Hymn
The Bible, the light of the world
A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic like the sun:
It gives a light to every age;
It gives, but borrows none.
The Hand that gave it still supplies
The gracious light and heat.
His truths upon the nations rise;
They rise, but never set.
Let everlasting thanks be Thine,
For such a bright display
As makes a world of darkness shine
With beams of heavenly day.
My soul rejoices to pursue
The steps of Him I love,
Till glory break upon my view
In brighter worlds above.
Amen.
The Bible, the light of the world — Text from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, 1917. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/the-bible-the-light-of-the-world
Chord chart coming soon
Want to play this one? Leave your email and we'll let you know when the chords are ready.
Questions about this hymn
Who wrote The Bible, the light of the world?
The words of The Bible, the light of the world were written by William Cowper; the version here was published in 1917. The library holds 16 more hymns by William Cowper, including Looking Upwards in a Storm and To Jesus, the crown of my hope.
Is The Bible, the light of the world public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, published in 1917. 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 The Bible, the light of the world?
The Bible, the light of the world is in Common Metre (8.6.8.6). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, The Institution, Christ our Strength and Righteousness and Love to the Creatures is Dangerous.