The Church’s One Foundation Hymn Lyrics

1

The church’s one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord ;

She is His new creation

By water and the Word :

From Heaven He came and sought her

To be His holy bride ;

With His own blood He bought her,

And for her life He died.

2

Elect from every nation,

Yet one o’er all the earth ;

Her charter of salvation—-

One Lord, one faith, one birth;

One holy Name she blesses,

Partakes one holy food ;

And to one hope she presses,

With every grace endued.

3

Though with a scornful wonder

Men see her sore opprest,

By schisms rent asunder,

By heresies distrest :

Yet saints their watch are keeping,

Their cry goes up, ” How long ? ”

And soon the night of weeping

Shall be the morn of song.

4

‘Mid toil and tribulation,

And tumults of her war,

She waits the consummation

Of peace for evermore ;

Till with the vision glorious

Her longing eyes are blest,

And the great church victorious,

Shall be the church at rest.

5

Yet she on earth hath union

With God the Three in One,

And mystic sweet communion

With those whose rest is won:

Oh, happy ones and holy !

Lord, give us grace, that we,

Like them, the meek and lowly,

On high may dwell with Thee !