O God of Love, O King of Peace
O God of love, O King of peace
The hymn reflects Lutheran emphasis on God's sovereign power and protection against spiritual enemies, invoking divine peace as the antidote to conflict. It expresses confidence in God's ultimate victory and calls believers to surrender their anxieties to the Divine King.
History & Background
Written by Henry Williams Baker in 1861 and published in Hymns Ancient and Modern, this hymn addresses spiritual conflict and God's role as peacemaker. It has remained a staple of English-language Protestant hymnody for over 150 years.
Scripture References Written by Henry W. Baker and entitled “The Lord st. 1 = Ps. 46:9 Shall Give His People the Blessing of Peace,” this text was pub Isa. 2:4 lished in the 1861 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern. Baker was Mic. 4:3 chairman of the committee that prepared this landmark hymnal. st. 2 = Ps. 78:3-4 The Psalter Hymnal omits the original fourth stanza. ref. = Ps. 29:11 Because the sin of war is always present in our world, this profound prayer for peace or shalom is continuously relevant. As we sing, we pray for a cease-fire among hostile peoples, for reconciliation among warring factions (st. 1). But it is only because of God’s faithfulness and mercy, his “works of old,” and not from human efforts that true peace will come (st. 2). Like the Old Testament psalms that affirm God’s saving deeds, this text testifies that only God can be trusted to provide a lasting peace (st. 3). “O God of Love” has an unforgettable litany refrain, “Give peace, O God, give peace again!”
Hymnal Appearances
- Chalice Hymnal — 699
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 712
- The Hymnal 1982 — 391
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 414
- Lutheran Service Book — 751
- Lutheran Worship — 498
- New Century Hymnal — 273
- Psalter Hymnal — 608
Liturgical Use
Because war, revolution, strife, and the spirit of contention are rampant in our world and because the Christian church should be engaged in peace efforts and prayers for peace, this hymn is appropriate for many occasions of worship.
Bulletin Note
Written by Henry Williams Baker in 1861, this Common Meter hymn unites Lutheran confidence in God's protective sovereignty with a yearning for peace that resonates across centuries of Christian warfare, internal and external.
Preaching Connection
This hymn deepens the Gospel's promise by naming spiritual conflict honestly while proclaiming that God's loving kingship—not human effort—secures the peace that passes understanding.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From petition for God's intervention in global conflict, through remembrance of God's faithfulness and forgetting of sin, to trust in God's word alone, concluding with compassionate action empowered by divine peace.
Themes
Peace God's sovereignty Warfare spiritual Prayer for peace God's love