May 2026 - "O God of Love, O King of Peace"

As a tribute to the upcoming Memorial Day observances, this month’s tab offering is an arrangement of the hymn “O God of Love, O King of Peace”. Written in 1861 by Anglican priest and hymnwriter Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877), “O God of Love, O King of Peace” first appeared in the inaugural edition of “Hymns Ancient and Modern”, the most influential Anglican hymnal of the nineteenth century. Baker, who served as the hymnal’s chief editor, composed this text as a heartfelt prayer for divine mercy and reconciliation in a world torn by conflict.

The tune most often paired with the hymn, HESPERUS (QUEBEC), was written earlier, in 1854, by Henry Baker (1835–1910)—a civil engineer and musician of no relation to Sir Henry Williams Baker. The coincidence of their names has led to frequent confusion, but their collaboration across time gives the hymn a unique unity of spirit.

Sir Henry’s words were written at a time when the world was reeling from violence and division. The Crimean War (1853–1856) had ended only a few years before, the Indian Rebellion of 1857 had shaken the British Empire, and the American Civil War began the same year the hymn was published. Today, across the United States, the hymn is often included in Memorial Day ceremonies. It offers a time of quiet reflection, both to honor those who have given their lives in military service and to plead for compassion, justice, and healing among nations. Its refrain—“Give peace, O God, give peace again”—echoes the prophetic longing for peace.

Here is a YouTube video of the hymn being sung by the choir of the Holy Childhood Catholic Church in St Paul, MN:

Peace.

—Tull

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