O Lord, All Glorious, Life of Life

O Lord, all glorious, Life of life!
To Thee we raise our grateful song;
Lift up our souls from thoughts of self
To Thee, to Whom all lives belong.

Below all depths Thy mercy lies,
Above all heights Thy love ascends;
Thy providence our path surrounds,
Thy watchful care each step attends.

From Thee all good desires proceed,
All holy thoughts we gain from Thee;
The good we do is Thine alone,
Thine shall our heart’s thanksgiving be.

Author: Samuel Longfellow

Year: 1864

This hymn text by Unitarian minister and hymnwriter Samuel Longfellow (brother of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) first appeared in his 1864 collection 'Vespers'. The meter, phrasing, and theological emphasis on God's immanence and providence are characteristic of his style; no strong alternate attributions exist.