Hymn of the week: “Thy Strong Word”

Thy strong word did cleave the darkness;
At thy speaking it was done.
For created light we thank thee
While thine ordered seasons run.

“Thy Strong Word” is a 20th-century hymn written by Martin H. Franzmann. A Lutheran and theologian, Franzmann was also a college professor who taught Greek and English. He also wrote several books of poetry and hymns.

The text of “Thy Strong Word” was set to a 20th-century tune called “EBENEZER.” The haunting melody was written by Thomas John Williams, a Welsh organist. While his career was spent behind the keyboard, this melody is the only one attributed to Williams.

The draw of this rendition is the beautiful fugue of horns at the intro. There is also a section in the middle where the voices sing a cappella, which is quite striking.