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Hymns of My Youth: Thee, God, We Praise/Be Still My Soul

Today’s hymn is an adaptation of the fourth century Latin Te Deum Laudamus, translated as Thee, God, We Praise, Thy Name We Bless (No. 16) and traditionally sung to Old Hundredth. I am especially fond of this adaptation, as its tune, Finlandia, is adapted from my favorite composition of my favorite Romantic period composer, Jean Sibelius.

I don’t think I have ever sung this in a worship service; I remember it chiefly from winter evenings in the dorm, when a couple-few of us would take out the Concordia and sing hymns.

12 Thee, God, We Praise, Thy Holy Name We Bless

Thee, God, we praise, Thy holy name we bless,
Thee, Lord, of all, we humbly do confess.
The whole creation ever worships Thee,
The Father of eternity.
The whole creation ever worships Thee,
The Father of eternity.

O Thou most holy, holy, holy Lord,
Thou, God of hosts, by all, by all adored,
Earth and the heav’ns are ever full of Thee,
Thy light, thy pow’r, Thy majesty.
The earth and heav’ns are ever full of Thee,
Thy light, thy pow’r, Thy majesty.

—The Concordia Hymnal (Augsburg Publishing House), 1960.

Concordia also includes the Old Hundredth-tuned Thee, God, We Praise, Thy Name We Bless with six verses. You can read them and seven more at the link included in the first paragraph.

My favorite Finlandia-tuned hymn is Be Still My Soul. I was surprised to discover it’s not in the Concordia. I found the words to five stanzas at the previous link, and even though it’s not in the hymnal of choice for this series, it must be included. Of these stanzas, I am only familiar with 1, 2, and 4.

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Finlandia
Organ

Acoustic guitar

Finlandia, symphony by Jean Sibelius
Orchestra

Piano