Text by William Cowper Published 1774 (1774) | Meter 8.6.8.6 (CM) | |
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Full Conflict: Light Shining out of Darkness Melody London New (The Psalmes of David in Prose and Meeter)
Dundee | ||
"God Moves in a Mysterious Way" is a Christian hymn, written in 1773 by William Cowper from England.
Contents
Words
The words were composed by William Cowper (1731–1800). Comprising six verses, they were written in 1773, just before the onset of a depressive illness, during which Cowper attempted suicide by drowning. The text was first published by Cowper's friend, John Henry Newton, in his Twenty-six Letters on Religious Subjects; to which are added Hymns in 1774. The hymn was later published in Olney Hymns which Cowper co-wrote with Newton. Entitled Conflict: Light Shining out of Darkness, it was accompanied by a text from Saint John's Gospel, Chapter 13: Verse 7, which quotes Jesus saying to his disciples; "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter."
The first verse is:
The first line of the hymn has become an adage or saying, used to justify unfortunate or inexplicable events, and is referenced in many literary works.
Music
The hymn tune London New comes from the The Psalmes of David in Prose and Meeter of 1635. In Common Praise, it is in D major. A popular alternative and rather similar tune is Dundee, which comes from the Scottish Psalter of 1615; the harmony was arranged by Thomas Ravenscroft (1592-1635) in 1621. Other traditional tunes include Manoah, first published by Henry Wellington Greatorex in Boston, Massachusetts in 1843 but sometimes attributed to Joseph Haydn, and Irish by Charles Wesley, first published in 1749.