Thy word is like a garden, Lord

Thy word is like a garden, Lord. Edwin Hodder* (1837-1904). First published in Hodder’s New Sunday School Hymn Book (1863, enlarged edition 1868), in a section entitled ‘The Word of God’. It had seven 4-line stanzas. It is found in CP in the section entitled ‘The Holy Scriptures’. It was also admired by Baptists, who included it in BHB. It works on a series of similes: Thy word is like a garden, Lord,   With flowers bright and fair; And everyone who seeks may pluck   A lovely garland there. This is followed by other similes: ‘Thy word is like a deep, deep mine’; ‘... a starry host’; ‘... a glorious choir’; ‘...an armoury’. The last two stanzas sum up most of these: O may I love Thy precious...