From our Synod's website:
Abraham (known early in his life as Abram) was called by God to become the father of a great nation (Genesis 12). At the age of 75 and in obedience to God's command, he, his wife Sarah, and his nephew Lot moved southwest from the town of Haran to the land of Canaan. There God established a covenant with Abraham (15:18), promising the land of Canaan to his descendants. At the age of 100 Abraham and Sarah were finally blessed with Isaac, the son long promised to them by God. Abraham demonstrated supreme obedience when God commanded him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. God spared the young man's life only at the last moment and provided a ram as a substitute offering (22:1–19). Abraham died at the age of 175 and was buried in the Cave of Machpelah, which he had purchased earlier as a burial site for Sarah. He is especially honored as the first of the three great Old Testament Patriarchs—and for his “righteousness before God through faith” (Romans 4:1–12).
The God of Abr'ham praise,
Who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of everlasting days
And God of love.
Jehovah, great I AM!
By earth and heav'n confessed,
I bow and bless the sacred name
Forever blest!
The whole triumphant host
Give thanks to God on high.
"Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"
They ever cry.
Hail, Abr'ham's God and mine!
I join the heavenly lays:
All mighty and majesty are Thine
And endless praise! LSB 798:1,9
2 comments:
"Abraham 'obeys God's command without arguing.' (LW 3:173) He simply cuts the throat of this baneful 'Why?' and tears it out of his heart by the roots. He takes reason captive and finds satisfaction in the one fact that he who gives the command is just, good, and wise; therefore, he cannot command anything but what is just, good, and wise, even if reason does not make any sense of it."
(Steinbronn, Worldviews, CPH 2007, p 128)
I have an interesting memory of this hymn. When I was a student at Moody, we had mandatory chapel 5 days a week. On one particular chapel day, the Israeli consul from there in Chicago was to speak about the state of life in Israel at that time -- Moody being a dispensationalist stronghold. He was duly introduced by Louis Goldberg, then chairman of Jewish studies. Dr. Goldberg began the chapel service by saying that we would sing 'The God of Abram Praise,' and he specified that we sing the first verse, and that only. I think that I've never sung the hymn without thinking about that incident.
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