O For a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
By: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Listen as you read. This version is from Together for the Gospel.
My dear, or as it has sometimes been altered to, great Redeemer is indeed worthy of praise. Check.
My God and King certainly is glorious. Check.
His grace has absolutely triumphed over all. Check.
Two thoughts
Really the most thought-provoking, pondering worthy line in the opening stanza to this beloved hymn is the first. Herein we understand the longing of the writer to have a thousand tongues to sing the praises of our God. I have often wondered if he meant both of the things that immediately come to mind for me and I am certain many others, worshippers across the more than two centuries this song has been sung.
1000 actual tongues
My single tongue simply is inadequate to declare the praise, glory and triumph of my King. I wish that I had 999 more, or while I am at, maybe 100,000, though in essence this would still not be enough to adequately, or throughly tell His worth. Though I must admit I would agree with St. Catherine that any number of of tongues breaking the silence would be far superior to those same tongues remaining stilled.
That quote got me thinking about how many of us are often tricked into constraining our praise for any number of reasons. Not the right moment. Not the right crowd. Not the right place. Lord, have mercy on us for holding our tongues in times we should have loosed them, especially when it comes to using them to bring you praise. When we speak the praises of God we breathe “life and health and peace” [quoting a later stanza] to an otherwise dying, sick and strife-filled world. I think rotten pretty much some up any place where the praise of God has been squelched.
Jesus, cause me to be unwilling to allow my praise to stay silent. Empower my tongue that it may erupt with unceasing adoration for Your Name. When it does, push back a bit of the rot of this weary world, and in that moment and place, establish Your kingdom! Begin in my soul, as I speak within, but cause it to grow, until it bursts without.
1000 different languages
My single language simply is insufficient to speak the inestimable worth of my dear Redeemer, my glorious God, my gracious King. Oh, that I might be able to speak 1000 different languages. Each has not only unique sounds and articulations, but certainly expressions that are idiomatic and colloquial as well as guttural, managing somehow to expound on the magnanimous character of our God. This brings to mind some memories…
- Traveling abroad and being in awe as I heard God’s praises sung in multiple languages at once.
- Learning the Dvorak Biblical Songs in their original Slovakian, with the help of a native speaker and marveling at the beauty of the unfamiliar sounds.
- Talking with a tour guide in Europe who spoke six languages and envying him not because he could converse with so many different people, but because he could express his praise in so many different ways, not to mention the possibility of dreaming of praising God in a language not my first.
This thought also reminds me of the Day of Pentecost, and allows me to see the blessing hidden initially in God’s working at the Tower of Babel. We began to think to highly of ourselves so God muddled our ability to communicate with all people by creating distinct languages. This curse comes full circle and essentially becomes as blessing when at the Day of Pentecost people from all over the world each heard the disciples speaking their native tongue. I do not even need to broach the controversial and divisive subject of the gift of tongues to make the point that having other means to praise God is a reasonable desire for every believer.
Holy Spirit, whether I develop the ability to speak another language or You supernaturally give me such utterance, enable me to use every capacity I have at any given moment to give praise to God. I long for the greatest ability possible, whether in number or skill, to sing the glories of my God, but instead simply ask that You help me to make the very most of the one tongue I currently possess. May I ever and only use it for this highest of purposes.
Joyful Thinking!
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Subscribers and Free Members, enjoy this podcast! Everyone else, the transcript below.
Podcast 3.1 Transcript
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts at Resonant 7, where we reflect on the reality of God and resolve to let it resound in our lives, repeatedly. Let’s think about this.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
Psalm 147:1 ESV
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
I think Wesley is possibly desiring one of two things here, either for a thousand different languages, or a thousand mouths, or both, but all for one purpose, that he may have even greater capacity to sing the praises of God. Ask God to help you make the most of every resource at your disposal to bring Him praise.
My dear Redeemer’s praise!
Hebrews 13:15 ESV
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Our Redeemer, through His redemptive action, grants us the access that allows us even to offer any praise at all. Take advantage of that freedom to use your lips to bring Him praise right now, and then ask Him to help you never stop.
The glories of my God and King,
Philippians 2:9-11 ESV
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We will focus on Jesus’ name in the next stanza, but for now, simply thank Him that you have the great treasure of being able to choose to use your tongue to worship Him now.
The triumphs of His grace!
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
A triumph is a great victory or achievement. Your redemption is at once a triumph of grace, and a demonstration of the triumph of God’s grace. Do not hesitate to make your weaknesses known, for they demonstrate the power and victory of our God. How might you humbly do that today?
Take a few moments to talk to Jesus about what has come to your mind, or listen to what He is saying to you, then I will read our text once more.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise!
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace.
Take the mindfulness of God’s presence cultivated in these last few minutes into the next ones and beyond. Until next time, be Resonant.
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