Tag Archives: hymns

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Our Day of Praise Is Done

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Tune: St. Thomas (use with “Our Day of Praise Is Done” (Ellerton)

A HYMN FOR TODAY

Our day of praise is done;
The evening shadows fall;
But pass not from us with the sun,
True light that lightest all.

Around the throne on high,
Where night can never be,
The white-robed angels of the sky
Bring ceaseless hymns to Thee.

A little while, and then
Shall come the glorious end;
And songs of angels and of men
In perfect praise shall blend.

SM (6.6.8.6) – John Ellerton, 1871

Tune: ST. THOMAS – Aaron Williams, 1763

#136 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

A HYMN FOR TODAY – God Himself Is With Us

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A HYMN FOR TODAY – God Himself Is With Us

God Himself is with us
Let us now adore Him,
And with awe appear before Him.
God is in His temple,
All within keep silence,
And before Him bow with reverence,
Him alone,
God we own;
To our Lord and Savior
Praises sing forever.

God Himself is with us;
Whom angelic legions
Serve with awe in heavenly regions.
“Holy, holy, holy,”
Sing the hosts of heaven,
Praise to God be ever given.
Bow Thine ear
To us here;
Hear, O Christ, the praises
That Thy church now raises.

O Thou fount of blessing,
Purify my spirit;
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Like the holy angels
Who behold Thy glory,
May I ceaselessly adore Thee,
And in all,
Great and small,
Seek to do most nearly
What Thou lovest dearly.

6.6.8.6.6.8.3.3.6.6 – Gerhard Tersteegen, 1729
trans. Frederick W. Foster and John Miller, 1789

Tune: ARNSBERG – Joachim Neander, 1680

#186 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

A HYMN FOR TODAY – The Feast of Love

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A HYMN FOR TODAY – The Feast of Love

Savior, as we eat Your supper,
We are joined with those apart,
Joined in memory and worship,
Near in worthiness of heart.

Holy ones throughout the ages
Also join us as we sup –
Saints united, past and future,
Sharers in the bread and cup.

All Your church is one in worship,
One in heart with You above,
Tasting one eternal sharing
As we keep the feast of love.

 

8.7.8.7 – M. W. Bassford, 2001

Tune: C.E. Couchman, 2001

#353 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

 

THE FEAST OF LOVE explores the implications of the Lord’s Supper and the universal church. Because all Christians are one when they partake of the one bread, we share the Lord’s Supper with Christians everywhere and from every time. (1 Corinthians 10:15-17; Jude 12)

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Ask Me What Great Thing I Know

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A HYMN FOR TODAY –  Ask Me What Great Thing I Know

Ask me what great thing I know:
What delights and stirs me so?
What the high reward I win?
Whose the name I glory in?
Jesus Christ, the crucified,
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

Who is He that makes me wise
To discern where duty lies?
Who is He that makes me true
Duty, when discerned, to do,
Jesus Christ, the crucified,
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

Who is life in life to me?
Who the death of death will be?
Who will place me on His right,
With the countless hosts of light?
Jesus Christ, the crucified,
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

This is that great thing I know,
This delights and stirs me so:
Faith in Him who died to save,
Him who triumphed o’er the grave:
Jesus Christ, the crucified,
Jesus Christ, the crucified.

7.7.7.7.7 – Johann C. Schwedler, 1741
tr. Benjamin H. Kennedy, 1863

Tune: REDHEAD 76 – Richard Redhead, 1853

#106 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

As with some other modern hymnals, “ye” changed to “me” also personalizes the hymn

A HYMN FOR TODAY — Be Thou My Vision

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou my inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

10.10.9.10 – Dallan Forgaill, 750
tr. Mary Elizabeth Byrne, 1905; alt. Eleanor H. Hull, 1912

from Irish Folk Hymn, 750

Joyce’s Old Irish Folk Music and Songs, 1909 – arr. C. E. Couchman (2011)

#318 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

The tune SLANE is also used for the modern Timothy Dudley-Smith hymn, “Christ, Be My Leader,”  which, in observance of copyright protections, cannot be reproduced here.

Footnote 4 – A Brief History of Hymns and Hymnals

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Footnote 4 – A Brief History of Hymns and Hymnals, by Steve Wolfgang, in Great Texts of the Old Testament: The 2007 Truth Lectures (Bowling Green, KY: Truthbooks, 2007), pp. 116-159.

Scott Harp has posted an article I wrote several years ago on the history of hymns, particularly in the context of the “Restoration Movement” on his page at http://www.therestorationmovement.com/recent.htm 

A HYMN FOR TODAY – I Sing the Mighty Power of God

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

I sing the mighty pow’r of God
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command,
And all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the LORD,
Who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through His Word
And then pronounced them good.
LORD, how Thy wonders are displayed
Where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread
Or gaze upon the sky.

In heav’n He shines with beams of love,
With wrath in hell beneath;
‘Tis on His earth I stand or move,
And ’tis His air I breathe.
His hand is my perpetual guard,
He keeps me with His eye;
Why should I then forget the LORD,
Who is forever nigh?

There’s not a plant or flow’r below
But makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise and tempests blow
By order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee
Is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that man can be
Thou, God, art present there.

CMD (8.6.8.6.D) – Isaac Watts, 1715

Tune: ELLACOMBE – Wurttemberg Gesangbuch, 1784
arr. William H. Monk, 1868

#74 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

I SING THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD declares God’s power, wisdom, and goodness displayed in His creation. The intricate workings of nature demonstrate that God is still in control and present with His people. (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 65:6-7, 9-13; 136:8-9; Jeremiah 31:35; 51:15-16).  Watts wrote this as a hymn for children, and published it first in his Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language, for the Use of Children (1715) — a stunning commentary by itself of the state of children’s education today, and our expectations for them!

A Hymn For Today: Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor

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A Hymn For Today

Lord, enthroned in heav’nly splendor, 
First begotten from the dead, 
You alone, our strong defender, 
Now lift up Your people’s head. 
Here we kneel, our homage paying, 
Here in loving rev’rence bow; 
Here for faith’s discernment praying, 
Lest we fail to know You now. 

Though the lowly form may veil You 
As of old in Bethlehem, 
Here as there Your angels hail You, 
Branch and flow’r of Jesse’s stem. 
Paschal Lamb, Your off’ring finished 
Once for all when You were slain, 
In its fullness undiminished 
Shall forevermore remain. 

Great High Priest of our profession, 
Through the veil You entered in, 
By Your mighty intercession, 
Grace and peace for us to win. 
Life-imparting heav’nly manna, 
Smitten rock with streaming side, 
Heav’n and earth with loud hosanna 
Worship You, the Lamb who died. 

8.7.8.7.D – vv. 1, 2, George H. Bourne, 1874 
vs. 3 – Unknown 

Tune: HYFRYDOL – Rowland H. Prichard, 1831

#243 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012 

A Hymn For Today: We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight

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A HYMN FOR TODAY: We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight

We walk by faith and not by sight;
No gracious words we hear
From Him who spoke as man ne’er spoke,
But we believe Him near.

We may not touch His hands and side,
Nor follow where He trod;
But in His promise we rejoice,
And cry, “My Lord and God!”

Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
And may our faith abound,
To call on You when You are near
And seek where You are found.

That, when our life of faith is done,
In realms of clearer light
We may behold You as You are,
With full and endless sight.

CM (8.6.8.6) – Henry Alford, 1844

Tune: IRISH – Powell’s Collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749

#494 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012

A Hymn for Today: Lord, Speak To Me

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Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou has sought, so let me seek
Thine erring children lost and lone.

O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.

O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing pow’r
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.

O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,
Until my very heart o’erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.

LM (8.8.8.8) – Frances R. Havergal, 1872

Tune: HOLLEY – George Hews, 1835

#632 in Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 2012