When Israel Through the Desert Passed

When Is­ra­el through the des­ert passed

A fie­ry pil­lar went be­fore;

Their guide by night through all the waste

From Egypt quite to Ca­naan’s shore.

Such is Thy glo­ri­ous Word

O God

’Tis for our light and guid­ance giv’n;

It sheds its lus­ter all abroad

And points the path to bliss and Heav’n.

It fills the soul with sweet de­light

And quick­ens its in­act­ive pow­ers;

Sets all our wan­der­ing foot­steps right

Displays Thy love

and kin­dles ours.

Its pro­mis­es re­joice our hearts

Its doc­trines are di­vine­ly true;

Knowledge and plea­sure it im­parts

Yields com­fort and in­struct­ion

too.

Ye fa­vored lands that have this Word

[Originally

Ye Bri­tish isles

who have this word]

Ye saints who feel its sav­ing pow­er

Your ef­forts join with one ac­cord

To send it forth to ev­ery shore.