A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship

A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship is a hymn book compiled by William Gadsby, a minister of the Gospel Standard Strict Baptists in England. First published in the 19th century, it is still in current use.

It was first published in 1814 in Manchester. Gadsby published a later edition in 1838. After his death a further enlarged edition was published including a second supplement selected by J C Philpot, another Strict Baptist Minister. It was written to counteract what Gadsby believed to be Arminian and legalistic tendencies in Isaac Watts' Psalms and Hymns.

This hymnal contains 1156 hymns (words only) by various authors. These are primarily, but not exclusively, from the Calvinistic stream of Protestant thought.

The edition currently available includes the following authors, here listed by number of hymns used. Joseph Hart (219); William Gadsby (173); Isaac Watts (145) John Berridge (72); John Newton (63) John Kent (51); Charles Wesley (41); Thomas Kelly (34); Samuel Medley (31); Anne Steele (27); Augustus M. Toplady (24); Richard Burnham (22); Henry Fowler (20); William Cowper (18); Joseph Swain (18); Daniel Herbert (12); Benjamin Beddome (10); John Fawcett (10); William Hammond (10); John Stevens (9); John Adams (9); Phillip Doddridge (8); John Cennick (6).

There are other authors with fewer hymns in this book, as well as eight anonymous contributions.

Gadsby's own hymns are of a high standard. For example, number 667 is worthy of Watts and Wesley, both highly regarded for their hymn writing abilities.

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