O God Beyond All Praising
O God beyond all praising, we worship you today
The opening paradox — 'O God beyond all praising, we worship you today' — is a theologically precise statement: the God who transcends all possible praise is nevertheless the God who invites and receives it. This is the apophatic (via negativa) tradition's contribution to doxology: we praise by acknowledging that our praise is insufficient, yet we praise anyway. The second stanza's commitment to service 'whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill' names the Lutheran concept of Christian life as lived under the cross — not promised prosperity but sustained vocation through all circumstances.
History & Background
Michael Perry (1942-1996) was an English Anglican minister and hymnographer who wrote 'O God Beyond All Praising' in 1982. The text was composed to fit the tune THINE IS THE GLORY, a Handel melody from the oratorio Judas Maccabaeus (1746) that had been adapted for the Easter hymn 'Thine Is the Glory, Risen Conquering Son.' Perry's text works across the full liturgical year, making Handel's magnificent tune available for occasions beyond Easter. The hymn was included in Hymns for Today's Church (1982) and has since entered numerous denominational hymnals including ELW. The tune's grandeur suits Perry's theological ambition: a text that acknowledges the inadequacy of all praise while nevertheless offering it, and that commits to worship both in good times and in sorrow. The two-stanza structure moves from doxological adoration to practical commitment — a classic pattern in Reformed and Lutheran hymnody alike.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 880
- Glory to God — 645
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 529
Bulletin Note
Text by Michael Perry (1942-1996), 1982. Tune: THINE IS THE GLORY, adapted from G.F. Handel's Judas Maccabaeus (1746).
Preaching Connection
Every sermon about God's greatness eventually runs out of words — which is exactly where this text begins, confessing that songs cannot repay the love amazing, and singing anyway.
Themes
praise transcendence of God doxology Easter commitment sacrifice of praise