1786 - "Jehovah, Lord of heav’n and earth", Oliver Holden

Oliver Holden

(1765 – 1844)
was an American composer and compilerof hymns.

1. Jehovah, Lord of heav’n and earth,
Thy word of truth proclaim!
Oh, may it spread from pole to pole,
Till all shall know thy name;
Oh, may it spread from pole to pole,
Till all shall know thy name.

2. We long to see thy Church increase,
Thine own new kingdom grow,
That all the earth may live in peace,
And heav’n be seen below;
That all the earth may live in peace,
And heav’n be seen below.

3. Roll on thy work in all its pow’r!
The distant nations bring!
In thy new kingdom may they stand,
And own thee God and King;
In thy new kingdom may they stand,
And own thee God and King.

4. One general chorus then shall rise
From men of ev’ry tongue,
And songs of joy salute the skies,
By ev’ry nation sung;
And songs of joy salute the skies,
By ev’ry nation sung.

Text: Anon.
Music: Oliver Holden, 1765-1844 Born in Shirley, Massachusetts, he served a year as a marine, for which he received a small annual pension. He lived most of his life in Charles Town, Boston, Massachusetts, after he moved here with his parents in 1786. He was known to be a devout Baptist. A carpenter and real estate dealer in his professional life, he also organized many music schools, and served aslegislator and pastor. Holden published books on sacred music, “The American Harmony” 1793), “Union Harmony, or a Universal Collection of Sacred Music” (1793 & 1801); co-wrote “The Massachusetts Compiler,” with Hans Gram and Samuel Holyoke (1795); and edited “The Worcester Collection of Sacred Harmony” (1797). When George Washington visited Boston in 1789, Holden wrote the lyrics and score of an ode, and trained the choir which sang the music that greeted Washington at the Old State House. This chorus was performed again by the Stoughton Musical Society in their concerts at the Chicago World’s Exposition in 1893
His popular tune Coronation, to Edward Perronet’s hymn
All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name, is said to be the earliest American hymn tune still in general use.