Lyrics:

1. Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God!
He whose word cannot be broken
Chose thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake our sure repose?
With salvation’s wall surrounded,
Thou may’st smile on all thy foes.

2. See! the streams of living waters,
Springing from celestial love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters
And all fear of drought remove.
Round each habitation hov’ring,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a cov’ring,
Showing that the Lord is near.

3. Blest inhabitants of Zion,
Purchased by the Savior’s blood;
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
While in love his Saints he raises,
With himself to reign as King,
All, as priests, his solemn praises
For thank-off’rings freely bring.

Text: John Newton, 1725-1807. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.
Music: Franz Joseph Haydn, 1732-1809

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

John Henry Newton (July 24, 1725 – December 21, 1807) was an English sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of slavery. He was the author of many hymns, including “Amazing Grace” and “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.”

In 1767 William Cowper, the poet, moved to Olney. He worshipped in the church, and collaborated with Newton on a volume of hymns, which was eventually published as Olney Hymns in 1779. This work had a great influence on English hymnology. The volume included Newton’s well-known hymns “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken”, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds!”, “Let Us Love, and Sing, and Wonder”, “Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare”, “Approach, My Soul, the Mercy-seat”, and “Faith’s Review and Expectation”, which has come to be known by its opening phrase, “Amazing Grace“.

Many of Newton’s (as well as Cowper’s) hymns are preserved in the Sacred Harp. He also contributed to the Cheap Repository Tracts.