A number of books that detail the stories or circumstances behind the writing of some of our popular hymns have been published over the years. But this work traces the development of the English hymn from the early period of the Christian Church up until our present century by means of biographical sketches of a number of our best-known writers.

The author also endeavoured to demonstrate the way in which their individual personalities and circumstances have often been reflected in the hymns they have composed.

The Apostle Paul urged his Ephesian readers to encourage one another with ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’. As this book reviews the whole sweep of hymn-writing down the centuries, we can raise our hearts in thankfulness to God for these men and women whose work has been considered.


Faith Cook was born in China, the daughter of OMF missionaries, and now lives in Derbyshire, England. She is married to Paul, who has served as a pastor to churches in Northallerton, Shepshed and Hull in England. They have five children and nine grandchildren.