Text: Genesis 1:26-31, Job 28:12-28, John 1:18
Walter Chalmers Smith set out with lofty goals when he sat down to write the words to “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise.” Although it later became his most famous hymn, he was hesitant to complete it, and spent almost forty years revising, reconsidering, and researching before it reached its final form.
During those years of meditating on what it means for God to be both immortal and invisible, Smith ministered at five different churches throughout Europe. As he honed his preaching skills, he also practiced his skills as a poet. His prolific collection of poetry reflects on the depths of human sin and the heights of God’s inexpressible greatness (Bailey 456).
Smith’s love for poetry emboldened him to explore his desire to know the unknowable. He used phrases like “light inaccessible hid from our eyes” in an attempt to describe the indescribable. Job used the same kind of paradoxical phrases to explain the reach of an eternal God, who “fixed the weight of the wind” (Job 28:25).
Through his struggle to express the inexpressible, Smith created a unique hymn. He invited his parishioners to join him in singing about the deep mystery of a God who is both intimate and ineffable.
Smith’s forty-year journey to settle on lyrics for this one hymn is a profound testimony to the mystery of our immortal, invisible God. Even as we spend years of our lives meditating on His character, may we never cease to be awed by the Ancient of Days.
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
Walter C. Smith
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:
thy justice, like mountains high soaring above,
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all, life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish, but naught changeth thee.
Thou reignest in glory, thou dwellest in light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render; O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!
Bailey, Albert Edward. The Gospel in Hymns: Backgrounds and Interpretations. New York: Scribner, 1950.
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72 thoughts on "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"
I was surprised to not see Great is thy Faithfulness on the list
Great is thy faithfulness Oh God my father there is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changes not thy compassions they fail not As thou hast been and forever will be. Great is thy faithfulness Great is thy faithfulness morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.
Yes SHAR! He is our source of wisdom.
I trust you all had a nice weekend. I may have heard this hymn but it’s not too familiar. The words are lovely though.
I am keeping you ladies and your requests spoken and unspoken in prayer. Our God is the only truly Wise one. He will see to it that our needs are met according to His will. ❤️
Happy Monday ladies! @Michelle Patire praying for your living situation and that your family can learn to understand your desires for the Lord better. This has to be challenging and I pray it gets easier.
Happy Monday she’s,
Nothing can compare to wisdom & understanding. But only God can give. God knows the weight of the wind, the gravity to hold back and distribute water by measure – wow, such physics is beyond me. But He possesses such knowledge. The price of wisdom is beyond pearls. Fear God and depart from evil- and we shall have wisdom & understanding from the ONE who promised to give. How incredibly powerful.
PRAYERS LIFTED UP…
@ALEIDA: home transition and grace for Victor’s rehab treatment, driving and part time job. Excited for you about the new home.
@SHARON JERSEY GIRL: knee surgery to go well and good recovery.
@MICHELLE P: prayers that you can overlook the comments, soldier not entangled in civilian matters, and focus on living out the cultivated principles in God (easier said than done). It is challenging to remain in the family without establishing boundaries, or having done so but having such boundaries crossed or disrespected. I have walked this painful road, and it provoked certain family members to their lowest lows :(( The Kingdom of Heaven is like a precious treasure hidden in a field, which a man found, he went and sold ALL he had to buy that field with such joy. Not everyone will get why we sold all we have (or in the process of), in exchange for that one thing. In a twinkling of an eye, the Lord can return. Our redemption is near. It is foolish to them, BUT GOD…. God uses the foolish thing to confound the wise of this world. There is a cost to them seeing you where you are, it convicts them of their condition. Prayers for more grace. Hugs.
@LAURA: thank you for the recommendation on the Screwtape Letters. It is such a witty little book. I never knew there is a study done.
It’s getting cold here up north and the kids started coughing and sneezing. I am joining other she’s for needing prayers on family health recovery. Thank you so much she’s.
Be blessed dear sisters.
Good Morning She’s!
I like the lyrics to this hymn, despite never hearing it before! Beautiful!
Today is my husband’s birthday, so going out on the boat in beautiful SWF, then hopefully a dinner out with the sunset! We made the decision to move here permanently 4 years ago, and although I dearly miss my son and grandkids, we are enjoying it for now!!
@Laura- Love the idea of doing a study on The Screwtape Letters! I just read it (audio!) recently and it is geniously written! I’m gonna have to add it to my list of potential studies! I might have to come to you to see how you all broke it up and made discussion questions out of it!!
@Michelle- You are doing wonderful and so wise beyond you years! Keep looking up and trusting and obeying! Remember the bible clearly say that when we come to him, there WILL be division, even between families! But your firm stance will later be revealed when their eyes are open! I look back at my sister years ago, standing firm in her no shopping or anything on sabbath, not letting her kids do certain things that we huffed about, and so on, BUT now I see her as such a faithful child of God.
Prayers for you all! (I have such a bad recall memory unless I write notes as I’m reading the comments!!)
I am enjoying this hymn study. I grew up in a church that used two different hymnals, so all of these hymns are very familiar to me. “Abide With Me” was just mentioned and that is one that I have just learned in the last few years and is definitely in my favorite list.
These words from Job stood out to me today: “When God fixed the weight of the wind and distributed the water by measure, when he established a limit for the rain and a path for the lightning, he considered wisdom and evaluated it; he established it and examined it.” God put such care into creation! THIS is our source of wisdom.
SEARCHING – Job 28:28 is the verse that stood out to me today, too! ❤
I came across this verse in search of the hymn: 1 Timothy 1:17-20 –
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. KJV
Any time I need a reminder of just how big our God is, all I have to do is read Genesis and the creation account! God was SATISFIED with His work of creation!!! Why is it we are so often dissatisfied or maybe just too distracted with earthly issues to appreciate the awesomeness of our God?! He is so much bigger than us and far too much for us to comprehend without the wisdom and discernment that He gives us.
Hope this week is loaded with blessings for each of us! Thankful that our family is on the mend and so very thankful for that report on Leo’ progress,
ADRIENNE! May he continue to amaze those following his case and may God be glorified!
MICHELLE, LAURA, and SHARON JG – Praying along with you and echoing the beautiful prayers submitted here so far! Mari v, KRISTINE LOUGHMAN, MOLLY R and others struggling with illness – praying your families are much better!
Good morning, sweet SRT sisters!
MICHELLE PATIRE—I am so sorry that your family is making you doubt yourself and your decisions! Home should be our haven and not a place of unrest. I am praying that you will feel God’s peace and that your family will see that they are causing you grief and lighten up!
MARI V—Praying for complete restoration of your voice and the upcoming expenses. May God provide for those according to His will.
SHARON, JERSEY GIRL—Praying for a successful surgery today and a quick recovery.
LAURA—Praying that you and your husband will continue to be strong in your family situation.
ADRIENNE—Praise the Lord for Leo’s miraculous improvement! Continued prayers for him.
I love the hymns that you are mentioning! GRAMIESUE—I too am surprised that no one mentioned Amazing Grace. Blessed Assurance is another mentioned that is so incredible. God used these ordinary people to write songs that would bless generations of Believers! How awesome is our God!!!
Have a blessed day!
Beautiful hymn and verses to remind us of how big our God is!
“Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:
thy justice, like mountains high soaring above,
thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.”
Good Monday morning sisters!
Praising God this morning for His goodness and faithfulness. I’m putting all my trust in Him knowing that He is working behind the scenes in my life!
Our son Victor, got a part-time job while still in rehab in CA. Please pray that it goes well and that he’s able to continue in his program while still being able to work. Please also pray for his driving situation (currently driving without insurance) which puts him at a huge risk!
Also please pray as we transition to our new home and ALL the logistics that are coming our way. We close on our new home this Friday 9/29. Please pray that we can sell our current home ASAP otherwise we’ll have 2 mortgage payments for awhile. But I know that God is SO good and that He is working!
Thank you all for continuing to pray for our family, esp our son Victor. I’ve read all of your comments and prayers and they give me so much hope. Have a blessed week❤️❤️
MICHELLE PATIRE praying for you now that you will feel God’s favor and assurance on your life and current choices, despite all of the criticism. It is so hard to stand alone in our faith. My husband and I know that to be true first hand, and The Enemy wants us to doubt our decisions and choices. I pray for you to have the strength and peace that you need to keep going. I have been specifically and boldly asking God for a sign that things will get better for us. It’s a selfish prayer that reveals my lack of faith, but I have prayed it before, and God was faithful even when mine falters. So I pray the same for you. Even if it is only a supernatural peace and calmness when criticism comes, you will know it is from the Lord. I am praying the same for us as we have been knocked down a lot this week and we are both feeling under attack. I am praying for a supernatural sign, a glimmer of hope, that we can hold onto.
I also related to the verse in Job, The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.
I am doing a book study right now of The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis with a group of ladies. Highly recommend. So insightful into the way The Enemy uses certain tactics to throw us off and confuse us. I think that is why I love verses on wisdom so much. I feel like I am always praying for more wisdom because I often feel so lost in this world.
I have so enjoyed reading all of your favorite hymns! So many reminders of the church I grew up in. “The Old Rugged Cross” and “A Mighty Fortress” are up there for me and have both been mentioned. Another hymn I love is “Abide with Me”.
1. Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
2 Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
3 I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
I thought of another hymn that no one has mentioned: Amazing Grace. Makes me smile
I’ll have to do some research later.
Happy Monday, Ladies.
❤️
Growing up in a baptist church – all we sang were hymns, so all of these are familiar to me and bring back memories of singing them!
Forty years of meditating on the words to one hymn – wow! That shows a glimpse of the character of this man, He wanted to make sure that not only the lyrics rhymed but that he got the theology and explanation of God’s character right before proclaiming it to the world. The first verse is my favorite…immortal, invisible – God only wise!!! All life withers and fades away, but God is everlasting and unchanging. I think of how often I change and have changed. Yet, God remains the same – always and forever. That gives comfort – knowing the God we love and trust is steadfast and sure.
Prayers please for me, for peace and that all goes well – I’m having outpatient surgery this morning at 10:30 a.m. on my knee for a torn meniscus.
@Michelle Patire – continued prayers for you as you navigate through this season of your life. If you know that home is where God has placed you, then it doesn’t matter what your siblings think. Just keep living your life as an example of Christ and doing what you feel He is leading you to do. Let your testimony speak for you. Father God please help Michelle to keep looking to you for wisdom and your guidance. Take away any doubts or fears. Help her to know how to relate to her family’s criticisms. Give her daily strength to keep following you and listening to your voice. Bless her day abundantly, in Jesus name.
Good news… praise Him! God is so good! (But we knew that!) This is part of the latest post from Leo’s CB site…
“ Leo has been gaining a lot of strength the last few days. He’s on a really good trajectory again and we are so thankful. He has been officially discharged from the hospital! I can’t believe it’s been nearly 3 weeks.”
Please keep him and his family in prayer, as he recovers. Thank you!
@Charlie, yes. It is the poet’s way of saying God alone is wise. All wisdom comes from Him, so anything we (or the rest of creation) have is because of Him.
If you want to read more about wisdom, Proverbs 8 is all about that. Really good!!
What struck me is that “the fear of Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” That if we want wisdom, it comes from a holy reverence and submission to God. I know this already, but I needed it, today.
I don’t really know how to ask for prayers. But I’ve been feeling insecure with who I am in my family. I know my security is Jesus and I am who He says I am… Not what they say… But actually receiving that daily is hard. Even my own mother and my local “best” friend in Christ ask me why I am living the way I am, completely in disbelief that it is God Himself who has put me back in my parents’ house.
It hurts to be misunderstood. I didn’t want to move back and I tell them all the time this wasn’t my choice. I know God is using this situation to humble me and teach me the value of community. To not be so self-reliant. It hurts to watch have my younger siblings comment on my life as if they know better, tll. I am being wise, yet to the unbelieving (or even other believers) I am a fool. May God be my witness and judge. Anyways … I know I do bring this up every so often. Would appreciate the prayers for strength <3 thank you.
CHARLIE…That is what I take away from it. But I have never “gotten” poetry, and so am no poet aficionado, Heeheehee!
Help us to be more like him, in many ways, and especially in wisdom.
Be blessed today, sweet She’s!
TO be honest, I’m stuck on the phrase “God only wise.” Maybe it’s too early in the morning, but I can’t quite make sense of that. Is this the poetic form of “only God is wise”?
Yes! I will fear Him all of my days! ❤️
So true, KELLY (NEO). What an awesome and unfathomable gift.
These words from Job really stood out to me today, 28:28
And to man He said,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.’
Lord, I pray for wisdom and understanding.
Yet another hymn I have never heard of, such moving words. Someone mentioned the other day that they knew all 10 – awesome.
Praying for a healthy week for all!
Our God is indescribable, yet He has gifted us with the Bible so that we can read where He describes Himself giving us the most important things we need to know about Him:
“The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:
The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation” (Ex.34:6-7)!
Lord— You are bigger, greater, stronger, and mightier than anything we face in this world. The depth of Your power and the breadth of Your majesty is difficult to comprehend. Great is Thy faithfulness! Lord, in the mighty name of Jesus, I place the Coronavirus pandemic at Your feet. Take this horrific time in Your hands and heal us. Lead us. Calm us. Fill us with a peace that transcends understanding. You alone are capable. Thanks be to God!
❤️❤️❤️
This prayer Lord, I ask you make it ring true. May we lay this time at your feet. May we lay down our finances, our anxieties, our uncertainty. May we all give it to you so that you oh Lord would be the only thing we look to, to be filled. Amen
Isn’t it crazy how this man tried to figure something it our AMAZING God. We have not even touched the surface of how AWESOME our God is.
My God is bigger than the problems I face. He has this in the palm of his hand. Thank you Lord for your grace and your love for me!
The splendor of the King! Cloth in majesty! And all the earth rejoice!!!
Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise!
God said ‘let us make’ – thankyou God for CHOOSING US!! The Creator of ALL things who in every way surpasses everything we can possibly imagine said chose us, I pray many many more – choose Him!
Love❤️
God is impossible to understand and fully describe, and yet we can still praise Him with our limited words. Because even our inability to fully describe means He’s even greater than we know!
MOST BLESSED MOST GLORIOUS IS HE
May we never lose our wonder of Him.
That text from a Job is so rich, what a blessing to read.
I love this hymn but thank you for throwing such light on its meaning and creation today
Great passage to read this morning I declare this to my family in Jesus name God bless.
So grateful this morning for the reminder that only in God is true wisdom and understanding found. It is so easy to get caught up in the world’s interpretation of what is wise and logical, what a breath of fresh air! Thank you God for your grace and your gentle tugs to my soul to come back to you for guidance and direction. As I feel myself in a season of crossroads, Holy Spirit would you bring me back to the feet of Jesus and lead me to remember my life was designed to worship the One True Immortal God. Thank you SRT for creating a space that points us back to Jesus in the midst of a hectic, busy schedule that is constantly trying to distract us from truth!
Amen!
I’ve sung this song dozens of times in church but knowing the background brings so much more to it! I love the part that talks about Gods justice like mountains surrounded with clouds of goodness and love!
How great is it that we can all join together in singing praises to God!
I made a playlist on Spotify that contains the hymns that have been covered thus far. I included a couple of versions of each one. It is an open playlist so anyone is welcome to add to it!
https://open.spotify.com/user/1225264348/playlist/07zcy2MRyoY5M7i9QyUXs1
FYI: SRT does have a Spotify profile! Just didn’t have a playlist that contained this set of hymns.
I love the playlist you created !! Thanks so much
Gabbi,
Thank you so much for making this playlist. I really appreciate it :) Have a great day!
Gabbi,
Thank you for compiling this playlist.
This is awesome!! Thank you for this :)
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
Love this playlist! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks so much!!!!
There is knowledge; and then there is wisdom.
These are not the same thing, although some think they are.
Loving today’s hymn to start out our week:
http://hymnbook.igracemusic.com/hymns/immortal-invisible-god-only-wise
https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/14
Amen, praise Him!!!
A hymn like fine wine- aged forty years before it was uncorked and something precious revealed. Maybe the same could be said for a wise woman!
So true!
I Timothy 1:17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Amen
This fills my heart with worship this morning! Thanks for sharing.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17
Why isn’t the hymn here?
Normally I’m against killing but this article slearhtuged my ignorance.
A good contemporary version here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZsSRaaHKGA
Love “But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart” ♥
I love this hymn! Thank you Marianne for sharing it with us.
On November 9, 2016, God will still be on His throne. Though we may think all has fallen apart, He will cause all things to fall into place. He does not abdicate His authority. We need not be afraid for “nought changest Thee.” He alone has all wisdom and understanding. We can therefore rest in Him. He is, indeed and forever, “immortal, invisible, God only wise.”
Amen and amen!
Amen!
Amen, we trust in Him, who will still be in control. He won’t be surprised by anything that day and that gives me great comfort. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Thanks for the reminder!
Amen!
Amen!
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our faces, the vile from our heart.
All laud we would render; O help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story, Thy Christ to the heart.
Thanks for posting this here!
Such beautiful words! Thanks for sharing it! ❤️
Thank you for the lyrics!
Thank you for sharing these words from the hymn!
L
An epic hymn for sure! Steve Green’s rendition is wonderful, by the way. :)