God Spake the Word, and Time Began

Lyrics

• Copyright: Public Domain

Lyrics from A Collection of Sacred Hymns for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Europe, 1840

1. God spake the word, and time began;
He spake, and gave his law to man;
His presence oft did Adam cheer,
Who loved the voice of God to hear.

2. But by and by the scene was changed,
Our parents broke the Lord's command;
They lost their innocence and fled
Among the trees, and strove to hide,

3. From God their Father; but in vain,
For soon the Lord appeared again,
And called to Adam in the wood,
Who felt condemned, and trembling stood.

4. So wicked men, in every age,
Far from the God of heaven have strayed,
Till near six thousand years have fled,
And left the world with faith that's dead.

5. By faith, the ancients sought the Lord,
From time to time obtained his word,
Not only they, but so may we,
When faith and works do both agree.

6. From Adam to the present day,
Many have sought a righteous way,
And some have found the narrow road,
And Enoch-like, have walked with God.

7. In every age God is the same,
But men, they change from time.
While sinners take the downward road,
The man of faith approaches God.

8. Experience and the word agree,
Draw nigh, says God, I'll draw nigh thee.
Then are they wise who do deny
The works of faith beneath the sky?