Throughout her life, E. Margaret Clarkson was plagued by pain; initially from migraines, accompanied by convulsive vomiting, and then arthritis—two ailments that accompanied her continually. This pain would be accompanied by other forms of suffering throughout her lifetime, especially severe feelings of loneliness and isolation. At the same time, Clarkson’s life was also marked by a love for hymns. She found comfort and strength in hymns, both in their contents and in the community of saints that wrote these hymns. As Clarkson later explained, through hymns she began to see the church “as one continuous, living stream of the grace of God” in which she had a place. “O Father, You are Sovereign,” was published late in Clarkson’s life in 1982, in the midst of a burst of writing after her early retirement from teaching. Severe spinal problems compelled her to retire in 1973, at the age of 58, and though plagued by pain, she wrote most of her books in the decade that followed.

O Father, you are sovereign
in all the worlds you made;
your mighty word was spoken,
and light and life obeyed.
Your voice commands the seasons
and bounds the ocean’s shore,
sets stars within their courses
and stills the tempest’s roar.

O Father, you are sovereign
in all affairs of man;
no pow’rs of death or darkness
can thwart your perfect plan.
All chance and change transcending,
supreme in time and space,
you hold your trusting children
secure in your embrace.

OFather, you are sovereign,
the Lord of human pain,
transmuting earthly sorrows
to gold of heav’nly gain.
All evil overruling,
as none but Conqu’ror could,
your love pursues its purpose–
our souls’ eternal good.

O Father, you are sovereign!
We see you dimly now,
but soon before your triumph
earth’s ev’ry knee shall bow.
With this glad hope before us,
our faith springs up anew:
our sovereign Lord and Saviour,
we trust and worship you!

^{1covenantrussellville.com/articles/o-father-you-are-sovereign-trinity-hymnal-75}

This hymn for liturgical saints days was written by William Walsham How (1823–1897) and first published in Hymn for Saints’ Days, and Other Hymns (London: Bell & Daldy, 1864 | Fig. 1), compiled by Horatio Nelson (1823–1913, 3rd Earl Nelson of Trafalgar House, Wiltshire). At the time, William How was rector of Whittington, Shropshire. The original text contained eleven stanzas of three lines, beginning “For all Thy saints,” with an Alleluia refrain. It was headed by Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (ESV)¹.

For all the saints
who from their labours rest,
Who thee by faith
before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus,
Be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock,
Their fortress, and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain
In the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness
Drear their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, may thy soldiers,
Faithful, true, and bold
Fight as the saints
Who nobly fought of old
And win with them
The victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Oh, blest communion,
Fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle,
They in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee,
for all are thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

And when the fight is fierce,
The warfare long,
Steals on the ear
The distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again
And arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

The golden evening
Brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful
Warriors cometh rest;
Sweet is the calm,
Of paradise, the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

But, lo! there breaks
A yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant
Rise in bright array;
The King of glory
Passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds,
from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl
Streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

¹https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qVjLq8s9OY

The hymn writer, Walter Smith, was born at Aberdeen Dec. 5, 1824, and educated at the Grammar School and University of that City. He pursued his Theological studies at Edinburgh, and was ordained Pastor of the Scottish Church in Chadwell Street, Islington, London, Dec. 25, 1850. He based this text on 1 Timothy 1: 17: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever.” This hymn is a strong text of praise to God, who created and sustains the lives of all his creatures. The text focuses on the Creator of the universe, the invisible God whose visible works in nature testify to his glory and majesty. “Light” is the prevailing image in stanzas 1, 2, and 4 (see also Ps. 104:2); our inability to see God is not because of insufficient light but because the “splendour of light hides [God] from view.”¹

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
Creator, sustainer, 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
And so in thy mercy, Almighty, impart
Through Christ our redeemer, thy grace to our hearts

¹hymnary.org/text/immortal_invisible_god_only_wise