Now May the Lord Reveal his Face by John Newton
The work is a devotional hymn that exalts divine grace as the central theme of human redemption and worship. It begins with an earnest invocation for the divine to manifest, empowering the sinner’s voice to celebrate the sovereign grace that alone can transform and redeem. The text emphasizes that no subject is as sweet or compelling to the troubled heart as the revelation of this grace, which not only inspires personal praise but also commands cosmic adoration, echoed by both redeemed souls and angels. Throughout the hymn, grace is portrayed as a dynamic, life-sustaining force. It is depicted as the power that pardons sins, softens hardened hearts, and continuously nurtures the soul from its initial awakening of faith to its ultimate fulfillment. The imagery of a fertile soil, nurtured by grace as the source of nourishment and growth, illustrates how divine mercy provides both the conditions and the means for spiritual development and eventual bounty. The text contrasts the transient struggles of the world and the forces of evil with the enduring, victorious reign of grace in the lives of the chosen. It reassures that any opposition is ultimately futile in the face of the overpowering and conquering nature of this grace. In the natural order, as rain, sun, and soil contribute to a bountiful harvest, grace is analogously the essential element that summons and sustains the believer’s journey through life’s trials. In its concluding reflection, the hymn anticipates the ultimate reward of beholding the divine presence after the fleeting nature of mortal existence. This anticipated communion fuels the present call to manifest mercy and acknowledge the debt owed to the giver of grace, even if complete repayment is impossible. The work encapsulates the believer’s quest for salvation—rooted in an unwavering faith in the transformative, sustaining, and eternal power of grace that not only redeems but also calls for constant, humble praise during life. The hymn functions both as a declaration of faith and a meditation on the all-encompassing nature of divine grace, presenting it as both the initiator and the sustainer of a life led toward eternal communion with the divine.
By John Newton · First published 1779 · Genre: Christian Hymn, Religious Poetry, Devotional Literature · 361 words
First lines
I: Now may the Lord reveal his face, / And teach our stammering tongues / To make his sovereign, reigning grace, / The subject of our songs!
No sweeter subject can invite / A sinner's heart to sing; / Or more display the glorious right / Of our exalted King.
Genres
- Christian Hymn — The work is fundamentally a hymn, designed for worship and praise, emphasizing divine grace and redemption.
- Religious Poetry — The text employs poetic structure and imagery to express spiritual themes, aligning it with the conventions of religious poetry.
- Devotional Literature — The piece serves as an aid to personal reflection on grace and salvation, characteristic of devotional writings.
Tags
Faith · Christianity · Redemption · Grace · Spirituality · Prayer · Divine Providence · Salvation · Revelation · Worship · Scripture · Enlightenment
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Now May the Lord Reveal his Face is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Newton, dated 1779 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: John Newton
- Date: 1779 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Christian Hymn, Religious Poetry, Devotional Literature
- Length: 361 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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