A Song given at supper!

To God Be The Glory

Author: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Musician: William H. Doane, 1832-1915


To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro' Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To ev'ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing thro' Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

To God be the glory, the vict'ry is won;
Our praise to the Saviour has only begun;
In heav'n's radiant splendor we'll join with the throng
And praise Him forever in jubilant song.

I am not sure why, although I believe God gave the song to my heart... but while Alvin and I were sitting down at the table to have supper (an hour ago) this hymn came to my heart and into my mind! Now, I honestly don't know if I have sung this hymn in the past 10+ years, but I "grew up" singing this song.

So there we were at the table ~ humming, singing the chorus (Alvin and I). I figure that, if nothing else, God gave this song to me to remind me of HIS goodness in my life! A reminder that I need to (regardless of anything or everything that may or may not happen) say "To God be the Glory - great things HE has done!! Praise the Lord!

I hope that He brings a song to your heart too! And, after you sing it, make sure to stop and thank Him!

Just now I checked the details about Fanny Crosby (who wrote this hymn) and have included it next - should you wish to read it!

Frances Jane Crosby (March 24 1820 – February 12 1915) usually known as Fanny Crosby, but sometimes as Frances van Alstyne, was an American lyricist best known for her Protestant Christian hymns. A lifelong Methodist, she was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 despite being blind since infancy.[1] Also known for her public speaking, during her lifetime Fanny Crosby was one of the best known women in the United States.

To this day, the vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. Some of her best known songs include "Blessed Assurance", "Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home", "Praise Him, Praise Him", and "To God Be the Glory".[2] Because some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, Crosby used nearly 100 different pseudonyms during her career.

Early life and career
Fanny Crosby was born in Southeast, Putnam County, New York to poor parents, John and Mercy Crosby. At six weeks old, she caught a cold and developed inflammation of the eyes. The family physician was not available, and a quack who came in his place recommended mustard plasters as treatment.[3] The botched procedure blinded her.

Her father died when she was one year old, so she was raised by her mother and grandmother. These women grounded Crosby in Protestant Christian principles, helping her, for example, memorize long passages from the Bible. Crosby became an active member of the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City.

At age 15, Crosby enrolled at the New York Institute for the Blind (now the New York Institute for Special Education). She remained there for seven years. During that time she learned to play the piano and guitar and to sing. In 1843, she joined a group of lobbyists in Washington, D.C. arguing for support of education for the blind. From 1847 to 1858, Crosby joined the faculty at the New York school, teaching English and history. She married Alexander Van Alstyne, a blind musician and fellow teacher, in 1858. At his insistence, she kept her maiden name. They had one daughter, Francis, who died while a baby. Alexander died on July 19, 1902.