Opening Worship

Author: William Hammond

Hammond, William, B.A, born at Battle, Sussex, Jan. 6, 1719, and educated at St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1743 he joined the Calvinistic Methodists; and in 1745, the Moravian Brethren. He died in London, Aug. 19, 1783, and was buried in the Moravian burial-ground, Sloane Street, Chelsea. He left an Autobiography in Greek, which remains unpublished. His original hymns, together with his translations from the Latin, were published in his:— Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. To which is prefix'd A Preface, giving some Account of a Weak Faith, and a Full Assurance of Faith; and briefly stating the Doctrine of Sanctification; and shewing a Christian's Completeness, Perfection, and Happiness in Christ. By William Hammond, A.B., late of… Go to person page >

Lord, we come before Thee now. W. Hammond. [Public Worship.] First published in his Psalms & Hymns, 1745, p. 32, in 8 stanzas of 8 lines. In 1760 M. Madan reduced it to 6 stanzas of 4 lines, and as such it was given in his Psalms & Hymns of that year, No. 121. From this arrangement of the hymn most modern editors have taken their text. Original in Lyra Britannica 1867.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)