Oh Say, What Is Truth?
First line: O say, what is truth? / Oh say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem / O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem That the riches / Oh say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem That the / O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem / Oh say, what is truth?
Original language: English
Words: John Jaques
Music: Ellen Knowles Melling
Lyrics (Return to top)
O say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Sacred Hymns (Manchester Hymnal)
(1840, 1912 ed.), 59
1. O say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gemThat the riches of worlds can produce;And priceless the value of truth will be, whenThe proud monarch’s costliest diademIs counted but dross and refuse.
2. Yes, say, what is truth? ’Tis the brightest prizeTo which mortals or Gods can aspire:Go search in the depths where it glittering lies,Or ascend in pursuit to the loftiest skies;’Tis an aim for the noblest desire.
3. The sceptre may fall from the despot’s grasp,When with winds of stern justice he copes,But the pillar of truth will endure to the last,And its firm-rooted bulwarks outstand the rude blastAnd the wreck of the fell tyrant’s hopes.
4. Then, say, what is truth? ’Tis the last and the first,For the limits of time it steps o’er:Though the heavens depart, and the earth’s fountains burst,Truth, the sum of existence will weather the worst,Eternal, unchanged, evermore.
Statistics (Return to top)
These charts show the use of this song in English hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If a song appears in multiple editions of the same hymnbook, it is only counted once. [undetermined] means that tune information has not yet been entered in.
Tunes that have appeared with this song in English
Appearances of this song over time in English
Tune: Jaques (by Ellen Knowles Melling) (Return to top) Tune 272
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Hymns: Simplified Accompaniments (1986, 1986 ed.), no. 191
Arr.: Darwin Wolford
Oh Say, What Is Truth? (October 2016)
Music from October 2020 General Conference (2020, 2020-10 ed.), 1
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Arr.: John Longhurst
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 2016 General Conference (2016, 2016-10 ed.), 1
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Arr.: John Longhurst
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 2012 General Conference (2012, 2012-10 ed.), 1
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1994 General Conference (1994, 1994-10 ed.), 3
Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1994 General Conference (1994, 1994-04 ed.), 3
Artist: Melchizedek Priesthood choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1993 General Conference (1993, 1993-04 ed.), 2
Artist: Single Adult Choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1990 General Conference (1990, 1990-10 ed.), 1
Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1989 General Conference (1989, 1989-10 ed.), 5
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1988 General Conference (1988, 1988-10 ed.), 1
Artist: Mormon Youth Chorus
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1987 General Conference (1987, 1987-04 ed.), 1
Artist: Combined Institute priesthood choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1986 General Conference (1986, 1986-10 ed.), 2
Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus
Arr.: A. Laurence Lyon
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1986 General Conference (1986, 1986-04 ed.), 2
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Arr.: John Longhurst
O Say What is Truth
Music from October 1981 General Conference (1981, 1981-10 ed.), 4
Artist: Combined men’s choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1981 General Conference (1981, 1981-04 ed.), 3
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1979 General Conference (1979, 1979-04 ed.), 3
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1977 General Conference (1977, 1977-04 ed.), 4
Artist: Men of the Tabernacle Choir; Men of the Mormon Youth Chorus
O Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1976 General Conference (1976, 1976-04 ed.), 4
Artist: Combined Institute priesthood choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1975 General Conference (1975, 1975-04 ed.), 5
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
O Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1974 General Conference (1974, 1974-10 ed.), 6
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from October 1974 General Conference (1974, 1974-10 ed.), 1
Artist: Salt Lake Valley Young Adult Priesthood Choir
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Music from April 1972 General Conference (1972, 1972-04 ed.), 3
Artist: Primary Leaders Chorus
O Say What Is Truth
Music from April 1971 General Conference (1971, 1971-04 ed.), 3
Artist: Combined Institute choir
O Say, What Is Truth?
Sacred Choruses for Male Singers (1937, 1937 ed.), 13
Arr.: J. Spencer Cornwall
Tune: Joshua (by Anon.) (Return to top) Tune 1205
[undetermined] (Return to top)
O, say what is truth?
Music from April 1921 General Conference (1921, 1921-04 ed.), 2
Artist: Tabernacle Choir
O say, what is truth?
Music from October 1920 General Conference (1920, 1920-10 ed.), 2
Artist: Tabernacle Choir
O say, what is truth?
Music from April 1920 General Conference (1920, 1920-04 ed.), 1
Artist: Tabernacle Choir
O say, what is Truth?
Music from October 1919 General Conference (1919, 1919-10 ed.), 1
Artist: Tabernacle Choir
Unofficial or Local Publications
O Say, What is Truth?
Latter-Day Saints Congregational Hymns, Volume 1 (1919, 1919 ed.), 68
O, say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1914 General Conference (1914, 1914-10 ed.), 2
O, say what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1914 General Conference (1914, 1914-04 ed.), 4
O, say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1913 General Conference (1913, 1913-10 ed.), 2
O, say what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1913 General Conference (1913, 1913-04 ed.), 2
O, say what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1912 General Conference (1912, 1912-10 ed.), 2
O, say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1912 General Conference (1912, 1912-04 ed.), 2
O, say what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1912 General Conference (1912, 1912-04 ed.), 3
O, say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1911 General Conference (1911, 1911-10 ed.), 1
O, say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1911 General Conference (1911, 1911-04 ed.), 1
O, say, what is Truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1910 General Conference (1910, 1910-04 ed.), 2
O, say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1909 General Conference (1909, 1909-10 ed.), 4
O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1908 General Conference (1908, 1908-10 ed.), 2
O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1908 General Conference (1908, 1908-04 ed.), 2
O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1907 General Conference (1907, 1907-10 ed.), 1
O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from October 1907 General Conference (1907, 1907-10 ed.), 4
O say, what is truth? ’Tis the fairest gem
Music from April 1907 General Conference (1907, 1907-04 ed.), 2
O, Say, What Is Truth?
Y. M. M. I. A. and Missionary Hymn and Tune Book (1899, 1909 ed.), 49
Arr.: Evan Stephens
O, Say, What Is Truth?
Y. M. M. I. A. and Missionary Hymn and Tune Book (1899, 1899 ed.), 49
Arr.: Evan Stephens
Text only (Return to top)
Unofficial or Local Publications
Oh Say, What Is Truth?
Unofficial or Local Publications
Oh! say what is truth?
The Programme of the London Conference Festival (1851, 1851 ed.), 10
