Walter Chalmers Smith（1824-1908），苏格兰自由教会牧师. Explore “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”: song information and official sources.
The glory of God · Wisdom and eternity
The whole hymn almost unfolds First Timothy 1:17: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” Its distinctive method uses many negatives to describe God: immortal, invisible, never lacking, unchanging. Theology calls this the way of negation. Created language cannot exhaust God, so it first says what he is not. The hymn also positively confesses his wisdom, glory, love and life-giving work. The last stanza turns to light that itself veils our eyes, so we glimpse him through created things. In an age accustomed to speaking casually of God, the hymn restores necessary reverence and a sense of transcendence. Negation does not deny that we can truly know God; it acknowledges that our words cannot contain him.
Opening worship, teaching on God’s attributes and incomprehensibility; teaching on First Timothy 1.