I Sing a Song of the Saints of God facts for kids

"I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" is a Christian hymn (a religious song). It was written in Britain by Lesbia Scott. The hymn was first published in 1929.

This hymn is not very well-known in Britain. However, it has become very popular in the United States. It is especially loved in the Episcopal Church. The hymn was added to the Episcopal Hymnal 1940. Many churches like to sing this hymn on All Saints' Day.

How the Hymn Was Created

Lesbia Scott (1898–1986) was a mother who wrote many hymns for children. She sang these songs to her own kids when she was in her twenties. Lesbia Scott wrote both the words and the music for her hymns.

In 1929, she published a collection of her songs. The book was called Everyday Hymns For Little Children. She also drew the pictures for the book. Each hymn was made for a different special day or event.

One of her hymns, "Saints' Days," became popular in the United States. A retired Episcopal priest named John H. Hopkins, Jr. wrote a new tune for it. This new tune was called "Grand Isle." John H. Hopkins, Jr. came from a family of important church leaders. His grandfather was the first bishop of Vermont. His uncle, John Henry Hopkins Jr., wrote the famous Christmas carol "We Three Kings of Orient Are."

The "Grand Isle" tune was written in 1940. It was named after the community where Hopkins lived. This community is on an island in Lake Champlain in Vermont.

The hymn, with its new tune, was included in the Episcopal Hymnal 1940. It was listed under the title of its first line. The hymn is still in The Hymnal 1982 as Hymn #293. Some people wanted to remove it from the hymnal. They thought it was not "deep" enough. But many people wrote letters to keep it, so it stayed.

This hymn also appears in other songbooks. It is in the 1974 Book of Worship for United States Forces. It is also in the United Methodist 1989 Hymnal. You can find it in the 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal too. The NACCC's 2006 Hymns for a Pilgrim People also includes it.

Why This Hymn Is So Popular

"I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" is still a favorite song. Many American churchgoers grew up singing it. In 2003, a website called Anglicans Online asked people to vote for their favorite hymns. This hymn was voted 14th out of all the songs.

The hymn was also used on a radio show in Scotland. It was the main song for the BBC Scotland radio program "Fireside Sunday School." This show ran in the 1960s until December 1970. The Scottish Junior Singers sang the hymn on the program.