[Biblemat] hymn study, "O For A Closer Walk With God"

[Wayne S Walker]

Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study.

"O FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD"
"...Walk before God in the light of the living" (Ps. 56.13)

     INTRO.:  A hymn which urges us to walk before God in the light of
the living is "O For A Closer Walk With Thee" (#597 in Hymns for Worship
Revised, and #178 in Sacred Selections).  The text was written by William
Cowper (1731-1800).  The famous English poet produced the words on Dec.
9, 1769, during the illness of his good friend, Mrs. Mary Unwin.  The
poem was first published in Richard Conyer's 1772 Collection of Psalms
and Hymns from Various Authors, 2nd Edition.  The present version, with
alterations made by Cowper himself, first appeared under the title
"Walking With God" in the 1779 Olney Hymns, Book One, which he coedited
with John Newton (1725-1807).

     The tune (Beatitudo) most often used with this hymn was composed by
John Bacchus Dykes, who was born at Kingston-upon-Hull, England, on Mar.
10, 1823.  The son of a banker, he revealed his unusual musical abilities
at an early age.  When just ten, he began playing the organ.  Receiving
his early education at Wakefield, he graduated from St. Catherine's
College at Cambridge in 1847, and became a minister with the Anglican
Church at Walton in Yorkshire.  Two years later he moved to Durham
Cathedral.  In 1861 he received a doctorate from Durham University and
the next year became minister at St. Oswald's Church in Durham.  Here he
remained until his death.  

     A prolific hymn-tune composer, Dykes published around 300, most of
which appeared in Hymns Ancient and Modern beginning in 1861 and in
RIchard Chope's Congregational Hymn and Tune Book.  This one was
originally intended for the hymn "How bright those glorious spirits
shine," and was published in the 1875 edition of Hymns Ancient and
Modern.  Other well-known tunes by him include those used for "Holy,
Holy, Holy" by Reginald Heber, "Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee"
attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, and "Father, Hear the Prayer We
Offer" by Love M. Willis.  Recognized as one of the greatest of the
Victorian hymn-tune composers of eighteenth-century England, Dykes died
at Ticehurst in Sussex, England, on Jan. 22, 1876.

     Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the
twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the
1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1959
Majestic Hymnal No. 2 and the 1978 Hymns of Praise both edited Reuel
Lemmons; the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater; and the
1965 Great Christian Hymnal No. 2 edited by Tillit S. Teddlie.  Today it
may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the
Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by
Alton H. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M.
McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in
addition to Hymns for Worship, Sacred Selections, and the 2007 Sacred
Songs of the Church (the latter two of which use the tune "Orntonville"
by Thomas Hastings which in most of our books is associated with John
Newton's "How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds").

     The hymn asks God for His help in walking more closely to Him.

I. In stanza 1, we are told that whatever the circumstances in life we
need to walk with God
"O for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb."
 A. Even in a world of great evil and sorrow, we must follow the example
of Enoch and seek to walk with God: Gen. 5.24
 B. When we have this desire, God will give us a light to shine upon the
road: Ps. 119.105
 C. Such a road will lead us to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world: Jn. 1.29

II. In stanza 2, we are told to think back to the time when we first knew
the Lord
"Where is the blessedness I knew When I first saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view Of Jesus and His word?"
 A. In times of anxiety and dread, we should remember other blessed times
when the Lord delivered us: Ps. 56.13
 B. Especially if we stray from the right path, we should remember our
first love when we first saw the Lord: Rev. 2.4-5
 C. Remembering these things will help us look to Jesus and the word of
His grace to build us up: Acts 20.32

III. In stanza 3, we are told to continue looking back to past blessings
from God
"What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!  How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void The world can never fill."
 A. Again, our problems should focus our attention on what God has
already done for us: Ps. 63:6-8
 B. God has given us the blessing of memory to utter His goodness and
sing of His righteousness: Ps. 145.7
 C. Once we have experienced such joys, they can leave an aching void
that the world can never fill because it is at enmity with God: Jas. 4.4

IV. In stanza 4, we are told to seek the influence of the Holy Spirit in
our lives
"Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn And drove Thee from my breast."
 A. The "holy Dove" obviously refers to the Holy Spirit, who came in the
manner of a dove on Jesus: Matt. 3.16
 B. While we certainly cannot expect the Spirit to come down upon us in
the same way or to the same degree as He did on Jesus, we still must seek
to be filled with the Spirit in our hearts and lives: Eph. 5.18
 C. Therefore, we will hate all sins, repenting of them and confessing
them, which grieve the Spirit and drive His influence from our lives:
Eph. 4.30

V. In stanza 5, we are told not to allow anything in our hearts that
would hinder a closer walk with God
"The dearest idol I have know, Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne, And worship only Thee."
 A. Even if we do not worship images of stone, wood, or metal, there are
still many idols which we may allow in our hearts: Ezek. 14.1-3
  B. Therefore, we must walk according to the Spirit and tearing them
from our hearts not allow the idols of the flesh to separate us from God:
Gal. 5.16-25
 C. Rather, we must worship only God both in action and in thought: Matt.
4.10

VI. In stanza 6, we are that our desire for a walk with God can become a
definite assurance
"So shall my walk be close to God, Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb."
 A. God has always wanted His people to walk close to Him: Mic. 6.8
 B. He will give us light so that if we walk in it we can have confidence
of being in fellowship with Him: 1 Jn. 1.7-9
 C. Such a road will surely lead us to the Lamb as He stands on Mt. Zion:
Rev. 14.1

     CONCL.:  This hymn is largely autobiographical.  Cowper's
fretfulness over Mrs. Unwin's condition seemed to bring back memories of
his own earlier mental collapse from which he was led by his brother's
sharing with him the gospel, as well as the recognition that he had to
turn away from the idols of his heart that had brought about his decline,
ending with faith's beautiful return to the former blessedness.  In like
manner, it should be the expressed desire of every Christian to tell the
Lord, "O For A Closer Walk With God."

      Brotherly,
Wayne S. Walker
9024 Amona Dr.
Affton, MO  63123
home phone: (314) 638-4710
office phone: (314) 544-1612
e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com
website: www.defenderoftruth.com

     Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth
website.  Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book
that I have written entitled Songs of Zion.  It can be ordered from the
publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com.  And
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