Blessed be the God and Father

This is Samuel Sebastian Wesley's 'Blessed be the God and Father', written (according to wikipedia) in 1833 or 1834:




This piece is full of happy memories for me. I realise now that I didn't quote it when I wrote about 'flowers that glide' earlier in the year, though it would have been appropriate. The words are a selection of extracts from 1 Peter (which is this week's reading at Evening Prayer):

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,
that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed at the last time.

But as he which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.
Love one another with a pure heart fervently.
See that ye love one another.
Love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God.
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.