SDA Hymnal 250 O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
Introduction: “Hymn 250 in the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal is the classic ‘O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,’ written by Charles Wesley. This hymn is a staple for opening services and celebrating the power of Christ’s name.”
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Lyrics (SDA Hymnal 250)
1
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!
2
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.
3
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life, and health, and peace.
4
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.
5
He speaks, and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.
6
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your savior come,
and leap, ye lame, for joy.
Chords and Sheet Music Media & Downloads
O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Chords PDF Download
Free Sheet Music Download PDF
Hymn Details & Key Information Song Credits
Author: Charles Wesley (1739)
Tune: Azmon
Key: G Major (or the specific SDA arrangement key)
Topic: Praise and Adoration, Worship
MP3 Download & YouTube Video
History: Who Wrote "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"? .
When I analyze 180th-century hymnody, I look for the raw human spark behind the theology. Take Charles Wesley’s 1739 masterpiece, “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” He didn’t just sit down to write a nice song. He wrote it to mark the first anniversary of his dramatic spiritual conversion. That personal crisis changed everything for him.
The text itself is pure poetic fire, but the music gives it wings. Most congregations today sing it to AZMON, a tune composed by Carl G. Gläser. But it needed a bridge to the modern church. Enter Lowell Mason in the 1800s. He arranged Gläser’s work into the driving, accessible format we use today. In my experience studying these archives, Mason’s adaptation is why the hymn survived. It transformed a localized poem into a global anthem. It just works.