This beautiful song, “In Every Age”, by Janet Sullivan Whitaker is No 77 in As One Voice: the Next Generation. Based on Psalm 90, this song is listed for use in Lent and at funerals and has wider applications for more general use. I couldn’t get the feel of the excellent version on the CD sung by Jasmine Forsythe so I went for a simpler more rhythmic arrangement. You can also listen to a version (? Whitakers) at the spiritandsong site. There is even a pdf (nonprintable) of the song. The sheet music can be purchased at spiritandsong.
It might be that the subtle variations in the verses might be too much for the assembly, so a cantor might have to sing the verses and leave the chorus for everyone else.
Verse 1
Long before the mountains came to be
and the land and sea and stars of the night,
through the endless seasons of all time,
you have always been,
you will always be.
Refrain
In ev’ry age, O God, you have been our refuge.
In ev’ry age, O God, you have been our hope.
Verse 2
Destiny is cast, and at your silent word
we return to dust and scatter to the wind.
A thousand years are like a single moment gone,
as the light that fades
at the end of day.
Refrain
Verse 3
Teach us to make use of the time we have.
Teach us to be patient even as we wait.
Teach us to embrace our ev’ry joy and pain.
To sleep peacefully,
and to rise up strong.
Refrain
Refrain
You have been our refuge
You have been our hope.
© Janet Sullivan Whitaker 1988, 1999.
Many thanks for your helpful information.
We sang this song at Mass this past Sunday, and I love this song. Thanks for sharing the lyrics!
What a beautiful hymn..sang this song on last week mass.i love this song..i kept hearing it in my head all the time..
Thank you for this beautiful lyrics.
Anytime this song comes to my mind, i sing it all day and Miracles do happen in my life. I love the song… MY GOD IS INDEED MY REFUGE AND HOPE. GOD Bless the Composer
Personally, this song affirms God’s presence in whole being. It moves me to tears that I feel His presence right in my heart.
This song always moves me to tears as well, and I heard the children’s choir at our church sing it yesterday!
We (singapore) were privileged to hear from Janet herself shared that this song was composed for a family-friend who died rather young.