Hymn of the Week: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
Glory to God 129

Text German Carol 15 stanzas
Music Michael Praetorius 1609

Today’s Hymn of the Week highlights a beautiful and timeless carol. I came across a great article by Robinson Meyer from The Atlantic Monthly that takes a look at various carols both sacred and secular. This is an abridged rendering of his article. Enjoy!

“Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” is an easy carol to write about, because I do not have to convince you it is beautiful. Pull up any choral recording, slide over to the penultimate phrase—“amid the cold of winter”—and listen hard to that last word. Between the first and second syllables of winter, the minor chord blossoms into major.

I mean this seriously: What else is there to say? Here is the chill of winter transfigured into an ardent flame; here is theology as harmony. “Lo, How a Rose” even includes an extended pastoral analogy and an allusion to the Book of Isaiah. I’m not a Christian, but I’m at a loss as to what more you could want from sacred music. Kazoos?

Most Christmas carols, and most of our popular music generally, exist for the rhythm or melody. Consider how much mileage “Angels We Have Heard on High” gets out of its cascading glorias, or how much of the fun of “Carol of the Bells” springs from its icy intervals or insistent tempo. But “Lo, How a Rose” exists for the chords. There is almost no rhythmic variation: The four voices move together, syllable after syllable, in patient homophony. This is a hymn about beholding and listening. It’s about watching revelation flourish.

It’s been about this since the beginning. Many Christmas tunes date back centuries, but what’s striking about “Lo, How a Rose” is that it is old as a coherent piece of music. However ancient it is, “Greensleeves” has changed a lot: The lyrics used to talk about a prostitute; now they talk about Jesus. But “Lo, How a Rose” has pretty much been the same since its inception in the early 17th century.

The tune we now know first appears in a regional hymnal in 1599 as “Es Ist ein Ros Entsprungen.” Michael Praetorius, a court composer in central Germany, wrote the familiar harmonization 10 years later. Such ends the meaningful musical history of “Lo, How a Rose.” There have been a few changes to the text since then—more German

verses were added in the 19th century, and the most common English translation was written in 1894—but essentially none to the music. Hear the song today, in church or in a mall, and you’ll almost certainly hear the exact chords Praetorius picked, in the order he picked them.

Perhaps later generations, less hung up on attention than ours, will find other ways to ornament Praetorius’s score. Maybe their arrangements will dwell less in meditation and more in quickly oscillating rhythm. Yet the core will remain. For more than 400 Decembers, singers have waited on “Lo, How a Rose.” It is a text in sound; it is a set of tones and pauses; it is a cogent path of breath and time.

Robinson Meyer is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of the newsletter The Weekly Planet, and a co-founder of the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic.

Hymn of the Week: Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Glory to God 366

This week I went into the vaults and pulled out a beloved hymn that I’ve talked about before. Enjoy! I’ve also included this time around some great biographical information about Charles Wesley. We cannot know enough about this awesome hymn composer who has given us so many of our beloved hymns.

HYFRODOL
Charles Wesley 1747 Text
Music Rowland Pritchard 1831

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

1.
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.

2.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

3.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

4.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) was a prolific hymn writer, writing over 9000 hymn texts in his lifetime. “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” was first published in a collection of hymns entitled Hymns for those that Seek, and those that Have, Redemption in the Blood of Christ (1747). The beginning of the text was a play on the opening line of John Dryden’s (1631-1700) poem “Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling” set to music by Henry Purcell (1659-1695) in the generation before Charles Wesley was born.

The tunes BEECHER or HYFRYDOL typically accompany the text in most hymnals. The hymn is written around a progression of thoughts: (1) our prayers for the Holy Spirit, (2) praying for the return of our Lord through the second coming, and (3) prayers for the finalization of his new creation.

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729 and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year, his religious impressions were much deepened, and he became one of the first band of "Oxford Methodists."

In 1735 he went with his brother John to Georgia, as secretary to General Oglethorpe, having before he set out received Deacon's and Priest's Orders on two successive Sundays. His stay in Georgia was very short; he returned to England in 1736, and in 1737 came under the influence of Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians, especially of that remarkable man who had so large a share in molding John Wesley's career, Peter Bonier, and also of a Mr. Bray, a brazier in Little Britain. On Whitsunday, 1737, [sic. 1738] he "found rest to his soul," and in 1738 he became curate to his friend, Mr. Stonehouse, Vicar of Islington, but the opposition of the churchwardens was so great that the Vicar consented that he "should preach in his church no more." Henceforth his work was identified with that of his brother John, and he became an indefatigable itinerant and field preacher. On April 8, 1749, he married Miss Sarah Gwynne. His marriage, unlike that of his brother John, was the happiest one; his wife was accustomed to accompanying him on his evangelistic journeys, which were as frequent as ever until the year 1756," when he ceased to itinerate and mainly devoted himself to the care of the Societies in London and Bristol. Bristol was his headquarters until 1771 when he removed with his family to London, and, besides attending to the Societies, devoted himself much, as he had done in his youth, to the spiritual care of prisoners in Newgate. He had long been troubled about the relations of Methodism to the Church of England, and strongly disapproved of his brother John's "ordinations." Wesley-like, he expressed his disapproval in the most outspoken fashion, but, as in the case of Samuel at an earlier period, the differences between the brothers never led to a breach of friendship. He died in London, March 29, 1788, and was buried in Marylebone churchyard. His brother John was

deeply grieved because he would not consent to be interred in the burial-ground of the City Road Chapel, where he had prepared a grave for himself, but Charles said, "I have lived, and I die, in the Communion of the Church of England, and I will be buried in the yard of my parish church." Eight clergymen of the Church of England bore his pall. He had a large family, four of whom survived him; three sons, who all became distinguished in the musical world, and one daughter, who inherited some of her father's poetical genius. The widow and orphans were treated with the greatest kindness and generosity by John Wesley.

As a hymn-writer Charles Wesley was unique. He is said to have written no less than 6500 hymns, and though, of course, in so vast a number some are of unequal merit, it is perfectly marvelous how many there are which rise to the highest degree of excellence. His feelings on every occasion of importance, whether private or public, found their best expression in a hymn. His own conversion, his own marriage, the earthquake panic, the rumors of an invasion from France, the defeat of Prince Charles Edward at Culloden, the Gordon riots, every Festival of the Christian Church, every doctrine of the Christian Faith, striking scenes in Scripture history, striking scenes which came within his own view, the deaths of friends as they passed away, one by one, before him, all furnished occasions for the exercise of his divine gift. Nor must we forget his hymns for little children, a branch of sacred poetry in which the mantle of Dr. Watts seems to have fallen upon him. It would be simply impossible within our space to enumerate even those of the hymns which have become really classical. The saying that a really good hymn is as rare an appearance as that of a comet is falsified by the work of Charles Wesley; for hymns, which are really good in every respect, flowed from his pen in quick succession, and death alone stopped the course of the perennial stream.

It has been the common practice, however for a hundred years or more to ascribe all translations from the German to John Wesley, as he only of the two brothers knew that language; and to assign to Charles Wesley all the original hymns except such as are traceable to John Wesley through his Journals and other works.

The list of 482 original hymns by John and Charles Wesley listed in this Dictionary of Hymnology have formed an important part of our hymnody and show the enormous influence of the Wesleys on the English hymnody of the nineteenth century.

-- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) 

This arrangement of the HYFRODOL tune, by Joel Raney.

Hymn of the Week: Come, Ye Thankful People Come
Glory to God 367

Text Henry Alford 1844
Music George Job Elvey 1858

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, I wanted to share one of the most beloved hymns of this time of year. It will also be sung at the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on November 21 at 7 pm, here at First Presbyterian.

Come, Ye Thankful People Come

Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

Born into a long line of Anglican clergymen, Alford was raised early by his father and later by his uncle, Rev. Samuel Alford, due to his mother’s death during his birth. This instability resulted in his early education being scattered between private tutoring and a variety of schools, but in 1827 he became a scholar at Trinity College where he received all his secondary education (B.A. 1832, M.A. 1835). He was ordained a priest in the Anglican church in 1834, served in the vicarage at Wymeswold in Leicestershire (18 years), at Quebec Street Chapel in Marylebone, London (4 years), and as Dean of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Christ Church, Canterbury, England (14 years).

This hymn first appeared in Alford’s Psalms and Hymns adapted to the Sundays and Holydays throughout the year (1844). Methodist hymnologist J. Richard Watson details several revisions of the text both by Alford and others, resulting in the author’s final revision in 1868 (Watson, Canterbury Dictionary, n.p.). In this hymn, Alford used traditional language and imagery of the rural community to lend words of thankfulness for God’s provision and to expand upon Matthew 13:24–30:

Tom Stewart, in his writing, says:

[The hymn] addresses the common theme of harvest festivals, called in England the Harvest Home, which is celebrated in English churches usually during the month of September. A thanksgiving service would be held in the church, where the bounty of the harvest is collected, displayed with the fall trappings of pumpkins and autumn leaves, and then dispensed to the needy. And, of course, unlike the humanist that is essentially grateful to only himself, a true Harvest Home celebration acknowledges the provision of God, as did the Pilgrims in 1621 and the ancient Hebrews in their Feast of Firstfruits in the spring on the first day after Passover at the time of the barley harvest. (Stewart, 2016, n.p.)

The eminent minister and hymnologist, Erik Routley (1917–1982), took great offense at this hymn in his book, Hymns Today and Tomorrow. For the most part, his criticism concerns the musical setting, ST. GEORGE’S WINDSON, yet Routley feels that it is “extremely doubtful whether the [imagery of the last judgment] makes any impact on congregations at all” (Routley, 1964, p. 126). The hymn is complex, but it is by no means obscure or opaque.

The first stanza focuses directly on the physical harvest, an image used throughout scripture from early in Genesis through Revelation. We give thanks for the physical harvest as we give thanks for our daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer. Thanksgiving begins with the most concrete blessings in our lives. As well as a physical harvest, the first stanza alludes to Jesus’ remark in all three synoptic gospels—the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few, and the thankful people who are called to come are those who have already been sent by the Lord of the harvest, Jesus Christ.

The second stanza begins Alford’s expansion upon the parable of Jesus concerning the wheat and the tares (weeds) from Matthew 13:24–30. It is a challenging parable, which Alford interprets in this hymn to describe how joy and sorrow grow together in life, and how God does not eliminate sorrow until after the final harvest when God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4. (NRSV).

The third and fourth stanzas move more directly to the apocalyptic reference, “For the Lord our God shall come.” Erik Routley felt this imagery out of place. However, connecting thanksgiving with the coming of Jesus is imagery that is used at every celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

The hymn tune ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR, composed in 1856 by George J. Elvey (1816–1893) for the hymn “Hark! The Song of Jubilee,” has been associated with “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” since the publication of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861). As noted above, some reviewers of the hymn have pointed to the incongruity of this sturdy and joyful tune with these words, but there is some beauty in this pairing as well, especially with text painting at some points. Among others, one such case is the use of a dotted rhythm, balanced throughout the music, as a compelling invitation to sing, notably on the opening “Come.” One might also notice the phrase “all is safely gathered in” where the pitch begins and ends on A but feels “gathered” by the use of the neighboring tones, Bb and G. Midway through the hymn, the phrases, “first the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear,” are sung in an ascending sequence that seems almost like corn growing in the field. Later, the leap upward for ‘raise the song’ and ‘raise the glorious’ helps to paint the intent of the final phrases in stanzas 1 and 4.

Regardless of Routley’s misgivings, the discerning hymn singer cannot help but appreciate the vibrant eschatological final stanza that amplifies Christ’s parable. It is offered here in the author’s original language and punctuation:

Hymn of the Week: I Bind Unto Myself Today
Glory to God: 6
Text Attributed to St. Patrick
Music Irish Melody arranged by Charles Villiers Stanford 1902

Today’s hymn celebrates the Trinity with the timeless Irish hymn. The analysis of the text comes from the hymnology archive.

I Bind Unto Myself Today 

I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever
by power of faith, Christ's in carnation
his baptism in the Jordan river,
his death on Cross for my salvation;
his bursting from the spiced tomb,
his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the starlit heaven,
the glorious sun's life giving ray,
the whiteness of the moon at even,
the flashing of the lightning free,
the whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the deep salt sea
around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
God's eye to watch, God's might to stay,
God's ear to hearken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach,
God's hand to guide, God's shield to ward;
the word of God to give me speech,
the heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, 
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name,
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, the One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation,
eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
salvation is of Christ the Lord!

This hymn sets out the richness and depth of the Christian understanding of God. The hymn begins by surveying the vast panorama of the works of God in creation—one of the great themes of Celtic Christianity. The wonders of nature are reminders that God’s presence and power undergird the world of nature.

The hymn then turns its attention to the work of God in redemption. It declares that the same God who created the world—the earth, the sea, the sun, moon, and stars—acted in Jesus Christ to redeem us.

We are thus invited to reflect upon the history of Jesus Christ: his incarnation, baptism, death, resurrection, ascension, and final coming on the last day. These powerful ideas do not displace the belief that God created the world, and maybe discerned in its wonders; it supplements this, by focusing on another area of the power and activity of God. All these, Patrick affirms, are the actions of the same God who created us and redeems us through Jesus Christ.

Yet the hymn has not quite finished; there is another aspect of the activity and presence of God to be surveyed. Again, this is not to be seen as an alternative or substitute for what is already believed; it rounds off the full and authentic Christian vision of the character and power of God. The same God who called the universe into being and redeemed us through Jesus Christ is also the God who is present with us here and now.

The hymn thus affirms that the one and the same God created the world, entered into our work, and redeemed us in Christ, and is present as a living reality in this present moment. No other account of the nature and activity of God is adequate to do justice to the Christian witness to God, and no other doctrine of God can therefore be thought of as “Christian.”[2]This hymn belongs to a tradition of songs called lorica, songs of protection sometimes called breastplate songs. The idea is that these songs are a weapon in times of spiritual warfare, drawing on the biblical imagery of the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, Isaiah 59:17, and 1 Thessalonians 5:8.

Hymn of the Week: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Glory to God: 65

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah 

Text William Williams 1762
Music John Hughes 1907

Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain,
where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you.

The Great Awakening of the 1700s was a heaven-sent revival to many parts of the world. In America, the preaching of George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards renewed Christian zeal and swept multitudes of believers. In England, the open-air evangelism of Whitefield and the Wesley brothers did the same. In Wales, it was the electrifying preaching of Howell Harris and his convert William Williams.

Williams, William, of Pantycelyn, was the Sweet Singer of Wales. He was born at Cefn-y-Coed, in the Parish of Llanfair-y-bryn, near Llandovery, in 1717. He went to university and studied medicine becoming a doctor. Hearing one of Harris’ sermons, while standing on a gravestone in Talgarth churchyard, he was converted. He was ordained a deacon of the Established Church in 1740, by Dr. Claget, Bishop of St. Davids, and for three years he served the Curacies of Llan-wrtyd and Llanddewi-Abergwesyn. He never received Priest's Orders. He became early acquainted with the revivalist Daniel Rowlands, and for thirty-five years he preached once a month at Llanllian and Caio and Llansawel, besides the preaching journeys he took in North and South Wales. He was held in great esteem as a preacher. In 1744 his first book of hymns appeared under the title of Halleluiah and soon ran through three editions. In 1762, he published

another book under the title of Y Môr o Wydr, which soon went through five editions. His son John published an excellent edition of his hymns in the year 181l. In addition to his Welsh hymns, Williams also published several in English as— (1.) Hosannah to the Son of David; or, Hymns of Praise to God, For our glorious Redemption by Christ. Some few translated from the Welsh Hymn-Book, but mostly composed on new Subjects. By William Williams. Bristol: Printed by John Grabham, in Narrow-Wine Street, 1759. This contains 51 hymns of which 11 are translated from his Welsh hymns. This little book was reprinted by D. Sedgwick in 1859.

Today’s information comes to us from www.hymnary.org as well as Robert J. Morgan’s fantastic book, Then Sings My Soul 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories.

Enjoy this stirring arrangement for organ by Paul Manz.

Hymn of the Week: Bringing in the Sheaves
 

Bringing in the Sheaves

Text and Music Knowles Shaw (1834-1878)

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. 

Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. 

Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

This week, I want to focus on one of the most tender and beloved songs in the Protestant tradition, Bringing in the Sheaves. As harvest winds down and we enjoy the bounty of this harvest, I can’t help but think of this timeless text and lyrical tune. The text is inspired from Psalm 126:6, "He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Knowles Shaw (1834-1878), a name familiar in many western households--was born near New London, in Morgan Township, Ohio, on the 13th of October, 1834. His mother's maiden name was Huldah Griffin, and by both of his parents, he was of Scottish extraction. His early life was spent in Rush County, Indiana, where he first began to play the violin, furnishing the music for many a dance. While the ball was going on he was converted, ceasing to play in the middle of the piece he was performing. Very soon thereafter he entered the ministry of the Christian Church. On the 11th of January, 1855, he married Miss Martha Finley. Most of his time after entering the ministry was spent in the West and South, and on account of his wonderful vocal powers he was called the "singing evangelist."

As a singer, he was considered, in some respects, equal to Sankey and Bliss. reporters of the press all spoke of his singing as something wonderful. Soon after beginning to preach, he began to compose and write music. His first song was "The Shining Ones," still popular. He published at different times five singing books: "Shining Pearls," "Golden Gate," "Sparkling Jewels," "The Gospel Trumpet," and the "Morning Star." "Bringing in the Sheaves" was one of the last songs from his hand.

His last meeting was held in Dallas, Texas, in May 1878. He was killed by a railroad accident, going from Dallas to McKinney, on the 7th of June, 1878. During his ministry, he baptized over eleven thousand persons.

--A History and Biographical Cyclopedia of Butler County, Ohio. Cincinnati, 1882. DNAH Archives

Hymn of the Week: Taste and See
Glory to God #520

Taste and See
Text and Music James E. Moore Jr. 1983

Taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.

I will bless the Lord at all times.
Praise shall always be on my lips;
my soul shall glory in the Lord;
for God has been so good to me. 

Taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.

Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us all praise God's name.
I called the Lord, who answered me;
from all my troubles I was set free.

Taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.

Worship the Lord, all you people.
You’ll want for nothing if you ask.
Taste and see that the Lord is good;
in God we need put all our trust.

Taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord.
Oh, taste and see, taste and see
the goodness of the Lord, of the Lord.

As we prepare to celebrate World Communion with congregants across the globe I can’t help but be reminded of this stunning communion hymn. Enjoy the always factual and the goldmine of information about this beautiful hymn as well as the tender solo heard on YouTube.

Roman Catholic James E. Moore Jr. (b. 1951) brings the African-American gospel tradition to the Mass. He is a composer, conductor, pianist, and master teacher who currently resides in Vienna, Austria, where he serves as a professional coach and teaches voice and conducting. A native of LaCrosse, Va., he holds undergraduate degrees in both piano and vocal music education and graduate degrees in piano and choral conducting.

Dr. Moore is known for his choral conducting and leadership of congregations. His most popular songs are “Taste and See,” “I Will Be with You” and “An Irish Blessing,” all of which have been sung, recorded and appear in hymnals throughout the world. Prior to his move to Vienna, he served as director of music at St. Agnes Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as assistant professor of music and liturgy at the Athenaeum of Ohio Theological Seminary.

“Taste and See” is a song to be sung during the Eucharist as people come forward to receive the communion elements. The refrain quotes Psalm 38:8a: “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (NIV) The words are quickly memorized and Dr. Moore’s musical setting may be sung in harmony easily.

The stanzas, to be sung by a soloist, reflect the gospel style even more. Stanza one quotes Psalm 34:1-2 (Psalm 33:2-3 in the Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition): “I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth. In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.”

Stanza two cites Psalm 34:3-4 (Psalm 33:4-5): “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and he delivered me from all my troubles.” Stanza 3 is a reference to Psalm 34:10 (Psalm 33:10): “Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”

The infusion of the African-American gospel style with this text adds a celebratory tone to communion. The refrain of the psalm invites not only a spiritual feeding of the soul but also suggests that we can experience empirically the presence of God through the senses of tasting and seeing. Indeed, communion is a full-body encounter. Singing together suggests that hearing is also a part of receiving the elements as we come forward not just as individuals, but as members of the body of Christ to the table.

Written to be sung in procession, “Taste and See” allows us to join symbolically the procession of the saints—“the faithful of every time and place,” as some of the communion liturgies attest. Communion is not just a ritual of personal penitence, but a celebration with our local body of Christ, with the faithful around the world, and with the saints—a cosmic moment in the Christian experience.

* © 1983 GIA Publications. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Dr. Hawn is a professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology.

Hymn of the Week: Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Glory to God #645

Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above 
Text Johann Jacob Schütz 1675. Translated by Elizabeth Cox 1864
Music Bohemian Brethren’s Kirkengesang 1566. Mit Freuden Zart

Sing praise to God who reigns above,
the God of all creation,
the God of power, the God of love,
the God of our salvation.
With healing balm my soul is filled
and every faithless murmur stilled:
To God all praise and glory.

What God’s almighty power has made
God’s gracious mercy keepeth;
By morning glow or eveing shade
God’s watchful eyene’er sleepeth,
Within the kingdom of God’s might,
Lo! All is just and all is right.
To God all praise and glory.

The Lord is never far away,
but through all grief distressing,
an ever present help and stay,
our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother's tender hand,
God gently leads the chosen band:
To God all praise and glory.

Thus all my toilsome way along,
I sing aloud thy praises,
that earth may hear the grateful song
my voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Lord, my heart,
both soul and body bear your part:
To God all praise and glory.

Frances Elizabeth Cox (1812-1897) devoted herself to the translation of hymns from the German language into English. In total, she published 56 hymns in Sacred Hymns from the German (1841, 2nd edition, 1864).

Though little is known about Cox’s life, her translations remain a testament to her accomplishments. Of the approximately 80 texts she translated, most appear in the second edition of Sacred Hymns. The Companion to the Psalter Hymnal tells us, “Her choice of hymns was often determined by her friend, Baron Bunsen, the Prussian ambassador to England.” The two best translators of hymns from the German in the 19th century are generally considered to be Cox and Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878).

Schütz, a practitioner of civil and canon law, was influenced by Philipp Jakob Spener, the father of the Pietist movement in Germany. This German Lutheran movement of the 17th and 18th centuries emphasized, according to church historian James D. Nelson, a “heartfelt religious devotion, ethical purity, charitable activity, and pastoral theology rather than sacramental or dogmatic precision.” Pietism emerged in reaction to the formality of Lutheran orthodoxy.

The Rev. Carlton Young notes that Schütz suggested that Spener should begin his influential prayer meetings (Collegia Pietatis), an activity that signaled for many scholars the beginning of the Pietist movement. Spener’s Pia Desideria (1675) proposed that a religion of the heart should replace a religion of the head. Several hymn writers were influenced by this movement including Moravian Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, whose evangelical awakenings throughout Europe and in North America in the 18th and 19th centuries had a strong influence on John Wesley and Methodism.

Rather than the distant, rigid God of orthodox Lutheranism, Cox notes in stanza two that the “Lord is never far away.” Dr. Young suggests that Cox’s translation “has skillfully maintained the hymn’s balance between the strong and powerful biblical metaphors for God and the warm pietistic [ones such as] ‘As with a mother’s tender hand’” (stanza 2).

A 21st-century sensibility would see justice in terms of the needs of the hungry, the poor and the disadvantaged, and victims of racism, sexism, and other issues—not in terms of predetermined societal structures. Thus, the words may be the same, but most likely the meaning of them is very different.

Enjoy this stirring rendition from Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska

Hymn of the Week: All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night
Glory to God #675

Today’s hymn focuses on a set of hymns we don’t get many opportunities to sing as we worship on Sunday mornings. Along with Abide With Me, the following hymn is probably one of the most popular evening hymns before going to sleep at night. I hope you enjoy the fun guitar clip of this hymn. It is a 9-minute video but the song itself is the first 2.5 minutes. The last 7 minutes are dedicated to teaching you the chords!

All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night

Text Thomas Ken 1674
Music Thomas Tallis 1567

All praise to You, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath the shelter of Your wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for this I pray,
The wrong that I have done this day.
May peace with God and neighbor be,
Before I sleep restored to me.

Lord, may I be at rest in You
And sweetly sleep the whole night thro'.
Refresh my strength, for Your own sake,
So I may serve You when I wake.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Many congregations unknowingly sing a stanza each Sunday by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1710). What numerous congregations commonly call “The Doxology” (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow...”) is actually the final stanza of Ken’s hymn.

A native of Hertfordshire, England, Ken was orphaned at age 9 and raised as the ward of Izaak Walton, the husband of his sister, Ann. After his education at Winchester College and Hart Hall, Oxford, he became a fellow of New College in 1657, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Ken was ordained in 1662 and was rector of Little Easton and chaplain to Bishop Morley. Following his appointment as chaplain to Princess Mary at the Hague and later to the British fleet, he was consecrated as the bishop of Bath and Wells in 1865.

What appeared to be a fast-track career in the Church of England took a sudden downward spiral some 20 years later when Ken was among the bishops imprisoned in the Tower of London for refusing to sign James II’s 1687 “Declaration of Indulgence.” 

The focus of the Declaration would be seen as a reasonable document by today’s standards, but it threatened the supremacy of the Church of England. It suspended all penal laws in matters ecclesiastical for not attending the established Church of England; permitted people to worship with other confessional groups than the established Church of England; and ended the requirement that people take various religious oaths before advancement to civil or military office.

The declaration applied to Catholics, Protestants, Unitarians, Jews, Muslims, and even people of no faith. Though Ken was acquitted, he resigned from his office in 1691. Hymnology scholar Albert Bailey notes that Ken “lost his bishopric in 1691 because, having sworn fealty to James II, he could not in good conscience swear fealty to William and Mary while James was alive and had been deposed (as he thought) unjustly. All this proves that to the end Ken gave supreme authority only to his conscience.”

The author of many hymns, Ken wrote three hymns that framed the day—morning, evening, and midnight. The two that are still in common use are “Awake my soul, and with the sun” and “All praise to thee, my God, this night.” All three hymns conclude with his famous “doxology” stanza. They were sung by the boys at the Winchester school for their daily devotionals and incorporated into the school hymnal, Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College (1674).

Two stanzas are omitted (the original 5th and 6th) just before the concluding famous doxological stanza:

“When in the night I sleepless lie,
My soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
No powers of darkness me molest.

”O when shall I, in endless day,
For ever chase dark sleep away,
And hymns divine with angels sing,
All praise to thee, eternal King?”

Taken together, the stanzas of this hymn give us a glimpse into the devotional nature of late 17th century England. Stanza two is one of petition—“Forgive me, Lord, for... all the ill that I this day have done.” Stanza three speaks to the Christian’s fear of the judgment day and asks God to “Teach me to live, that I may dread the grave as little as my bed.” And stanza four prays that sleep may restore the body, so that when awake, the Christian may be more “vigorous” in service. Hymns continue to be an important part of devotional piety today. May we frame our days with Scripture and song.

Dr. Hawn is a professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology.

Hymn of the Week: O Jesus I Have Promised

O Jesus I Have Promised
John Ernest Bode 1869

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
Be thou forever near me,
My Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If thou wilt be my guide.

O let me feel thee near me!
The world is ever near:
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

O let me hear thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will.
O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, thou hast promised
To all who follow thee
That where thou art in glory
There shall thy servant be.
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My Master and my friend.

John Ernest Bode (1816-1874) has given the church one of its most enduring hymns of Christian discipleship. It was so popular that Bishops in the Church of England were weary of singing it and discouraged its use at confirmations. Born in London, John Ernest Bode was educated at both Eton and Charterhouse, as well as Christ Church, Oxford (B.A., 1837; M.A., 1840). His service as a Fellow of Christ Church (1841-1847) included taking Holy Orders as a deacon in 1841 and priest, 1843. Bode served as a vicar at Westwell, Oxfordshire and Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire.

A high point in his life was an invitation to deliver the prestigious Bampton Lectures at Oxford (1855). The lectures were later published as The Absence of Precision in the Formularies of the Church of England, scriptural and favorable to a State of Probation, and anti-Catholicism tract delivered in the face of the rising success of Catholicism in England at the time. His academic aspirations were sidetracked when he was defeated for a Professorship of Poetry at Oxford in 1857 by the distinguished and influential poet Matthew Arnold (1822-1888). In addition to books of poetry, his major hymn publication was Hymns from the Gospel of the Day for each Sunday and Festivals of our Lord (1860).

Our hymn has its origins in the confirmation of the poet’s daughter and two sons in 1866. It was published two years later as a leaflet by SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) entitled “Hymn for the newly Confirmed” and later in the New Appendix to the New and Enlarged Edition of Hymns for Public Worship (1870), and in Church Hymns and Tunes (1874). When it was published in the second edition of the popular Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875), the success of the hymn was assured. Most major hymnals have included it since then.

The text is based on a verse in John 12 following Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his travel to Bethsaida of Galilee just before his impending passion when he shares with his disciples: “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor” (John 12:23-26, KJV).

Stanza two is particularly appropriate for confirmation, discouraging the ways of the world – “the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear” – and evil influences – “my foes are ever near me, around me and within.” Stanza three dissuades the confirmand from the ways of the flesh: to rise “above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self will.”

More than fifty years after its publication, composer and hymnal editor Percy Dearmer noted its overuse in his Songs of Praise Discussed (1933), “Bishops have been known to implore their clergy that this hymn should not be sung at all the Confirmations they attend.”

C. Michael Hawn is a University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, SMU.

Hymn of the Week: Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It

Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It
Text Fanny Crosby
Music William Kirkpatrick

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.

I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song. 

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.

I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose law I delight,
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
His child, and forever, I am.

Once Fanny Crosby was asked, “Is there a special hymn written for your conversion experience?”

Fanny replied, “I would write many hymns to describe the joy of my salvation. The one that stands out the most to me right now is this one.” She began to sing in her beautiful soprano voice, “redeemed, how I love to proclaim it.”

William J. Kirkpatrick, whom Crosby often teamed with for her songs, provided the music for this popular hymn.

The hymn originally had five stanzas, although the last stanza is often omitted from hymnals today.

Crosby embraced her blindness saying, “When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!””

Enjoy this light jazz waltz arranged by Mark Hayes.

Hymn of the Week: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
Robert Lowry

1
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain
O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2
For my pardon this I see:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

3
Nothing can for sin atone:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Naught of good that I have done:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

4
This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus. [Refrain]

To give us some perspective historically on today’s hymn writer, it is kind of fun to note that Robert Lowry was born in the same year and same state (Pennsylvania) as Stephen Foster, one of our country’s greatest songwriters. Mr. Lowry’s music, like Stephen Fosters’, has been set by composers as various as Charles Ives and Aaron Copland.

Robert Lowry (1826-1899) has provided us with many of the most venerable nineteenth-century texts and tunes from the United States. The Philadelphia-born author and composer of this hymn was a popular Baptist preacher and educator who served churches in Pennsylvania, New York City, Brooklyn, and Plainfield, New Jersey. Lowry, a graduate of Bucknell University, was a professor of belles lettres in the University, receiving a D.D. in 1875. He became known for his gospel songs while ministering in Brooklyn, collaborating often with William H. Doane in producing some of the most popular Sunday school song collections of his day.

The Rev. Carlton R. Young, the editor of The United Methodist Hymnal, noted that "Nothing but the Blood" "was near the top of the list . . . on the most popular religious songs found in the five widely used hymnals and songbooks other than the 1957 Evangelical United Brethren and 1966

Methodist hymnals." For many, however, this hymn is anathema, especially for those who loathe "blood" hymns.

"Nothing but the Blood" has all the earmarks of a classic gospel song. It focuses on a single theme and hammers it home. The singer will repeat the text, "nothing but the blood of Jesus" twelve times if he or she sings all four stanzas. The refrain is succinct and reinforces the theme. The language is direct and obvious, with all one- or two-syllable words. The theme of cleansing from sin is prominent in gospel song literature.

Hebrews 9:22 appeared originally above the hymn in the original publication by Lowry and William H. Doane entitled Gospel Music (1876). The passage reads: "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin."

Lowry adapts a call-response pattern in the stanzas that immediately engages the singer. Stanza one begins with a question: "What can wash away my sin?" The answer is resounding and definitive: "Nothing but the blood of Jesus." This is followed by a second question: "What can make me whole again?" Once more, the answer is unequivocal, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus." This call-response pattern, along with the sturdy, almost martial rhythms of the music, gives the effect of cheerleading. Themes of pardon, cleansing, atonement, and righteousness permeate the remaining stanzas.

It is perhaps this hymn, along with others such as William Cowper’s "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood" (UM Hymnal, No. 622) that offends the sensibilities of many twenty-first-century singers and, as a result, causes them to reject any hymn that mentions blood. A more discerning singer will look at each occurrence of the word in its context. For example, Augustus Toplady’s eighteenth-century hymn, "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me," includes the phrase in the first stanza, "let the water and the blood,/from thy wounded side which flowed . . .." This is a description of a biblical event, the crucifixion.

Charles Wesley often used the word "blood" in his hymns. However, it is not in a gory or gratuitous sense, but as a synonym for grace. One can often sing "grace" in place of "blood" in a Wesley hymn. For example, the last line of the fourth stanza of "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" could be sung, "his grace availed for me" and maintain its theological intent.

Though many might relegate "Nothing but the Blood" to the past, it lives on in modern renditions, especially in evangelical contexts. Contemporary Christian artist Matt Redman incorporates this hymn into his song, "Nothing but the Blood." The popular Australian group, Hillsong United, has a well-known rendition that may easily be found on YouTube.

The version you will hear today is a setting in a more country-western vein, arranged by Larry Schackley.

Dr. Hawn is a distinguished professor of church music at Perkins School of Theology. He is also the director of the seminary's sacred music program. Most of today’s discussion of this hymn comes from Dr. Hawn’s venerable pen!

Hymn of the Week: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Glory to God: 169

Text John Greenleaf Whittier 1872
Music Frederick C. Maker (REST) 1887

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

1.
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.

2.
In simple trust like theirs who heard
beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.

3.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!

4.
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.

5.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!
 

This hymn’s origin is a paradox. John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) worshipped in the tradition of the Society of Friends, also known as Quakers. Traditionally, Quakers have not sung in worship, but value silence, waiting for the “still, small voice” of God.

According to accounts Whittier had been reading in Max Müller’s The Sacred Books of the East about the use of soma, a plant found in northwest India. Soma was used in preparing an intoxicating drug that was ingested in religious rituals, resulting in a state of frenzy.

This hymn began as a part of a long narrative poem, “The Brewing of Soma,” published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1872. The poem describes Vedic priests going into the forest, brewing a drink from honey and milk, and drinking themselves into a frenzy. Whittier was critical of those who believed they might find God through unbridled ecstasies, such as the hysterical camp meetings and revivals common in his day.

Whittier’s response was a 17-stanza poem, of which stanzas 12-17 have been excised to form the hymn as found in many hymnals. The preceding stanza of the poem sets the context for our hymn.

And yet the past comes round again,
And new doth old fulfill; In sensual transports wild as vain
We brew in many a Christian fane
The heathen Soma still!

Stanza one then begins, “Dear Lord, and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways….”—a complete antithesis to the “transports wild” in the preceding verse. Rather than the frenzy, true praise is expressed in “deeper reverence.”

Whittier then continues with biblical examples of simplicity and serenity. Stanza two alludes to the “simple trust” of the disciples who heard the “gracious calling” of Christ. Like them, we should rise “without a word” and follow the Master.

Stanza three has one of the most beautiful phrases in 19th-century Romantic poetry. The context is that of “Sabbath rest” by the sea with the “calm of hills above.” It was in this serene setting that Christ came to pray in “the silence of eternity, interpreted by love!”

The fourth stanza maintains the sense of tranquility: “Drop thy still dews of quietness,/till all our strivings cease.” In this stanza, the poet employs the device of onomatopoeia by choosing words throughout with an “s” sound—“dews,” “quietness,” “strivings,” “cease” and so on. The skill of the poet is evident in a tour de force of sibilant sounds evoking serenity.

The final stanza evokes images of breathing and calm, closing with a magnificent antithesis: “Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,/ O still, small voice of calm.”

Whittier was one of the most important of the 19th-century American poets. The New Englander was a Quaker abolitionist, reared in a large farmhouse in the rural setting of Merrimac Valley at East Haverhill, Mass. The Whittier homestead remains a museum open to the public.

The Victorian tune REST by Frederick C. Maker (1844-1927) was actually composed for American poet W.B. Tappan’s hymn, “There is an hour of peaceful rest.” British hymnals have embraced Whittier’s hymn, but prefer the tune REPTON by the famous English composer C.H.H. Parry. YOU will remember that we talked about the RETPON tune in last week’s Hymn of the Week.

English hymnologist J.R. Watson summarizes well the contribution of this hymn: “It is the opposite end of the devotional spectrum from those hymns which encourage activity and energy, but everyone experiences the need for quiet meditation at some time, and this hymn encourages an almost mystical contemplation of the peace of God ‘which passes all understanding.’”

Dr. Hawn is a professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology.

Hymn of the Week: How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord
Glory to God: 432
Text Fred Pratt Green 1981
Music C. Hubert Parry 1888

How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord

1. How clear is our vocation, Lord,
when once we heed your call:
to live according to your word,
and daily learn, refreshed, restored,
that you are Lord of all,
and will not let us fall.

2. But if, forgetful, we should find
your yoke is hard to bear;
if worldly pressures fray the mind,
and love itself cannot unwind
its tangled skein of care,
our inward life repair.

3. We marvel how your saints become
in hindrances more sure,
whose joyful virtues put to shame
the casual way we wear your name,
and by our faults obscure
your pow’r to cleanse and cure.

4. In what you give us, Lord, to do,
together or alone,
in old routines and ventures new,
may we not cease to look to you.
The cross you hung upon—
all you endeavored done.

Carl Schalk has said that hymns must tell at least some part of the story of salvation. This stirring hymn by Fred Pratt Green tells our story, not of the course of human history but of the trajectory of faith. What is the Christian life? How are we to live it? What are its joys, its dangers, and how can we best position ourselves to receive God’s abundant blessings and return them in greater measure? Supported magnificently by C. Hubert H. Parry’s soaring tune REPTON, Green’s text leads us through the four corridors of faith—affirmation, prayer, reflection, and exhortation.

Stanza 1 is an affirmation of how our lives are to be oriented if and when we turn toward God and away from false idols. We love, obey and trust God above all things. We live according to God’s Word and apply ourselves daily to the study of scripture. This yields new life each day and the realization that, in placing all our hope in God, he is our rock, fortress, shield, and stronghold and “will not let us fall.” In

Stanza 2 we recognize that we live in a world in which the devil is still in control. That the “yoke” of God’s law can be “hard to bear” testifies to the battle between flesh and Spirit that Paul knew only too well (Romans 7:21, Galatians 5:17). Our cunning adversary wreaks chaos by using worldly pressures to distract and confuse the mind that seeks only to know God. So tangled do we become in our efforts to care for others that even love cannot straighten things out. Our only hope is to turn to God in fervent prayer: “Our inward life repair.”

Stanza 3 is a reflection on endurance in the face of persecution that helps us put the worldly pressures from Stanza 2 into perspective. The saints bore unimaginable hardships with joy because this gave them the opportunity to testify (Luke 21:13) to God’s power, majesty, love, and saving grace. How small in comparison, Green suggests, are our casual testimonies of faith: “Oh, yes, of course, I believe in God.” Furthermore, the terrible sin of pride that tempts us to think we are in control places a barrier between us and God, one that obscures God’s healing, life-giving power.

It is Stanza 4, however, in which we discover the true nature of the life of faith that makes possible obedience, trust, prayer, and perseverance: It lies in the crucified Christ; in his vulnerability and humiliation, he who was like us in every way except without sin; and in his death and resurrection, with the latter “not the undoing of the failure of the cross” but “the unveiling of its success.” 1 Green concludes with an exhortation for the ages: “May we not cease to look to you / The cross you hung upon—All you endeavored done.” 1

The composer of the delightful tune you hear in today’s recording comes from Englishman and full-time insurance salesman, C. Hubert Parry. Parry wrote many hymn tunes, today's being one of his more popular ones. Many folks know this under the title; Dear Lord and Father of Mankind and He Comes to Us as One Unknown. He is also a composer of fiendishly difficult organ chorale preludes.

Douglas John Hall on Martin Luther, in The Cross in Our Context, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003, 235.

Hymn of the Week: We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name (Come, Share the Lord)
Glory to God: 510

Text and Music by Bryan Jeffrey Leech 1984

We Gather Here in Jesus’ Name (Come, Share the Lord)

We gather here in Jesus' name
His love is burning in our hearts like living flame
For through His loving Son the Father makes us one
Come take the bread come drink the wine
Come share the Lord

No one is a stranger here,
everyone belongs;
finding our forgiveness here,
we in turn forgive all wrongs.

He joins us here He breaks the bread
The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead
The One we love the most is now our gracious host
Come take the bread come drink the wine
Come share the Lord

We are now a family
of which the Lord is head;
though unseen he meets us here
in the breaking of the bread.

We'll gather soon where angels sing
We'll see the glory of our Lord and coming King
Now we anticipate the feast for which we wait
Come take the bread come drink the wine
Come share the Lord
 

Some hymns seem to flow immediately from the author’s pen, while others require months of gestation. The latter is the case with “Come, Share the Lord,” by Bryan Jeffery Leech (b. 1931), who wrote both text and music.

The composer is a native of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, England, who moved to the United States in 1955. His communion hymn, “Come, Share the Lord,” has become not only his most frequently used hymn, but also a favorite hymn during the Lord’s Supper, especially among evangelical congregations.

Mr. Leech provides us with a background on his struggle to compose the text of this hymn:

“In the autumn of 1982, I made an inner resolve to write a communion anthem and promptly forgot about it. During Christmas with my family in England, I invented a melody at the piano, but my mind was barren of any lyric ideas.

“One hot summer day, while visiting a musician friend in Simi Valley, Calif., I played the setting and asked him to react to it. After repeating it, he thought a moment and then said, ‘It’s obvious: Holy Communion.’ I went home and within an hour the words were complete. In the anthem arrangement by Roland Tabell, it has become my most popular song to date.”

In reflecting on the text, the author’s theology of communion unfolds. Sharing the Lord’s Supper is a response to the “burning in our hearts” for the love of Christ who “makes us one.”

In the stanzas that follow we find that this is an open table where “No one is a stranger” and “everyone belongs.” Furthermore, this is a table where we “find... forgiveness” and “we, in turn, forgive all wrongs.”

The author places this celebration in the context of the post-Resurrection appearances of Christ with his followers. The second stanza begins with a reflection on passages like Luke 24:13-27 (the appearance of Christ on the road to Emmaus) and the multiple post-Resurrection appearances in John 20 and 21: “He joins us here, he breaks the bread/ the Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.”

This stanza takes the relationship of those gathered at the table a step further. This is not only a table where there are no strangers and “everyone belongs;” in the sharing of communion, “We are now a family of which the Lord is head.”

Bryan Jeffrey Leech received his education at The London Bible College in England, and at Barrington College in Massachusetts, and North Park Seminary in Chicago. He was ordained in 1959 in the Evangelical Covenant denomination and has served pastorates in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and California.

Mr. Leech is pastor emeritus at First Covenant Church in Oakland, Calif. He has composed over 500 songs, hymns, anthems, and cantatas.

The author succeeds beautifully in communicating a sense of cosmic time that surrounds all who share this meal. In this hymn we recall the post-Resurrection meals as a biblical witness of the past; we share the meal with Christ in our midst in the present; finally, “we anticipate the feast for which we wait” in the future.

The fullness of communion comes for those who understand that at the moment of this meal, time—past, present, and future—collapses into that single moment.

*©1984, 1987 Fred Bock Music Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Dr. Hawn is a professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology.

Hymn of the Week: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light
Glory to God: 377

Text and Music by Kathleen Thomerson 1966

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light 

I want to walk as a child of the light
I want to follow Jesus
God sent the stars to give light to the world
The star of my life is Jesus

In Him there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus

I want to see the brightness of God
I want to look at Jesus
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path
And show me the way to the Father

In Him there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus

I'm looking for the coming of Christ
I want to be with Jesus
When we have run with patience the race
We shall know the joy of Jesus

In Him there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus

From time to time, a hymn captures our imagination because of its simplicity and transparency. Such a hymn is “I want to walk as a child of the light.”

Kathleen Armstrong Thomerson (b. 1934) is a native of Tennessee. She wrote the hymn during the summer of 1966 during a visit to the Church of the Redeemer in Houston, Texas, the location providing the origin for the tune name HOUSTON. Her musical education took place at the University of Texas and Syracuse University, with additional studies at the Flemish Royal Conservatory in Antwerp. She has studied with several of the most noted organists of the twentieth century.

Ms. Thomerson directed music at University United Methodist Church in St. Louis and was on the organ faculties of St. Louis Conservatory and Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. From 2004 through 2013, she served Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. In addition to this hymn, she contributed tunes for hymns by Patricia B. Clark in their joint collection, A Taste of Heaven’s Joys: A Collection of Original Hymns (2005).

I want to walk as a child of the light” communicates deep conviction and personal sincerity, while avoiding any hint of pretense. The first-person perspective invites the singer to join Christ, the Light of the World, in discipleship – a journey of faith. The second line of each stanza deepens this commitment: Stanza 1: “I want to follow Jesus.” Stanza 2: “I want to look at Jesus.” Stanza 3: “I want to be with Jesus.”

Each stanza of text adds greater luminosity to our daily walk with Jesus. In the first stanza, “God set[s] the stars to give light to the world.” Christ in turn becomes the “star of my life.” References to stars support the hymn’s appropriateness for Epiphany. Stanza two expresses the desire to “see the brightness of God.” The “Sun of Righteousness” illumines “the way to the Father.” The final stanza extends the journey toward the “coming of Christ,” an eschatological direction toward our future hope.

As in most gospel hymns, it is the refrain that carries the essence of its meaning; and indeed it is this refrain, with its scriptural allusions that virtually quote from Revelation 21 and 22, that distinguishes this hymn from many earlier expressions of discipleship. While a deeply personal expression of piety, the poet roots her devotional expression firmly in Scripture, avoiding the maudlin and simplistic notions of some gospel songs.

The simplicity of the music and text does not imply a simplistic faith. “I want to walk as a child” reminds us of one of the paradoxes of our faith, that we need to become as a child to fully understand the realm of God (Matthew 18:2-4).

C. Michael Hawn is a University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, SMU.

Hymn of the Week: There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
Glory to God: 435

Text Frederick William Faber 1854
Music Dutch Melody arr. Julius Röntgen 1906

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
like the wideness of the sea.
There’s a kindness in God’s justice,
which is more than liberty.
There is no place where earth’s sorrows
are more felt than up in heaven.
There is no place where earth’s failings
have such kindly judgment given.

For the love of God is broader
than the measures of the mind.
And the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more faithful,
we would gladly trust God’s Word,
and our lives reflect thanksgiving
for the goodness of our Lord.

Frederick Faber (1814-1863), born in Yorkshire, England, was one of a number of English clergy who converted from the Anglican Church to Roman Catholicism in the Romantic era of hymnody in the 19th century.

Faber was born an Anglican and reared a strict Calvinist. After attending Oxford, he took orders as an Anglican priest and began his ministry as a rector. Influenced by his friend John Henry Newman (1801-1890) who converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism in 1845, Faber also converted to Catholicism that same year.

Both Newman and Faber were influenced by the rituals and traditions of Rome. Faber formed a community in Birmingham called “Brothers of the Will of God.” Newman joined the Oratory, an order of secular priests established in 1564 by St. Philip Neri in Rome, and Faber eventually followed him there. Hymnologist Albert Bailey noted, “Father Faber was the moving and guiding spirit [of the Oratory] as long as he lived, a great preacher and a man of charming personality.”

Drawing inspiration from the hymns of John Newton, William Cowper, and the Wesleys during his Anglican youth, he recognized that Roman Catholics lacked a tradition of more recent metrical hymnody in English. He took it upon himself to remedy this. By the time he died, he had contributed 150 hymns, all composed after his conversion to Roman Catholicism.

British hymnologist J. Richard Watson notes that “Faber’s emotionalism, and his uninhibited use of . . . imagery, demonstrate his love of a sentiment that comes close to sentimentality.

“But his sentiment, however excessive it may seem, touches a tender spot: Faber is cheering on the soul, recognizing the troubles of life, and holding out the promise of a final homecoming.”

The ultimate theme of this hymn is based on the premise and paradox that a sovereign God, unlike earthly rulers, demonstrates welcome, kindness, grace, and mercy. All we need to do is have a simple faith that “rest[s] upon God’s word.

There's a Wideness in God's Mercy performed by The Riverside Choir | May 3, 2020

Hymn of the Week: When the Poor Ones
Glory to God: 762

Text José Antonio Olivar and Miguel Manzano 1970 Translated George Lockwood
Music José Antonio Olivar and Miguel Manzano

Enjoy this stunning hymn from Spain that has become one of First Presbyterian's most loved hymns based closely on the Matthew 25 scripture that Karen has been preaching on over the past three Sundays.

When the Poor Ones

When the poor ones who have nothing share with strangers,
When the thirsty water give unto us all,
When the crippled in their weakness strengthen others,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When at last all those who suffer find their comfort,
When they hope though even hope seems hopeless,
When we love, though hate at times seems all around us,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When our joy fills up our cup to overflowing,
When our lips can speak no words other than true,
When we know that love for simple things is better,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us.

When our homes are filled with goodness in abundance,
When we learn how to make peace instead of war,
When each stranger that we meet is called a neighbor,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us,
Then we know that God still goes that road with us.

This hymn was composed in 1970 by two men from Spain. The award-winning poet and journalist José Antonio Olivar came from a seafaring family. Miguel Manzano was a cantor at age 8 in a cathedral near the border of Portugal and became a composer and professor at the Higher Conservatory of Music in Salamanca. Miguel Manzano is a Spanish composer and singer. He was born in Aillamor de Cardozo near the border with Portugal. Miguel began his religious musical career at the age of 8 as a cantor at the Cathedral of Zamora, Spain. He studied solfege, piano, organ, and harmonium with the renowned teacher, Gaspar Arabaolaza. Later on, he began studies at the Higher School of Sacred Music in Madrid, where he studied Rhythm and Gregorian Modality, as well as Harmony and Religious Polyphony. He furthered his studies of language and musical rhythm at the Catholic Institute of Paris.

Miguel's internationally recognized music has been chosen to complete the repertoire of the National Liturgical Hymnal of the Episcopal Committee of Spanish Liturgy. At present, he is a Professor of Ethnic Music at the Higher Conservatory of Music in Salamanca.

Their song now appears in the hymnals of many denominations including Presbyterian, United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, and Moravian.

Written when Liberation Theology was turning the Christian world upside down, this hymn was inspired by Matthew 25: 31-46, in which Jesus says “For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Here, Jesus instructs us to see his face in the least privileged, the least powerful, to intentionally reject greed and embrace compassion.

The hymn’s refrain also recalls the journey of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Just when they felt most lost and abandoned, Christ was walking beside them.

Hymn of the Week: 
Make Me a Blessing

Text Ira B. Wilson 1924
Music George Shuler 1924

Inspired by Sue Cherney’s wonderful moment for mission before the Offering at the service on June 20th, this week’s hymn is Make Me a Blessing. Be sure to participate in the Blessing Box happening next week. Here is some information about the upcoming Blessing Box day. Be sure to check your Messenger for ways you can contribute. We are working to fill a Blessing Box at First Presbyterian Church in Newark, 65 N Third St. We will install and dedicate the Blessing Box together with their church on June 27 at 12:30. Everyone is invited! Enjoy this week’s stirring hymn!
 

Make Me a Blessing

Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad;
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing.
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray.
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Tell the sweet story of Christ and his love,
Tell of his pow'r to forgive;
Others will trust him if only you prove
True, ev'ry moment you live. 

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing.
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray.
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Give as 'twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true. 

Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing.
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray.
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Ira B. Wilson’s (1880-1950) sister taught him to play the violin and organ while still at home. Around 1902, Ira began studies at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. In 1905, he went to work for the Lorenz Publishing Company in Dayton, Ohio. His compositions appeared in The Choir Leader and The Choir Herald; he also served as editor in chief of The Volunteer Choir.

“I don’t remember writing the lyrics to that song.” Those were the startling words of Ira B. Wilson to his friends. He held that position until his death, yet his song, “Make Me a Blessing,” lives on in the hearts of millions of Christians in many lands.

In 1924 George Shuler and Ira Wilson were roommates at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. They combined their efforts in giving to the world the wonderful Christian song, “Make Me a Blessing.” Wilson wrote the lyrics and Shuler the musical setting.

At first, the song was rejected by musical publishers. Not to be stopped, Shuler had 1,000 copies printed to distribute on his own. One copy fell into the hands of George Dibble, an outstanding singer who was the music director for the International Sunday School Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. Dibble asked permission to use the song, and it was granted. Soon people everywhere were singing it and publishers were wanting to distribute copies.

The popularity of the song has grown to the extent that Christians in many locations can sing it even by memory.

A strange thing happened to Wilson. He forgot that he wrote the lyrics of the song. From those days until he died he never remembered this poetic creation.

Hymn of the Week: Breathe on Me, Breath of God
#286 in Glory to God
Text Edwin Hatch 1878
Music Robert Jackson 1888
 

Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Breathe on me, breath of God.
Fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee, I will one will:
to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
till I am wholly thine,
until this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity.
 

The simplicity of this profound hymn belies the education and knowledge of its author, Edwin Hatch (1835-1889).

Educated at Pembroke College, Oxford, Hatch ministered in an Anglican parish in the slums of east London before accepting a position at Trinity College in Quebec where he taught classics. After serving as Rector of Quebec High School, he returned to Oxford to become the vice-principal of St. Mary’s Hall and took several posts including the Bampton Lecturer, Reader in Ecclesiastical History, and the Hibbert Lecturer.

Hatch was recognized as an authority on the early church as a result of his Bampton Lectures, “On the Organization of Early Christian Churches,” which were acknowledged by a leading continental scholar on this topic and translated into German.

In spite of Hatch’s scholarship, his one remaining hymn reflects both a profound simplicity and a deep knowledge of Scripture. Our hymn draws largely from John 20:21-22, following John’s account of the Resurrection, for its inspiration: “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even, so send I you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (RSV)

This passage in John correlates with Genesis 2:7 where “the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.”

The author invokes the Holy Spirit to come into his life and transform it. Using the first-person perspective throughout the hymn adds to the hymn’s power as the singer seeks the breath of God (Genesis 2:7) as a source for renewal.

British hymnologist J.R. Watson notes that the hymn “was given the title of ‘Spiritus Dei’ [Spirit of God], thus linking the image of ‘breath’ with that of the Holy Spirit (as in the Greek, where the same word is used for ‘spirit’ and ‘breath.’”

Mr. Watson also finds echoes of John 3:3-8, especially verses 5-7: “Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’”

Summarizing the message of the hymn, Mr. Watson suggests that the breath of God “brings new life and love, purity and obedience, surrender and inspiration, and finally eternal life, as the hymn moves through various stages of Christian experience and discipline towards a unity with God.”

The hymn was first published by Hatch in Between Doubt and Prayer (1878), a privately printed volume. Henry Allon included it in the hymnal, The Congregational Psalmist in 1886. Hatch’s widow then published this hymn posthumously in Towards Fields of Light: Sacred Poems (1890).

The tune most often used in the U.S. is TRENTHAM, named for a small village in Staffordshire, England. TRENTHAM was composed by Robert Jackson (1842-1914) in 1888 originally for a text by Henry W. Baker, “O Perfect Love of Life.”

Today’s article comes from Dr. Michael C. Hawn, professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology.

Enjoy today’s performance by JuBellee Bells which you may have heard at yesterday’s service! Thanks for all your hard work JuBellee. Many apologies if you heard a dull drone in the background. Not certain what’s going on.