love.
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Storrs, Connecticut, United States
John Bacchus Dykes was born March 10, 1823. He is the composer of this tune and also of his most famous tune “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. ” Reginald Heber’s widow found among her dead husband’s papers, the words to one of the most powerful and beautiful hymns ever written but years would pass before the lines took their place in worship service around the world.
In 1861, a publisher rediscovered the words. He asked John Bacchus Dykes to furnish him with a tune. It made sense for him to turn to John who had a natural aptitude for music (he graduated with a music master that same year). He came from an evangelical background (father and grandfather) as well as musical family—his uncle an organist and his sister a poet and a hymnodist. John had been a church organist since he was 10 and also played the violin. He was co-founder and president of the Cambridge University Musical Society.
After John read the words to Holy, Holy, Holy, it took him 30 minutes to write the tune “Nicea” which today carries the praise of the Trinity to Christians everywhere.
The year after he composed this famous tune, John was appointed vicar of Saint Oswald, to put him in charge of the parish. He was 39 and had already held several lesser church posts. John’s parishioners came to love him. His bishop however did not care for John‘s views. John was “high-church. ” This meant that he stressed the continuity of the Church of England with the Roman Catholic church from which it had it has sprung. He believed that church and monarchy had divine rights which were being washed away by modern changes. There was a long-lasting disagreement between John and his bishop because of this.
Charles Baring, his bishop, refused to provide John with any help for his growing parish unless he would agree to conduct his services in a “low-church” style. He would have to get rid of clerical collars, stop burning incense and not turn his back on the congregation during the church service. John did not agree to do so and was left to handle the parish by himself, a task which exhausted him. Nonetheless, in addition to his regular duties, he managed to write over 300 hymn-tunes. These included some of the Christian faith’s most favorite hymns:
“Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee, ” “Take My Life and Let it Be, ” and “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” among others.
Worn out by his labors and constant friction with his bishop, John died on January 22, 1876. He was just 53 years old. Those who loved and admired him raised $10, 000 to support his widow and his children. He shares a grave with Mabel, his youngest daughter who died of scarlet fever in1870. Dyke’s grave is now the only marked grave in what is now a children’s playground.
Christianity. com
The Church In Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Christ is the focus of the Father, He has given Him to be head of all, and He has given Him to be all to us! Halleluia We have the all-inclusive Christ!
His righteousness prevails Forever, and we are One with Him! Glorious!
Calgary, Canada
Lord, Thou art the lovely Bridegroom, God appointed, dear to us; Thy dear self is so attractive, To our heart so beauteous!
Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
O Lord Jesus, what a privilege to be chosen from Your family to be prepared as the bride....to wait for our Bridegroom who can come any day. Dear Beloved, we admire Thee. Thy dear is so attractive. God hath blessed Thee, Lord, forever. Thou hast won the victory...
Resita, Romania
Oh, what a precious treasure we have found indeed!!! Lord, You are so lovely we cannot stop to taste Your sweetness! Praise the Lord!
Bangkok, Thailand
Who can be compared to the beauty and preciousness of our Lord? I can only say an everlasting praise because He has found me and I have found Him! Praise the Lord, saints!
White Rock, B.C., Canada
Lord, Thou art the lovely bridegroom, the Preciousness to Your believers. May we value and treasure You more, day by day!
Spokane, WA, USA
AWESOME! Thank You saints.