SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 22 OF 22 - I AM RESOLVED

Cattle Call, a mix between a bison and a Scottish Highland Cattle, Chattanooga Zoo.

 

I am resolved no longer to linger, 

Charmed by the world's delights;

Things that are higher, things that are nobler,

These have allured my sight.

I am resolved to go to the Savior, 

Leaving my sin and strife;

He is the True One, He is the Just One, 

He hath the words of life.

I am resolved to follow the Savior, 

Faithful and true each day;

Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth, 

He is the living way.

I am resolved to enter the Kingdom,   

Leaving the paths of sin;

Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me, 

Still will I enter in.

I am resolved and who will go with me? 

Come, friend, without delay:

Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit, 

We'll walk the heavenly way.

I will hasten to Him, Hasten so glad and free;

Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

 

NOTES ON HYMN:

• As usual with hymns with a chorus, the last paragraph is the chorus.
• I thought this would be an excellent hymn for New Year's Day, and this song probably gives better ideas for New Year's resolutions that we would on our own.
• This is my favorite hymn. No, I didn't save it for last for this reason - it's that, as I said above, this is the most fitting for New Year's Day.
• I know I won't have a voice about it, but if anyone asked me, I'd like this song sung at my funeral.
• The meter of this song is 10, 6, 10, 6. Yes, the chorus doesn't keep the meter.
• In the hymnal I'm used to, it only included the first four verses. I later saw one with the fifth. A lot of times, the missing verse is the weakest verse, but to me, this completes the thought. I love the move of emphasis from personal to corporate walk.
  
• Hope this series has been a blessing for you. Starting next week, I'll be doing a new series.
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 21 OF 22: HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING (MERRY CHRISTMAS)

 

"All of Creation Worships" by Jeff Reynolds

Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild - 

God and sinners reconciled!"

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, 

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th'angelic host proclaim,

"Christ is born in Bethlehem."

 Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the newborn King!"

 

Christ, by highest heav'n adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord:

Late in time behold Him come, 

Offspring of a virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,

Hail th'incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus, our Emmanuel.

 Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the newborn King!"

 

Hail the heav'nborn Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings, 

Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by, 

Born that man no more may die;

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

 Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the newborn King!"

 

Come, Desire of Nations, come!

Fix in us Thy humble home;

Rise, the woman's conq'ring seed, 

Bruise in us the serpent's head.

Adam's likeness now efface,

Stamp in thine image in its place;

Second Adam from above, 

Reinstate us in Thy love.

 Hark! the herald angels sing, 

"Glory to the newborn King!"

 

NOTES ON HYMN

• First off, Merry Christmas! Or for you guys, Joseph Christmas! 
• How many of you following have read through the first three verses, and then pause to see a fourth you've never seen before? Growing up with the Worship & Service Hymnal, I only knew the first three.  But then I attended a church whose hymnal (Praise! Our Songs and Hymns) included the fourth verse. Cyberhymnal includes a fifth.
• This is another hymn written by Charles Wesley. I had a Calvinist joke that Wesley believed you had to earn your salvation so he made the music for this song hard to sing. Uh, not Wesley's fault. I don't know what tune they sang this to during Charles' lifetime, but he died before the composer to this song was born. That composer? Felix Mendelssohn. And do you expect Classical composers to write easy songs to sing? By the way, Mendelssohn was raised Lutheran and also composed the Reformation symphony.
• By the way, my favorite hymn word writer is Charles Wesley. My favorite classical composer is Mendelssohn. No wonder I love this song.
• This song's meter is a 7,7,7,7 double. One interesting thing? Another Wesley song, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" has a 7,7,7,7 meter, which adds a lot of "Alleluia"s ot it. So you could sing "Christ The Lord is Risen Today" to Mendelssohn's tune, dropping the alleluias and using two verses for each round. Or you can sing "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" to the tune of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today, with the alleluias and doubling the verse number. 
  

 

 

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 19 OF 22: JOY TO THE WORLD (ADVENT OF, YOU GUESSED IT, JOY)

At Arlington Avenue Baptist Church, Indianapolis, IN

Joy to the world! The Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King!

Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,

And heaven and nature sing!

Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ!

Let field and flood, rock hill and plain

Repeat the sounding joy!

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The wonders of His righteousness 

And wonders of His love.

NOTES ON THE HYMN

• I know. I didn't do the repetitions of the last line of each verse. Sorry.
• One of the best known songs of the Christmas season, but this actually is an advent hymn. In fact, it's based on Psalm 98 and is focused on the 2nd Advent (Christ's return) rather the 1st Advent (Christ's birth). 
  
• The third week of Advent is the Advent of Joy. So I spent a lot of time trying to decide which song would be most appropriate. A who tenth of a second. 
• I started this series with a Watts song. Time for another one. The only other author I had repeated was Charles Wesley. 
• By the way, did you know the music was written by George Frederick Handel? (I just saw a picture of him; to me, he looks like he'd fit in a hard rock band.) The music was adapted from the Messiah.
• The meter is the common meter (8,6,8,6). By the way, the other Watts song in my series - "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" - is also common meter. So 
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 16 OF 22: TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY

Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Conservatory, Nashville TN

 

Take time to be holy, Speak oft with thy Lord;

Abide in Him always, And feed on His Word.

Make friends of God's children; Help those who are weak; 

Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

 

Take time to be holy, The world rushes on; 

Spend much time in secret With Jesus alone;

By looking to Jesus, Like Him thou shalt be;

Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

 

Take time to be holy, Let Him be thy Guide,

And run not before Him, Whatever betide;

In joy or in sorrow, Still follow thy Lord,

And, looking to Jesus, Still trust in His Word.

 

Take time to be holy, Be calm in thy soul; 

Each thought and each motive Beneath His control;

Thus led by His Spirit To fountains of love,

Thou soon shall be fitted For service above.

 

NOTES ON HYMN

• I find it interesting comparing this song with "More Holiness Give Me" (see Part 9). Both songs have a 6,5,6,5 double meter, which alone means they can be interchangeable. Not only that, but both are in 6/8 time, and have the rhythm of dotted quarter note, three eight notes, two dotted quarters, repeat, with the even lines combining the two dotted quarters at the end. And is it coincidence both talk about holiness?
• I mentioned my pattern of going in alphabetic order, and made a slight variation of moving "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" forward a couple of weeks so it would be posted by Reformation Day/All Saints Day. This song happens to fall on the week before Thanksgiving. But isn't there a connection between gratitude and holiness, especially if that gratitude is to God for all He does? If we are truly grateful, wouldn't we separate ourselves to Him and His purpose?
• I mentioned doing the first sixteen hymns in alphabetic order (again, with one variation). Yet there are half a dozen more installments! What will I be doing with those? Well, you'll find out next week!   
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 15 OF 22: SPIRIT OF GOD, DESCEND UPON MY HEART

 

Dove statue, Peace Garden, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;    

Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art, 

And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, 

No sudden rending of the veil of clay,

No angel visitant, no opening skies; 

But take the dimness of my soul away.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King? 

All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.

I see Thy cross - there teach my heart to cling; 

O let me seek Thee, and O let me find.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh; 

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh; 

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love, 

One holy passion filling all my frame;

The baptism of the heaven descended Dove, 

My heart an altar and Thy love the flame.

NOTES ON HYMN

• This song is in the Worship and Service hymnal that was a major part of my life (used by two churches I attended while growing up and at chapel at Bible College) and probably in others also which I was unaware of until we sang it once at Arlington Avenue Baptist Church no sooner than 2018. It has become a favorite.
• The end of the song is called "modal." Typically, a verse/song ends on the root note of the key. For example, this hymn is in the key of C, and thus the root note is C. However, this song ends on the G note; it still ends with the notes of a C major triad (C,E,G), but not the root note. This is called a modal ending, and you'll notice a different tone because of it.
• The meter of this song is 10,10,10,10. Becky and I sing this to the tune of "Abide With Me." You can also sing it to the tunes of "Search Me, O Lord" (aka "Cleanse Me) and, if you want to add trumpets or not, "God Of Our Fathers."
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 14 OF 22: PRAISE THE SAVIOR, YE WHO KNOW HIM

 

Finches at the Cincinnati Zoo.

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.

NOTES ON HYMN:

• While this is in the Worship & Service hymnal, I was introduced to the first verse by singing the first verse to the tune of "Alleluia", though the last line is a little edited to fit the Long Meter (8,8,8,8) of "Alleluia."
• One thing I like about the words to this hymn is that it flows from one verse to the next.
  
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 13 OF 22: STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS

At Faith Family Church, Cookeville, TN

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the Cross!

Lift high His royal banner, It must not suffer loss. 

From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead

Till every foe is vanquished And Christ is Lord indeed.

 

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, The trumpet call obey.

Forth to the mighty conflict In this His glorious day.

Ye that are men, now serve Him Against unnumbered foes;

Let courage rise with danger And strength to strength oppose.

 

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, Stand in His strength alone;

The arm of flesh will fail you, Ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;

Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

  

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long:

This day the noise of battle, The next the Victor's song.  

To him that overcometh, A crown of life shall be;

He with the King of Glory Shall reign eternally. 

 

NOTES ON THIS HYMN

• For those paying attention: Yes, I did deviate from my original format of going in alphabetic order for the first 16 installments. Why? Well, those who know me know two of my favorite holidays are Reformation Day (Oct. 31) and All Saints Day (Nov. 1). (You probably know some other holiday I won't name that shares the date with Reformation Day is one of my least.) Out of the songs on my list, I thought this was most fitting for Reformation Day and All Saints Day. I'll resume in alphabetic order where I left off next week.
  
• In the hymnal I grew up with, the lyrics were included to two different tunes. Hymn #459 is to the tune Geibel, which had the words to verses 1, 2, and 4, and included a chorus (which lyrically consisted of the first two lines); this was the newer tune. #460 is to the tune Webb, which I hear more often and is the tune I normally see in hymnals, which included all four verses, but no chorus.
• You can call the meter of this hymn either 7, 6, 7, 6 doubled or 13, 13, 13, 13. 
• I know I have no role in planning my funeral, but if you asked me what songs I'd like sung at my funeral, this would be one.   

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 12 OF 22: ONLY TRUST HIM

 

Crossroads Baptist Church, Indianapolis, IN

Come every soul by sin oppressed, 

There's mercy with the the Lord,

And He will surely give you rest 

By trusting in His word.

For Jesus shed His precious blood, 

Rich blessings to bestow;

Plunge now into the crimson flood 

That washes white as snow.

Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way, 

That leads you into rest:

Believe in Him without delay, 

And you are fully blest.

Come, then, and join this holy band, 

And onto glory go,

To dwell in that celestial land, 

Where joys immortal flow.

Only trust Him, only trust Him, 

Only trust Him now.

He will save you, He will save you, 

He will save you now.

NOTES ON HYMN     

• This is my favorite invitational hymn, though when I was a teen-ager, I considered it to be just as much as trusting Jesus in day-to-day life as opposed to the decision leading to salvation, and thus connecting it to "Trust and Obey."
• The verses to the song are written Common Meter (8,6,8,6) and can be interchanged with several other songs. The chorus has an 8,5,8,5 meter.
• As a music lover, I enjoyed the line, "join this holy band." It also makes me think of the line from "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Onward, then, ye people, Join our happy throng," as well as from "I Am Resolved", "I am resolved and who will go with me? Come, friend without delay."
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 10 OF 22: O FOR A HEART TO PRAISE MY GOD

Kookaburas, Louisville Zoo

O for a heart to praise my God, 

A heart from sin set free,

A heart that always feels Thy 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 lowly, humble, contrite heart, 

Believing, true, and clean,

Which neither life nor death can part 

From Christ who dwells within.

 

A heart in every thought renewed, 

And full of love divine;

Perfect, 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.

 

NOTES ON HYMN

• This is the second hymn by Charles Wesley included in this series. It won't be the last. Wesley is only one of two hymn writers I'll be including more than one song by, the other being Isaac Watts.
• Does this song at all make you think of another of Wesley's classics, "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing?" Both of them are written Common Meter (8,6,8,6). In the Worship and Service Hymnal I grew up with, both songs are set to the tune Azmon, though for this song it also suggests a couple of other tunes, including Arlington, which is usually associate with "Am I A Soldier Of The Cross."
• In the above mentioned hymnal, it only included four verses for this song, omitting the third verse I included. The Cyberhymnal lists nine verses for "O For A Thousand Tongues" and eight for this one, so I selected one of the other verses to include when Becky and I sing it.
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 9 OF 22: MORE HOLINESS GIVE ME

Southeastway Park, Indianapolis

More holiness give me, More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring, More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior, More sense of His care,

More joy in his service, More purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, More trust in the Lord, 

More zeal in His glory, More hope in His word,

More tears for His sorrows, More pain at His grief,

More meekness in trail, More praise for relief.

More purity give me, More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earth stains, More longings for home;

More fit for the kingdom, More useful I'd be,

More blessed and holy, More, Savior, like Thee.

NOTES ON HYMN:

• This hymn was written by Phillip Bliss, whose contributions include lyrics ("I Will Sing Of My Redeemer"), music ("It Is Well With My Soul") or both (this song, "Wonderful Words Of Life). Bliss worked with Moody and Daniel Whittle in the late 1800's. He died in a train wreck in 1876; actually, he was thrown from the train and survived but ran into the fire to rescue his wife. Shortly before that, he had written a letter to his friend James McGranahan encouraging him to minister to the Lord in music rather than having a career in opera; McGranahan wrote the music for "I Will Sing Of My Redeemer" and several songs with evangelist Daniel Whittle (including "Showers of Blessing" and "I Know Whom I Have Believed."
• Becky introduced me to this song from a Church of Christ hymnal, Christian Hymns Vol. 2. Even though Bliss' songs are in the other songbooks we regularly use, this song isn't in most of the others we use.😭

• An exception to the above - We have a hymnal titled Gospel Hymns Nos. 1-6 Complete, published in 1894, and featuring songs from Moody era musicians like Phillip Bliss, Ira Sankey, and James McGranahan. In the Church of Christ hymnal above, it's titled by the first line "More Holiness Give Me;" in the 1894 hymnal, it was titled "My Prayer." 
  
• For those interested, the meter is 6,5,6,5,Doubled. I will mention more about that meter later in the series.
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 8 OF 22: MORE ABOUT JESUS

Sacred Heart Model School, Louisville, KY

 More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show,

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn, 

More of His holy will discern:

Spirit of God, my teacher be,

Showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus in His Word,

Holding communion with my Lord,

Hearing His voice in every line,

Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus on His throne,

Riches in heaven, all His own;

More of His kingdom's sure increase,

More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

More, more about Jesus,

More, more about Jesus.

More of His saving fullness see,

More of His love who died for me.

NOTES ON HYMN

• The verses to this song are Long Meter, or 8,8,8,8. Other songs with the Long Meter include "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "All Creatures of our God and King," "He Leadeth Me," "Higher Ground", and the Doxology.
• Only other comment -why don't we sing this song more often?
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 7 OF 22: JESUS CALLS US

"Shining Light, Meghan Williams (Dyed4YouArt)

Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult 

Of our life's wild, restless sea,

Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, 

Saying, "Christian, follow Me."

Jesus calls us from the worship 

Of the vain world's golden store,

From each idol that would keep us, 

Saying, "Christian, love Me more."

In our joys and in our sorrows, 

Days of toil and hours of Ease, 

Still He calls, in cares and pleasures, 

"Christian, love Me more than these."

Jesus calls us; by Thy mercies, 

Saviour, may we hear Thy call,

Give our hearts to Thine obedience, 

    Serve and love Thee best of all.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN:

 

• I remember singing this some, but I always thought of it as an evangelistic invitation, like "Just As I Am." It wasn't until relatively recently I realized it was not a song to the unsaved to call them to salvation but to the saved to call them to discipleship. And thus, it has become one of my favorite songs.
• This song has a meter of 8, 7, 8, 7. I saw another hymnal when they set it to a different tune, and had two verses with the meter of 8, 7, 8, 7 double. I also heard a recording that set the lyrics to the tune Holy Manna (used on "Brethren We Have Met To Worship), which also doubles the 8,7,8,7 meter. Sometimes, Becky and I sing it to the tunes of Hyfrydol (used for many songs including "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus") or Nettleton ("Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing.") Or, if you like Beethoven, you can sing it to "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee."
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 6 OF 22: I WANT A PRINCIPLE WITHIN

Living Word Bible Church, Indianapolis; on sign: "Understanding the Bible. Independent, Non-Denominational, Dispensational."

I want a principle within Of watchful, godly fear,

A sensibility of sin, A pain to feel it near.

Help me the first approach to feel Of pride or wrong desire;

To catch the wandering of my will, And quench the kindling fire.

From Thee that I no more may stray, No more Thy goodness grieve,

Grant me the filial awe, I pray, The tender conscience give.

Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make!

Awake my soul when sin is nigh, And keep it still awake.

Almighty God of truth and love, To me Thy power impart;

The burden from my soul remove, The hardness from my heart.

O may the least omission pain My reawakened soul,

And drive me to that grace again, Which makes the wounded whole.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN:

• The words were written by my favorite hymn lyrist, Charles Wesley (brother and co-founder of the Methodist Church of John Wesley).
• The meter of this hymn is Common Meter Double (8,6,8,6,8,6,8,6). Becky and I are not familiar with the tune associated with it, so we sing it to the tune of other songs, such as "Faith Is The Victory," "My Faith Has Found A Resting Place (No Other Plea)," "I Sing The Mighty Power Of God," and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear."
• I knew some of Wesley's hymns have more verses than are normally printed - for example, "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing," has 5 verses in the hymnal I'm most familiar with, 9 on Cyber Hymnal's page, and originally over twenty (with what we consider the first verse being actually the sixth or seventh verse) - so I looked on Cyber Hymnal of a pair of Wesley songs that had three verses each: this one and "Soldiers of Christ, Arise!" The total number of verses for this song? Three! For "Soldiers of Christ?" Sixteen. 
• As I was setting the date for this hymn, I realized it's 9-11. I'm following the planned format, of putting the first 16 songs in alphabetic order by title, and I'm sticking to it. But doesn't this song reflect spiritually the vigilance September 11th motivated us to have?
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 5 OF 22: HE WAS NOT WILLING

Globe statue, International Learning Center (IMB, Southern Baptist), Rockville, VA

 

"He was not willing that any should perish;" 

Jesus enthroned in the glory above,

Saw our poor fallen world, pitied our sorrows, 

Poured out His life for us, wonderful love!

Perishing, perishing! Thronging our pathway, 

Hearts break with burdens too heavy to bear:

Jesus would save, but there's no one to tell them, 

No one to lift them from sin and despair.

"He was not willing that any should perish;" 

Clothed in our flesh with its sorrow and pain,

Came He to seek the lost, comfort the mourner, 

Heal the heart broken by sorrow and shame.

Perishing, perishing! Harvest is passing, 

Reapers are few and the night draweth near;

Jesus is calling thee, haste to the reaping, 

Thou shalt have souls, precious souls for thy hire.

Plenty for pleasure, but little for Jesus; 

Time for the world with its troubles and toys, 

No time for Jesus' work, feeding the hungry, 

Lifting lost souls to eternity's joys.

Perishing, perishing! Hark, how they call us; 

"Bring us your Savior, oh, tell us of Him! 

We are so weary, so heavily laden, 

And with long weeping our eyes have grown dim."

"He was not willing that any should perish;" 

Am I His follower, and can I live

Longer at ease with a soul going downward, 

Lost for the lack of the help I might give?

Perishing, perishing! Thou wast not willing; 

Master, forgive and inspire us anew;

Banish our worldliness, help us to ever 

Live with eternity's values in view.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN:

• I've only seen a few hymnals with this hymn; out of our collection, there's just one (Inspiring Hymns that has it. And only one church I've attended has sung this song. What would it be like if this somber reminder was sung more often?
• The words and music were both written by Lucy Jane (Rider) Meyer (1849-1922). The Cyber Hymnal lists the names of eight hymns she wrote. She served as a teacher (including in chemistry) and principal. She and her husband, Josiah Shelley Meyer, opened the Chicago Training School for City, Home, and Foreign Missions in 1885, where she served as principal till 1917. She also started The Message periodical in 1886 (later renamed The Deaconess Advocate) which she edited until 1914. If that's not enough, she also started the Methodist Deaconess Association in 1908.  
• One thing that amused me. When I turned to this hymn, #466 in Inspiring Hymns, I noticed the hymn on the previous page (#464): "The Star Spangled Banner."
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 4 OF 22: GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY

The Point Church and Community Center, Greenwood, IN

God moves in a mysterious way 

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea 

And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; 

The clouds you so much dread

Are thick with mercy and shall break 

With blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 

But trust upon His grace;

Behind each frowning providence 

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, 

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err 

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter, 

And He will make it plain.

NOTES ON HYMN

• This song is in a hymnal used in two churches I attended and at the college chapel, and yet I was unfamiliar with this song until Becky introduced me to it.
• Becky learned this song because one of her college professors hosted a gathering every Tuesday night, and he had them sing this song each week.
• The above hymnal contained five verses, which is how I learned it. Cyberhymnal includes another verse (the second). I'm including a link to their page below so you can see that verse if you wish.
  
• This song, like "Am I A Soldier Of The Cross" (part 1 of this series) is common meter (8,6,8,6). You can sing this to the tunes of many songs like "Amazing Grace" or "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing" or the verses of "Oh, How I Love Jesus" or "Joy to the World! The Lord Has Come!"
• One other song you can sing this hymn to the tune is the theme of Gilligan's Island. I sang the first verse to that tune and smiled at the end, thinking of the storm. Then, I sang the next verse and the following, and something hit me. This song's theme is weeping is for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The original tune reflects the weeping; singing it to Gilligan's Island captures the joy part. So I may sing that song to Gilligan but not as a joke anymore.
• The lyrics to this song were written by William Cowper, who also wrote the words to "There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood" (which, by the way, is another common meter song). Cyberhymnal mentions the story behind the song, so you can click here to see the story and the original second verse that my hymnal omitted. 😞
  

SUNDAY HYMNS, PART 3 OF 22: GIVE ME THE BIBLE

Photo by Jeff Reynolds

 

Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming,

To cheer the wand'rer lone and tempest-tossed;

No storm can hide that radiance peaceful beaming,

Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

 

Give me the Bible when my heart is broken, 

When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear;

Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken,

Hold up faith's lamp to show my Savior near.

 

Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten, 

Teach me the danger of these realms below;

That lamp of safety o'er the gloom shall brighten,

That light alone the path of peace can show.

 

Give me the Bible, lamp of life immortal,

Hold up that splendor by the open grave;

Show me the light from heaven's shining portal,

Show me the glory gilding Jordan's wave.

Give me the Bible, hearing You each morning;

Cause me to bow before Your throne each day;

Open the truth of Scripture to my learning;

Revive my heart to trust You and obey.

Give me the Bible, living out the Gospel:

Your will is that I witness as my part,

Passing the hope to ev'ry tribe and languange,

Your Word a treasure, capturing my heart.

Give me the Bible, Holy message shining; 

Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way;

Precept and promise, law and love combining,

Till night shall vanish in eternal day.

NOTES ON THIS HYMN

• The final stanza is the chorus. It's written with an 11,10,11,10 meter.
  
• Most of this hymn's words were written by Priscilla Owens. She also wrote the words to "We Have Heard The Joyful Sound (aka Jesus Saves)" and "We Have An Anchor." However, I've only seen this hymn in Church of Christ hymnals. 😕
• I said most of the words. The fifth and sixth stanzas were written by Becky.