A mighty mystery we set forth

"A mighty mystery we set forth" is a mid-nineteenth-century Christian hymn written by the English solicitor and Congregationalist hymnwriter George Rawson. Frequently called upon by various denominational committees to assist with text curation, Rawson composed this specific theological lyric to address the solemnity and sacramental depth of Holy Baptism.

The hymn was written in 1857. It made its first formal appearance as entry number 695 in the Baptist Psalms and Hymns, a significant compilation published in 1858 that remained in use through updated editions up to 1880.

The text is structured in four stanzas of four lines each. It draws its core theological inspiration directly from Romans 6:3, which reads: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"

Rawson's lyrics frame the physical act of immersion as a profound external sign of an internal, spiritual mystery, symbolizing the believer's personal union with Christ in both His death and His subsequent resurrection. Despite its strong scriptural foundation, the hymn's usage remained limited, appearing primarily within specialized British Baptist and Nonconformist collections rather than entering mainstream global hymnals.