Hymn: We Wait the Peaceful Kingdom

I am not sure when I was introduced to the hymn, "We Wait the Peaceful Kingdom," No. 378 in Glory to God. I do know, though, that long before COVID-19 was being mentioned, before the death of George Floyd, and before the very divisive presidential elections in this country, I had listed this hymn as one on which to reflect in December of this year in my Tidings article. The hymn, of course, is very appropriate􀃟 for the Advent season since it is based on the words of of Isaiah 11 :6-9 which are frequently heard during Advent. Unlike some of our Advent hymns, though, this one also becomes appropriate for the Christmas season since in stanza four "the little child" of the Isaiah passage is clearly identified with "the child born in a stable is sent to break our chains, to bring through word and table the day when justice reigns."

Although appropriate for the Advent and Christmas seasons, the hymn is placed in Glory to God in the section entitled, "A New Heaven and a New Earth." The hymn was written by Kathleen R. Moore and was the winner of a hymn search sponsored by the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada in 2010, looking for a new text on peace and justice.

Carl Daw Jr. in Glory to God: A Companion says, "The opening stanza is based on the imagery of Isaiah 11 :6-9, and the remaining stanzas explore how this longed-for condition can be recognized and put into practice. The third stanza affirms that shalom, the interactive peace that represents God's will for creation, 'begins with justice done.' But this is only the beginning, from which we shall be led by the little child 'born in a stable.' The final line is significant in stating that Justice begins in worship ('word' and 'table').

Although this hymn won a hymn search, it is Kathleen Moore's only hymn in Glory to God. It is.1set to the hymn, Merle's Tune. This is a tune with which many are familiar from the 1990 The Presbyterian Hymnal where it is found at No. 207 and No. 602. In Glory to God it is also used at No. 109 and 402. For those of us who have had the privilege of working with the composer, Hal H. Hopson, it is interesting to read the footnote to this hymn in Glory to God where it says, "the tune is named for the composer's sister, his first piano teacher.''

— Huw Christopher