Friday, October 9, 2020

Music for Anywhere Worship: Sunday, October 11, 2020




Welcome! If you are new here, you might like to know what "Notes of Glory" is all about (short story: helping you to SING and enjoy the great songs of the faith at home or wherever you are)! Click here for all the details.

If you would like to hear any of your favorite hymns from past "Notes of Glory" posts again, here is an alphabetical list, with each hymn linked to the post where it first appeared (dating back to the very first post on March 22, 2020).

Complete "Notes of Glory" Song List

TO LISTEN TO MUSIC

Look for the SoundCloud audio player window found below the information provided for each song.  Click on the white arrow in the orange circle.


IF YOU ARE LISTENING/VIEWING ON A MOBILE DEVICE OR TABLET

If given an option on your mobile device, click "LISTEN IN BROWSER" (rather than "Play on SoundCloud") on the audio player windows so that you stay on this page and can sing along using the printed lyrics.




PIANO PRELUDE
(to help you enter into a spirit of worship)

Channels Only



Words by Mary E. Maxwell, Music by Ada Rose Gibbs, piano solo arrangement by Nathan Arnold

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 5:20
So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Timothy 2:21
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.


How I praise Thee, precious Savior,
That Thy love laid hold of me;
Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me
That I might Thy channel be.

Refrain:
Channels only, blessed Master,
But with all Thy wondrous pow’r
Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
Every day and every hour.

Just a channel full of blessing,
To the thirsty hearts around;
To tell out Thy full salvation,
All Thy loving message sound.

 Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,
A clean vessel in Thy hand;
With no pow’r but as Thou givest
Graciously with each command.

Witnessing Thy pow’r to save me,
Setting free from self and sin;
Thou who boughtest to possess me,
In Thy fullness, Lord, come in.

Jesus, fill now with Thy Spirit
Hearts that full surrender know;
That the streams of living water
From our inner self may flow.

HYMNS FOR YOU TO SING ANYWHERE

Blessed Be The Name 
(All Praise to God Who Reigns Above)
Words by William Clark (verses), Ralph Hudson (refrain). Music by Ralph Hudson


Psalm 72:18-19
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!

Psalm 113:2-4
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved
____________________________

The joyful refrain "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord" is of unknown origin, although some believe it to have come out of the camp/revival meetings of the mid-1800s. It first appeared in print when Ralph Hudson (1843-1901) combined the tune with with Charles Wesley's "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" in 1887 (it is still found in some modern hymnals in this form). 

The version we'll be singing today which begins "All praise to Him who reigns above" features verses written by William H. Clark (1854-1925) in an arrangement by William J. Kirkpatrick (1838-1921) that first appeared in the 1891 published collection Songs for the Christian Life.  The hymn points to God's sovereignty, the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, and the salvation that causes us to lift our hands and proclaim, "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord!" 

If this hymn is new to you, here's an abbreviated (but lively!) version by the Haven of Rest Quartet.  And here's a full version from the London Fox Choir with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.




All praise to God who reigns above
In majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for all to die,
That He might man redeem!

Refrain:
Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name! Blessed be the name!
Blessed be the name of the Lord!

His name above all names shall stand,
Exalted more and more,
He's seated at God's own right hand,
Where angel hosts adore. [Refrain]

Redeemer, Savior, friend of all,
Once ruined by the fall,
Thu hast devised salvation's call,
For thou hast died for all. [Refrain]


Wonderful Words of Life






Words and Music by Philip Paul Bliss

Psalm 119:9-16
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.

1 Thessalonians 2:13
 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
____________________

19th century American songwriter Philip P. Bliss (1838-1876) was featured several weeks ago on Notes of Glory as the composer of "The Light of the World is Jesus." He also wrote "I Will Sing of My Redeemer," "Man of Sorrows (Hallelujah! What a Savior!)", and the melody for "It is Well With My Soul."  You can read more about his life and vast contributions to hymnody here.  As a traveling musical evangelist, Bliss may have used repetition and alliteration to help revival meeting attendees learn new songs. "Wonderful Words of Life" features both techniques: the title phrase is sung a total of 12 times over the courses of three verses and the refrain. 

If this song is new to you, here's a version from Bill and Gloria Gaither's "Church in the Wildwood" album, and here's an arrangement from Northern Ireland's gospel singing group "Revelation."



Sing them over again to me,
wonderful words of life;
let me more of their beauty see,
wonderful words of life;
words of life and beauty,
teach me faith and duty:

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life;
beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all
wonderful words of life;
sinner, list to the loving call,
wonderful words of life;
all so freely given,
wooing us to heaven: [Refrain]

Sweetly echo the gospel call,
wonderful words of life;
offer pardon and peace to all,
wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
sanctify forever, [Refrain]

I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord Forever/What a Mighty God We Serve




"I Will Sing," words and music attributed to James Henry Fillmore
Traditional African Folk song (words and music for "What a Mighty God")

Psalm 89:1
I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 10:17
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

Nehemiah 9:32
Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day.

Revelation 5:11-14
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
____________________

Here are two early "praise choruses!"  The first, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever," was composed much earlier than you might imagine: it dates to 1864 and was most likely written by either James Fillmore or his brother Fred, founders of Fillmore Music Publishing Company.  The brothers were both ministers as well as musicians in Cincinnati. The song languished in obscurity until the 1960s when it began to appear in various songbooks and hymn collections. If this chorus is new to you here's a version by Joseph Garlington. "What a Mighty God We Serve" exists in a number of different versions with varying texts (by unknown composers), and the melody is based on a traditional African folk tune. If this chorus is new to you, here's an arrangement by Don Moen, and here's a unique version (with a "chorale" opening) from Vickie Winans.  

 




I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness,
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness to all generations,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.




What a mighty God we serve,
What a mighty God we serve;
Angels bow before Him,
Heaven and earth adore Him,
What a mighty God we serve.

We will praise our mighty God,
We will praise our mighty God,
We will praise the Father
Son and Holy Spirit
We will praise our mighty God

POSTLUDE
(to send you forth with joy!)

With Joyful Hearts



Piano solo by Faye Lopez

Psalm 71:23
My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.


BONUS: Here's a complete playlist of today's music:
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Saturday, October 3, 2020

Music for at-home worship: Sunday, October 4, 2020




Welcome! If you are new here, you might like to know what "Notes of Glory" is all about (short story: helping you to SING and enjoy the great songs of the faith at home or wherever you are)! Click here for all the details.

If you would like to hear any of your favorite hymns from past "Notes of Glory" posts again, here is an alphabetical list, with each hymn linked to the post where it first appeared (dating back to the very first post on March 22, 2020).

Complete "Notes of Glory" Song List

TO LISTEN TO MUSIC

Look for the SoundCloud audio player window found below the information provided for each song.  Click on the white arrow in the orange circle.


IF YOU ARE LISTENING/VIEWING ON A MOBILE DEVICE OR TABLET

If given an option on your mobile device, click "LISTEN IN BROWSER" (rather than "Play on SoundCloud") on the audio player windows so that you stay on this page and can sing along using the printed lyrics.



PIANO PRELUDE
(to help you enter into a spirit of worship)

 Close to Thee
Words by Fanny Crosby, Music by Silas J. Vail, arranged by Cindy Berry

Lamentations 3:24-25
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Frances "Fanny" Crosby (1820-1915 ), whose hymns have been featured many times here on Notes of Glory, was often was asked to write hymn texts to match pre-existing tunes by various composers. "Close to Thee" was the result of this kind of creative collaboration. Silas Jones Vail (1818-1883) was a hatter by trade who also composed hymns and brought Fanny a newly composed melody, hoping she could help with the lyrics. In her autobiography Memories of Eighty Years, Fanny wrote, "Toward the close of a day in 1874 I was sitting in my room thinking of the nearness of God through Christ as the constant companion of my pilgrim journey, when my heart burst out with the words." The creative work of both Vail and Crosby, "Close to Thee" was published that same year in Vail's collection Songs of Grace and Glory


Thou my everlasting portion,
More than friend or life to me.
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with thee.

Refrain:
Close to thee, Close to thee,
Close to thee, Close to thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with thee.

Not for ease or worldly pleasure,
Nor for fame my prayer shall be:
Gladly will I toil and suffer,
Only let me walk with thee. [Refrain]

Lead me through the vale of shadows,
Bear me o'er life's fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal
May I enter, Lord, with thee. [Refrain]

 HYMNS FOR YOU TO SING AT HOME

 Standing on the Promises
Words and Music by R. Kelso Carter

 Ephesians 6:14-15
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

2 Peter 1:4
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
_____________________

Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1928), composer of "Standing on the Promises" was a man of many talents and unique interests. He graduated from the Pennsylvania Military Academy in 1867 with a degree in civil engineering. Carter continued at the academy as a teacher of math and engineering: in the midst of his teaching career there he took a three-year sabbatical to raise sheep in California. During this period, Carter developed a heart condition and turned to God for healing and hope.

Carter recovered and was ordained as a Methodist minister. He then changed careers yet again when he studied medicine and became a physician, setting up his practice in Baltimore, Maryland.  He was a prolific writer on many subjects and also composed the words and music for over 52 hymns (as well as supplying tunes for 44 hymn texts written by others). "Standing on the Promises" was composed in 1886 while Carter was teaching at the military academy and the song was published the same year in the collection Songs of Perfect Love.  Many commenters have noted that Carter's upbeat, rhythmically dynamic tune is reminiscent of military music popular at that time (this musical influence is not surprising since he wrote the hymn during his teaching tenure at the Pennsylvania Military Academy).

If this hymn is new to you, here is a recording by the vocal group Selah. and here's a version from the gospel group The Chuck Wagon Gang 


Standing on the promises of Christ my king,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of God my Savior;
standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love’s strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
standing on the promises of God. [Refrain]


Softly and Tenderly
Words and Music by Will L. Thompson

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Luke 5:32
I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
____________________

Both the words and the music for "Softly and Tenderly" were composed by American songwriter Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909), who studied music at Mt. Union College and the New England Conservatory of Music as well as in Leipzig, Germany. He began composing in his teens and had early success with secular songs like "My Home on the Old Ohio" and "Gathering up the Shells from the Seashore." However, around age 40 he felt led to write hymns and other sacred compositions, and established his own music publishing company. In 1880 Thompson wrote "Softly and Tenderly" and it became a favorite of his friend, evangelist Dwight Moody, who incorporated the gospel song into many of his revival meetings throughout America and England.  Thompson later recalled that when he visited a dying Moody in 1899, Moody whispered, "Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life."

If this song is new to you, you may enjoy hearing this version by the group Acapella, this recording by Amy Grant, or this brand new arrangement from Kristyn Getty featuring Vince Gill and others. 




Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling for you and for me;
see, on the portals he's waiting and watching,
watching for you and for me.

Refrain:
Come home, come home;
you who are weary come home;
earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not his mercies,
mercies for you and for me? [Refrain]

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
passing from you and from me;
shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
coming for you and for me. [Refrain]

O for the wonderful love he has promised,
promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon,
pardon for you and for me. [Refrain]

 Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him
Words by Thomas Kelly, "Acclaim" hymn tune (unknown composer)

 Psalm 7:17
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 13:15
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
_____________________

Here's a hymn which most likely is new to you but is definitely worth exploring...a wonderful new "old" praise song!

Irish evangelical minister Thomas Kelly (1769-1855), wrote over 765 hymns published over 51 years. According to Edwin Hatfield in The Poets of the Church (1884), 
He took a most lively interest in the spread of the Gos­pel abroad, as well as at home, especially in the work of the London Missionary Society. He was a most diligent and laborious servant of Christ. His varied and extensive learning was employed without pedantry, and with unaf­fected humility, in the advancement of his Master’s cause. His preaching was thoroughly evangelical, and was char­acterized “by surprising variety, depth, and richness of thought, accompanied by the unction of genuine piety.”
The lively tune used here is titled "Acclaim" and is widely assumed to be of German origin, although it may have been arranged/edited (or even composed) by Ira Sankey (1840-1908), as it first appeared in the 1903 expanded edition of Sankey's collection Sacred Songs and Solos.

If "Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him" is new to you (and it probably is!), here's a recording of it featuring congregation, organ, and orchestra, and here's a recording by the London Fox Choir.  




Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
all we are and have.

Jesus is the name that charms us;
He for conflict fits and arms us;
nothing moves and nothing harms us
while we trust in Him.

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever;
He is faithful, changing never;
neither force nor guile can sever
those He loves from Him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
to Thyself and still believing,
till the hour of our receiving
promised joys with Thee.

Then we shall be where we would be,
then we shall be what we should be;
things that are not now, nor could be,
soon shall be our own.

POSTLUDE

When in Our Music God is Glorified


Words by Fred Pratt Green, Music by Charles Villiers Stanford, arrranged for piano solo by Mark Hayes

Psalm 104:33
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

Matthew 26:30
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Psalm 150
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
____________________

Sometimes a great tune can be shelved and forgotten. But when it is rediscovered and appreciated in a fresh way it's similar to a precious gem being re-set and magnificently framed!  In 1904, Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) composed the majestic hymn tune "Engelberg" to accompany the hymn text "For all the Saints" in Hymns Ancient and Modern. The combination become popular in England until a new tune composed by Stanford's one-time student Ralph Vaughan Williams ("Sine Nomine") eventually displaced "Engelberg" as the preferred match to the words of "For all the Saints." As a result, Stanford's beautiful melody was neglected for many years.  However,  Methodist minister and hymn writer Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000) was asked in 1972 to compose a new text to fit "Engelberg," and "When in our music God is glorified" is the result. This hymn uniquely focuses ono the topic of worshiping God through music, and each stanza ends with a jubilantly affirming statement of "Alleluia."



When in our music God is glorified
And adoration leaves no room for pride
It is as though the whole creation cried
Alleluia

How often making music we have found
A new dimension in the world of sound
As worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia

So has the Church in liturgy and song
In faith and love through centuries of wrong
Borne witness to the truth in every tongue
Alleluia

And did not Jesus sing a Psalm that night
When utmost evil strove against the Light
Then let us sing for whom he won the fight
Alleluia

Let every instrument be tuned for praise
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise
And may God give us faith to sing always
Alleluia

CCLI Song # 2631390

Fred Pratt Green
© 1972 Hope Publishing Company
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 419384Words by Fred Pratt Green, Music by Charles Villiers Stanford

HERE'S A COMPLETE PLAYLIST OF ALL TODAY'S MUSIC


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Saturday, September 26, 2020

Music for At-Home Worship: Sunday, September 27, 2020


Welcome! If you are new here, you might like a little introduction as to what this "Notes of Glory" site is all about (short story: helping you to SING and enjoy the great songs of the faith at home or wherever you are)! Click here for all the details.

If you would like to hear any of your favorite hymns from past "Notes of Glory" posts again, here is an alphabetical list, with each hymn linked to the post where it first appeared (dating back to the very first post on March 22, 2020).

Complete "Notes of Glory" Song List

 TO LISTEN TO MUSIC

 Look for the SoundCloud audio player window found below the information provided for each song.  Click on the white arrow in the orange circle.


IF YOU ARE LISTENING/VIEWING ON A MOBILE DEVICE OR TABLET

If given an option on your mobile device, click "LISTEN IN BROWSER" (rather than "Play on SoundCloud") on the audio player windows so that you stay on this page and can sing along using the printed lyrics.



PIANO PRELUDE
(to help you enter into a spirit of worship)

 Come Down, O Love Divine

Words by Bianco da Sienna, Translated by Richard Frederick Littledale, Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, piano solo arrangement by Don McAfee


John 14:16-17
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Acts 2:2-3
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
________________________________

This beautifully poetic hymn about the Holy Spirit is typically sung during the celebration of Pentecost, but is appropriate any time of year.  The words were written by Italian poet and wood worker Blanco da Sienna (c. 1350-c. 1434). 92 of his hymns were published in 1851, more than 4 centuries after his death,  and some were translated by Anglo-Irish clergyman and writer. Richard Littledale (1833-1890), including "Descendi, Amor Santo" ("Come Down, O Love Divine"). The musical setting for this hymn (tune name: "Down Ampney") was written by eminent British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1858).  The tune name refers to Vaughan Williams' birthplace: Down Ampney was the Cotswold village where he was born..

According to hymnary.org, "the first stanza of this text addresses the Holy Spirit as 'O Love divine' and 'O Comforter,' asking for His presence in our lives. The middle stanzas ask the Holy Spirit to purge us of all pride and evil passion, and to purify our love and light our path. The final stanza anticipates the greater love for God that will ensue from such purification, and recognizes that, as Paul wrote, 'your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you.' (1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV)."



Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardor glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
for none can guess its grace,
till Love create a place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.

 HYMNS FOR YOU TO SING AT HOME

All People That On Earth Do Dwell

 Words by William Kethe, "Old Hundredth" hymn tune, attributed to Louis Bourgeois

Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
________________________________________

If you're familiar with the tune for the "Doxology," you'll be familiar with the tune for "All People that on Earth Do Dwell" as both hymns are set to the same tune. Also, the lyrics to "All People on Earth Do Dwell" look almost exactly like the text of Psalm 100, because they are a very straightforward paraphrase. William Kethe (d. 1594), a Scottish scholar and clergyman, helped to translate the Geneva Bible into English 1560, and the following year, 25 of his Psalm poetic translations (including Psalm 100) appeared in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter. (During this period, followers of John Calvin sang only metrical psalms, which are poems set to poetic meter based closely on the book of Psalms). The tune, "Old 100th" is attributed to Louis Bourgeois (c. 1510-1560), who was one of the main compilers of Calvinist hymn tunes in the Genevan Psalter (the "Old 100th" tune first appeared in the 1551 edition).

If this hymn is new to you, here is a recording with congregational singing, choir, organ, and orchestra.  And here's a recording from the 2018 Sing! Conference of attendees and the conference choir singing "All People That on Earth Do Dwell" a capella.  Powerful!




All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell,
Come ye before him and rejoice.

Know that the Lord is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make;
We are his folk, he doth us feed,
And for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise;
Approach with joy his courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless his name always,
For it is seemly so to do.

For why? The Lord our God is good:
His mercy is forever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

Lead Me, Lord


Words and Music by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Words (verse 2) by George F. Strickling

 Psalm 5:8
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

Psalm 4:8
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 25:5
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

___________________________________

Composer, organist, and choir director Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876) had a strong musical pedigree: his grandfather was Charles Wesley, composer of over 8,000 hymns (a number of which have been featured here in previous posts). Samuel Sebastian Wesley's father was organist and composer Samuel Wesley, who was sometimes referred to as "the English Mozart."  The young Wesley's middle name was an homage to his father's favorite composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. Samuel Sebastian was a chorister at the Chapel Royal (St. James' Palace) by age 10, and began to play the organ there at age 16, the same year he began to compose spiritual musical works.

"Lead Me Lord" is part of a larger choral anthem by Wesley titled "Praise the Lord, My Soul" which was written in 1861 when Wesley was serving as organist at Winchester College and Cathedral. It was composed for the dedication of the organ at Holy Trinity Church in Winchester. Wesley was a masterful organist (and an "influencer" in the area of organ construction, advocating the use of the full pedal board on English organs) who worked constantly throughout his lifetime to improve standards of church music in England.

If this hymn is new to you, here is a lovely a capella choral version, and here is a recording of "Lead Me, Lord" sung congregationally, with organ accompaniment. You might also enjoy hearing the entire anthem, "Praise the Lord, O My Soul" performed by the Guildhall Cathedral Choir in 1969 here: "Lead Me, Lord" is the final section and begins at 8.24 in the recording.

Public domain. Courtesy of Hymnary.org



The sheet music posted here only has one verse but we'll go ahead and sing the additional verse composed by George F. Strickling (it's beautiful, why not?).  Here are the lyrics to go with the recording:

Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness;
make thy way plain before my face.
For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord, only,
that makest me dwell in safety.

Teach me, Lord, teach me truly how to live,
that I may come to know thee,
and in thy presence serve thee with gladness,
and sing songs of praise to thy glory.

Amazing Grace


Words by John Newton, "New Britain" American folk tune
Romans 5:6-8
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

1 Timothy 1:12-17
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 15:3-7
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

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Many writers have beautifully explained the fascinating history of "Amazing Grace" (one of the most recognizable songs in the English speaking world), so I'll direct you to some of these great sources of information by relating a few key facts.

Amazing Grace was written by English pastor John Newton to illustrate a New Year's Day sermon in 1773.  The sermon was based on David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 17:16-17:
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17 And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God!
You can read a transcription of Newton's sermon notes from January 1, 1773 here.

The original printed title of Newton's hymn was "Faith's Review and Expectation."

The hymn was first published in 1779 in Olney Hymns in Three Books, which contained 281 hymns by John Newton, and 67 by poet William Cowper.  You can read more about the importance of this hymn collection here, and can read John Newton's preface to Olney Hymns here.

The final verse usually sung today, "when we've been there 10,000 years" was not a part of  Newton's original poem. It first appeared in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.  Here's Newton's original final verse of the poem:
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be for ever mine.
Here is a history of the hymn's origins and publication (including historical scans of various versions of "Amazing Grace" in print), and a description of some of the different tunes it has been matched with in England and America.

Here is a page that contains a link for listening to a choir sing six different tunes that all have been historically matched with Newton's text. You'll find it fascinating to hear other melodic contexts for these famous verses!

Here's the Library of Congress page on "The Creation of Amazing Grace."  While you're at the LOC website, you may also enjoy reading this article titled "The Dissemination of Amazing Grace" that explains the song's popularity in America during the 1800s.

And here's a post that helpfully explains the Scriptural basis for each line of "Amazing Grace."

There are many beautiful recorded renditions of "Amazing Grace." You might enjoy this version by Peter Hollens, this recording by Bebe Winans, and this arrangement performed by the King's College Choir, Cambridge.

Finally, you might enjoy watching this short documentary about the story behind "Amazing Grace."


Public domain. Courtesy hymnary.org






Amazing grace! -- how sweet the sound--
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
his Word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.

And when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil
a life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we've first begun.

PIANO POSTLUDE
(to help you go forth with joy!)

To Delight in the Lord

Piano solo by Gerald Peterson

Psalm 37:3-6
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.



 BONUS: You can listen to the entire playlist of today's hymn accompaniments and piano solos here:


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