How Excellent is Thy Loving Kindness

This is a hymn about God's love and kindness.   It is based on Psalm 36:7.

A four part (SATB) vocal arrangement was published in "The Palm: a collection of sacred music, for choirs, singing schools and conventions" in 1870, attributed to J M Stillman, and many other arrangements (both published and unpublished) have been made since.

SongSelect reports the author as Charles F. Noyes, but has no further information.

Various people have claimed to write it in the 1990s - but there are reports of people learning it in primary school in the 1970s in Africa, making the claims from the 1990s seem unlikely.

There was a hymn with a similar name in a Presbyterian Hymnal from 1886, but the verses are quite different.

Downloads

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Sheet music (SATB choir)

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Choir with orchestra, concert performance:

Singer with backing:

Choir with organ:

Choir with organ, professional recording:

Choir, unaccompanied:

Womens's choir, unaccompanied:

Small choir, unaccompanied:

Duet, unaccompanied:

Lyrics

How excellent, how excellent
Is Thy loving kindness;
Is Thy loving kindness, Oh God!

How excellent, how excellent
Is Thy loving kindness,
Is Thy loving kindness Oh God!

Therefore the children of men;
Therefore the children of men
Therefore the children of men put their trust;
Therefore the children of men put their trust;
Therefore put their trust under the shadow of Thy Wings.

Of your loving kindness
They shall be abundantly satisfied,
They shall be abundantly satisfied,
They shall be abundantly satisfied.
With the fullness of Your House.
And you shall make them drink
Of the river of Your pleasure;
Show Your loving kindness unto them
Your pleasures, and You shall make them drink
Of the river of Your pleasure.

That know you, unto them that know you and your righteousness,
Your pleasures, and you shall make them drink.
Of the river of your pleasure to the upright heart.

See more ...

• Psalm settings
• Hymns about God's love