Hymn
God is a Spirit, Just and Wise
God is a Spirit, just and wise
He sees our inmost mind;
In vain to heaven we raise our cries,
And leave our souls behind.
Nothing but truth before his throne
With honor can appear;
The painted hypocrites are known
Through the disguise they wear.
Their lifted eyes salute the skies,
Their bended knees the ground;
But God abhors the sacrifice
Where not the heart is found.
Lord, search my thoughts, and try my ways,
And make my soul sincere;
Then shall I stand before thy face,
And find acceptance there.
God is a Spirit, Just and Wise — Text from The Voice of Praise, 1873. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/god-is-a-spirit-just-and-wise
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote God is a Spirit, Just and Wise?
The words of God is a Spirit, Just and Wise were written by Isaac Watts; the version here was published in 1873. The library holds 248 more hymns by Isaac Watts, including The Glorious Reign of Christ on Earth and God is Everywhere.
Is God is a Spirit, Just and Wise public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from The Voice of Praise, published in 1873. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of God is a Spirit, Just and Wise?
God is a Spirit, Just and Wise is in Common Metre (8.6.8.6). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Morning: Grateful Praise, The Interperter and Christ our Strength and Righteousness.