Based on Psalm 90:1-6: “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations,” etc., this is Watt’s greatest hymn and one of the greatest in the English language. It is found in all English hymn books and has been translated into many languages. Its smoothness, simple dignity, and faithfulness to Scripture give it the marks of a true church hymn, and it has probably been chosen more than any other for use upon important occasions. It is an indispensable New Year’s hymn. A press dispatch related how the hymn was used during the Second World War by a group of eleven doomed Norwegians as they faced a Nazi firing squad in the village of Selbu outside of Trondheim, Norway, for “general hostility” to German occupiers. “Despite the torture to which they had been subjected to earlier,” writes an eye-witness, “the group of prisoners, linked hand in hand, proudly and firmly faced their executioners. One of the men, Peter Morseth, who for years led the singing in the local church, read a short prayer and was joined by his companions in singing the hymn, ‘O God our help in ages past.’ Then the shots rang out.” John Wesley printed the hymn in his _Collection of Psalms and Hymns_, 1734, altering the opening line from “Our God, our help,” to “O God, our help.” For comments on Isaac Watts see Hymn 11. _MUSIC._ ST. ANNE appeared anonymously, in two parts—treble and bass—in _A Supplement to the New Version of Psalms by Dr. Brady and Mr. Tate. ... the sixth edition, corrected and much enlarged_, 1708, where it was set to Psalm 42. It is attributed upon good authority to William Croft, 1678-1727, who was interested in the production of the Tate and Brady _New Version_. Croft is one of the greatest names in English musical history. For further comments on Croft, see Hymn 6. 62. The Lord is my Shepherd _James Montgomery_, 1771-1854 One of the fine metrical versions that have been made of the Twenty-third Psalm. It Is found in Montgomery’s _Songs of Zion, being Imitations of Psalms_, 1822. Another much-loved and widely used version of the same Psalm is that in the _Scottish Psalter_ (See 579).