DD/F#
The church's one foundation
GAsusA
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
DD/F#
She is His new creation
GAsusA
By water and the Word.
EmD/F#
From heaven He came and sought her
GAsusA
To be His holy bride;
DD/F#
With His own blood He bought her,
GAD
And for her life He died.
[Verse 2]
DD/F#
Elect from every nation,
GAsusA
Yet one over all the earth;
DD/F#
Her charter of salvation,
GAsusA
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
EmD/F#
One holy Name she blesses,
GAsusA
Partakes one holy food,
DD/F#
And to one hope she presses,
GAD
With every grace endued.
[Verse 3]
DD/F#
Though with a scornful wonder
GAsusA
Men see her sore oppressed,
DD/F#
By schisms rent asunder,
GAsusA
By heresies distressed,
EmD/F#
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
GAsusA
Their cry goes up, "How long?"
DD/F#
And soon the night of weeping
GAD
Shall be the morn of song.
[Verse 4]
DD/F#
The church shall never perish,
GAsusA
Her dear Lord to defend
DD/F#
To guide, sustain and cherish,
GAsusA
Is with her to the end
EmD/F#
Though there be those that hate her,
GAsusA
And false sons in her pale
DD/F#
Against a foe or traitor,
GAD
She ever shall prevail
[Verse 5]
DD/F#
Mid toil and tribulation,
GAsusA
And tumult of her war,
DD/F#
She waits the consummation
GAsusA
Of peace forevermore;
EmD/F#
'Til, with the vision glorious,
GAsusA
Her longing eyes are blessed,
DD/F#
And the great church victorious
GAD
Shall be the church at rest.
[Verse 6]
DD/F#
Yet she on earth hath union
GAsusA
With God the Three in One,
DD/F#
And mystic sweet communion
GAsusA
With those whose rest is won.
EmD/F#
O happy ones and holy!
GAsusA
Lord, give us grace that we
DD/F#
Like them, the meek and lowly,
GAD
On high may dwell with Thee.