Tag Archives: hymns

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Ah, Holy Jesus

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Ah, holy Jesus, how have You offended,
That mortal judgment has on You descended?
By foes derided, by Your own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon You?
It is my treason, Lord, that has undone You.
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied You;
I crucified You.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave has sinned, and yet the Son has suffered
For my atonement, though I nothing heeded,
God interceded.

For me, kind Jesus, was Your incarnation,
Your mortal sorrow and Your life’s oblation,
Your death of anguish and Your bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, dear Jesus, since I cannot pay You,
I do adore You, and will ever pray You,
Think on Your pity and Your love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

11.11.11.5 – Johann Heermann, 1630

trans. Robert S. Bridges, 1899

Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU – Johann Crueger, 1640

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

Footnote 12 – History of Hymns – Steve Wolfgang

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Click to access wolfgang.pdf

Since my lecture at Faulkner University a few weeks ago, I have received several inquiries about an article I wrote several years back, surveying the history of hymns and hymnals, especially have they hve influence hymnody in the “Restoration Movement.”  Since I have posted this reference on several other sites and FB pages, why not put it on my own? As with any human endeavor, it has some errors and other flaws, and stands in need of revision.  But it will have to do for now.

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Savior, Again To Thy Dear Name We Raise

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise;
We stand to bless Thee ere our worship cease,
Then, lowly kneeling, wait Thy word of peace.

Grant us Thy peace upon our homeward way;
With Thee began, with Thee shall end the day.
Guard thou the lips from sin, the hearts from shame,
That in this house have called upon Thy name.

Grant us Thy peace, Lord, through the coming night;
Turn Thou for us its darkness into light;
From harm and danger keep Thy children free,
For dark and light are both alike to Thee.

Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Peace to Thy church from error and from strife,
Peace to our land, the fruit of truth and love,
Peace in each heart, Thy Spirit from above.

Thy peace in life, the balm of every pain;
Thy peace in death, the hope to rise again;
Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace.

19.10.10.10 – John Ellerton, 1868

Tune: ELLERS – Edward J. Hopkins, 1869

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

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Song of Angels

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A HYMN FOR TODAY – Song of Angels

In the morning of creation,

When no human voice was heard,

Angels sang the adoration

Of the Father and the Word.

Shouting in that ancient quiet,

With the morning stars, they sang;

Suns and planets heard them cry it,

And the silent heavens rang,

And the silent heavens rang.

Mantled in eternal glory

On a still Judean night

Angels sang another story

Of forgiveness and delight.

They, the messengers of heaven

Came with gladness to the earth,

Welcoming what God had given,

Praising our Messiah’s birth,

Praising our Messiah’s birth.

Now the angels’ exultation

Echoes out again, again,

For they sing at each salvation

Of the sinner from his sin.

With the saints they join together,

Crying with united voice,

“Blessed be the Lord forever!

All who hear his name, rejoice!

All who hear his name, rejoice!”

8.7.8.7.D – M.W. Bassford, 2007

Tune: SONG OF ANGELS, C.E. Couchman, 2007

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

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Triumphal Entrance

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A HYMN FOR TODAY – Triumphal Entrance

“Hosanna, King!” the crowd resounds;
Their branches pave the dusty ground.
Messiah wears no robe or crown,
Yet all the multitudes bow down.
This Prophet-King from Galilee
Is on the road to Calvary.

“Our Lord! The King!” the host resounds;
Their branches sweep the golden ground.
Messiah claims His robe and crown;
Angelic multitudes bow down.
The risen Lamb in victory
Has conquered death at Calvary.

“Our King returns!” the trump resounds,
And angel voices shake the ground.
The saints receive their robes and crowns
As at the throne all men bow down.
The Son of God triumphantly
Will lead us home through Calvary.

8.8.8.8 – S. Jason Hardin, 2002

Tune – C.E. Couchman, 2002

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

TRIUMPHAL ENTRANCE depicts three “triumphal entrances” of Scripture: Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His subsequent entry into heaven, and our entrance into heaven in His footsteps. (Matthew 21:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Revelation 2:10; 3:5; 7:9-17)

A HYMN FOR TODAY — Come, See the Place Where Jesus lay

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Come, see the place where Jesus lay,
And hear angelic watchers say,
“He lives, who once was slain:
Why seek the living midst the dead?”
Remember how the Savior said
That He would rise again.

O joyful sound! O glorious hour,
When by His Father’s mighty pow’r
He rose and left the grave!
Now let our songs His triumph tell,
Who burst the bands of death and hell,
And ever lives to save.

The first begotten of the dead,
For us He rose, our glorious head,
Immortal life to bring.
What though the saints like Him shall die?
We share our leader’s victory,
And triumph with our king.

No more we tremble at the grave,
For Jesus will our spirits save
And raise our slumb’ring dust.
O risen Lord, in You we live;
To You our ransomed souls we give,
To You our bodies trust.

O ransomed, let your praise resound,
And in your Master’s work abound,
Steadfast, immovable.
Be sure you labor not in vain;
Your bodies shall be raised again,
No more corruptible.

8.8.6.8.8.6 – Thomas Kelly,1806

Tune: PIETY NEW – Funk’s Harmonia Sacra

attrib. C. J. Stanley, 1851

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

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Again the Lord of Light and Life

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Again the Lord of light and life
Awakes the kindling ray,
Unseals the eyelids of the morn,
And pours increasing day.

O what a night was that which wrapped
The heathen world in gloom!
O what a Sun which rose this day
Triumphant from the tomb!

This day be grateful homage paid
And loud hosannas sung;
Let gladness dwell in every heart
And praise on every tongue.

Ten thousand different lips shall join
To hail this welcome morn,
Which scatters blessings from its wings
To nations yet unborn.

CM (8.6.8.6) – Ann L. Barbauld, 1772

Tune: ARLINGTON – Thomas A. Arne, 1762

arr. Ralph Harrison, 1784

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

A HYMN FOR TODAY – Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood,
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the Presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, LORD Most High!,

8.7.8.7.8.7. – Liturgy of St. James, 350

tr. Gerard Moultrie, 1864

Tune: PICARDY – French Folk Melody

arr. C. E. Couchman, 2011

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

A HYMN FOR TODAY — Give Me the Wings of Faith to Rise

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

Give me the wings of faith to rise
Within the veil, and see
The saints above, how great their joys,
How bright their glories be.
Once they were mourning here below,
And drenched their couch with tears:
They wrestled hard, as we do now,
With sins and doubts and fears.

I ask them whence their vict’ry came;
They, with united breath,
Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,
Their triumph to His death.
Our glorious leader claims our praise
For His own pattern giv’n,
While yet His cloud of witnesses
Show the same path to heav’n.

CMD (8.6.8.6.D) – Isaac Watts, 1707

Tune: FOREST GREEN – English Folk Tune

arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906, alt.

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

This hymn was originally written as four CM verses, now combined to make two CMD verses to fit the music of FOREST GREEN.

A HYMN FOR TODAY – O For a Heart To Praise My God

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A HYMN FOR TODAY

O for a heart to praise my God,

A heart from sin set free,

A heart that always feels the blood

So freely shed for me.

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,

My great Redeemer’s throne,

Where only Christ is heard to speak,

Where Jesus reigns alone.

A heart in every thought renewed,

And full of love divine,

Complete and right and pure and good,

A copy, Lord, of Thine.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;

Come quickly from above;

Write Thy new name upon my heart,

Thy new, best name of Love.

CMD, Charles Wesley, 1742

Tune: GOSHEN, 1789, arr. Charles Willis, 2011

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