Great Hymns of the Faith
(35 posts)The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.
He rode upon a cherub and flew;
And He sped upon the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
—Psalm 18:2, 9–12
O Worship the King
O worship the King, all glorious above,
And gratefully sing His pow’r and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.
O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space,
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
The first Hymns of My Youth series took us through the Concordia hymnal, which was the primary hymnal of the churches in which I was raised. In that series, I limited myself, with few exceptions, to hymns that I actually remembered singing during that time. In this second series, using one of the secondary hymnals of those churches, I’m going to include hymns that I’ve learned and come to love since. Great Hymns of the Faith just contains too many of them to pass over. This is one of those.
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Sing praise to God Who reigns above,
The God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
The God of our salvation.
With healing balm my soul He fills,
And every faithless murmur stills:
To God all praise and glory.
What God’s almighty power hath made
His gracious mercy keepeth,
By morning glow or evening shade
His watchful eye ne’er sleepeth;
Within the kingdom of His might,
Lo! all is just and all is right:
To God all praise and glory.
The Lord is never far away,
But through all grief distressing,
An ever present help and stay,
Our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
He leads His own, His chosen band:
To God all praise and glory.
Thus, all my toilsome way along,
I sing aloud Thy praises,
That earth may hear the grateful song
My voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Lord, my heart!
Both soul and body bear your part:
To God all praise and glory.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
—Psalm 100:1–5
Isaac Watts originally subtitled this, Psalm 90 Part 1, his paraphrase of Psalm 90:1–5, Man frail, and God eternal.
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
O God,* our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guide while life shall last,†
And our eternal home.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
* Originally “Our God.”
† Originally “Be thou our guard while troubles last.”
This week brings another selection by Isaac Watts. This was originally Hymn 30 of Hymns, Book II: Composed on Divine Subjects, and titled Heavenly Joy on Earth. Watts’ original hymn did not include the repeated third and fourth lines with the Marching to Zion refrain. In this hymnal, his ten verses are paired down to these four.
Come, We that Love the Lord
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.
Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God;
But children of the heav’nly King
May speak their joys abroad.
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound,
And ev’ry tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
The tune is St. Thomas.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
—Matthew 5:8
Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart
Rejoice ye pure in heart,
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing;
Your festal banner wave on high,
The cross of Christ your King.
Rejoice, rejoice,
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Bright youth and snow crowned age,
Strong men and maidens meek,
Raise high your free, exultant song,
God’s wondrous praises speak.
Rejoice, rejoice,
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
With voice as full and strong
As ocean’s surging praise,
Send forth the hymns our fathers loved,
The psalms of ancient days.
Rejoice, rejoice,
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
With all the angel choirs,
With all the saints of earth,
Pour out the strains of joy and bliss,
True rapture, noblest mirth.
Rejoice, rejoice,
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Still lift your standard high,
Still march in firm array,
As warriors through the darkness toil,
Till dawns the golden day.
Rejoice, rejoice,
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Isaac Watts’ original title for this hymn, published in Divine and Moral Songs for Children, is Praise for Creation and Providence.
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
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
That filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with his word,
And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how thy wonders are displayed
Where’er I turn mine eye:
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the sky!
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 light from Thee
Is ever in Thy care,
And ev’rywhere that man can be,
Thou, God, art present there.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Before the mountains were born
Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
—Psalm 90:2
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
Holy God, we praise Thy Name—
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heav’n above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain,
Everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark! the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heavens with sweet accord—
Holy, holy, holy, Lord!
Lo! the apostolic train
Joins Thy sacred Name to hallow;
Prophets swell the glad refrain,
And the white robed martyrs follow;
And from morn to set of sun,
Thru the Church the song goes on.
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee.
And adoring bend the knee,
While we sing our praise to Thee.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
O Store Gud (O Great God) was written in 1885 by Swedish Poet Carl Boberg. The translation we have in our hymnals is, as far as I have been able to learn, not faithful. Still, it’s always been one of my favorites. Even if the translation is poor, the resulting hymn is good.
How Great Thou Art
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed!
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook, and feel he gentle breeze,
Refrain
And when I think that God, His son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in—
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin!
Refrain
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
—Lamentations 3:22–23
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father!
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been thou forever will be.
Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed thy hand hath provided—
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Refrain
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Another arrangement by Fernando Ortega:
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
—Revelation 7:9–12
Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim
Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
And publish abroad His wonderful Name;
The Name all victorious of Jesus extol:
His kingdom is glorious and rules over all.
God ruleth on high, almighty to save,
And still He is nigh—His presence we have;
The great congregation His triumph shall sing,
Ascribing salvation to Jesus, our King.
“Salvation to God, who sits on the throne,”
Let all cry aloud and honor the Son;
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
Fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.
Then let us adore and give Him His right—
All glory and pow’r, and wisdom and might,
All honor and blessing with angels above,
And thanks never ceasing, and infinite love.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
—Psalm 45:2
Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus! Ruler of all nature!
O Thou of God and man the Son!
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou my soul’s glory, joy and crown!
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration
Now and forever more be Thine.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
—Romans 8:28–30
Praise the Savior
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.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Tune: Acclaim
He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
—Acts 4:11–12
How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
Dear name! the rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding place;
My never–failing treasury filled
With boundless stores of grace.
Jesus, my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With ev’ry fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy name
Refresh my soul in death.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder,
When he opens no one will shut,
When he shuts no one will open.
—Isaiah 22:22
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
o drive away the shades of night
And pierce the clouds and give us light.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home
where all Thy saints with Thee shall dwell—
O come, O come, Emmanuel!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.
—Matthew 2:2
As with Gladness, Men of Old
As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold—
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright—
So, most glorious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heav’n and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare,
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heav’nly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
This hymn may raise eyebrows as a Christmas hymn, having no reference to Christ, and probably being acceptable to anyone with a vague belief in a benevolent god. Still, to those of us who know the one true God of the Bible, it speaks of the eschatological hope that belongs to us alone.
My hymnal has the verses of this hymn rearranged, as in the recording below. I thought it best to present them in their original order.
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Additional information from cyberhymnal.org:
This hymn was written during the American civil war, as reflected by the sense of despair in the next to last stanza. Stanzas 4–5 speak of the battle, and are usually omitted from hymnals:
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound the carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men.It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! her smoke rises up forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And a voice came from the throne, saying,
“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Revelation 19:1–8
Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Come, Christians, join to sing—
Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King—
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice:
Alleluia! Amen!
Come, lift your hearts on high—
Alleluia! Amen!
Let praises fill the sky—
Alleluia! Amen!
He is our Guide and Friend,
To us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end:
Alleluia! Amen!
Praise yet our Christ again—
Alleluia! Amen!
Life shall not end the strain—
Alleluia! Amen!
On heaven’s blissful shore
His goodness we’ll adore,
Singing forevermore,
“Alleluia! Amen!”
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
Philippians 4:11
May Jesus Christ Be Praised
When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In Heav’n’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Sing this eternal song through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
—Romans 5:8
One Day!
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my Example is He!
Refrain:
Living—He loved me, dying—He saved me,
Buried—He carried my sins far away; Rising—He justified freely, forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected,
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!
Refrain
One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!
Refrain
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered,
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!
Refrain
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my belovèd ones bringing!
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”
—John 12:12–13
All Glory, Laud and Honor
All glory, laud and honor,
To Thee, Redeemer, King,
To Whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring:
Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s Name comest,
The King and Blessèd One.
The company of angels
Are praising Thee on High,
And mortal men and all things
Created make reply:
The people of the Hebrews
With palms before Thee went;
Our prayer and praise and anthems
Before Thee we present.
To Thee, before Thy passion,
They sang their hymns of praise;
To Thee, now high exalted,
Our melody we raise:
Thou didst accept their praises—
Accept the praise we bring,
Who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King!
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
“[Translator] Neale noted ‘another verse was usually sung until the 17th Century, at the quaintness of which we can scarcely avoid a smile’:”
Be Thou, O Lord, the Rider,
And we the little ass,
That to God’s holy city
Together we may pass.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
—Psalm 149:2
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
—Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice—the Lord Is King!
Rejoice—the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail—He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord the Judge shall come
And take His servants up to their eternal home.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
—Isaiah 53:3–6
Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?
Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sov’reign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man the creature’s sin.
But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away—
’Tis all that I can do.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Here’s a nice arrangement I hadn’t heard before:
In a way, this is a quintessential evangelical gospel song, with it’s emphasis on how I feel and what I’ll do. On the other hand, it does present a broad picture of what Christ accomplished on the cross: pardon, sanctification, and finally, glorification.
The Old rugged Cross
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
Refrain
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
Refrain
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
See if you can identify this singer without clicking through to YouTube:
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
—1 Corinthians 1:30–31
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most—
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
—Luke 22:39–46 (cf. Matthew 26:36–46, Mark 14:32–42)
’Tis Midnight—and on Olive’s Brow
’Tis Midnight—and on Olive’s brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
’Tis Midnight—in the garden now
The suff’ring Savior prays alone.
’Tis Midnight—and from all removed
Emmanuel wrestles lone with fears;
E’en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.
’Tis Midnight—and for others’ guilt
The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood;
Yet He Who hath in anguish knelt
Is not forsaken by His God.
’Tis Midnight—and from ether plains
Is borne the song that angels know;
Unheard by mortals are the strains
That sweetly soothe the Savior’s woe.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
—Galatians 6:14
In the Cross of Christ I Glory
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.
—Isaiah 1:18
Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small!
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain—
He washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.
Refrain
For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim—
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.
Refrain
And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
—Romans 5:11
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood—
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
I chose these hymns leading up to Resurrection Sunday several weeks ago. As I sat preparing to post today’s hymn this morning, I began to have mixed feelings about it, and finally concluded that I’d made a poor choice. Rather than make another selection, I’ve decided to explain how today’s hymn falls short. First, the hymn:
Lead Me to Calvary
King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.
Refrain:
Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.
Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid,
Tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.
Refrain
Let me like Mary, through the gloom,
Come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb,
Lead me to Calvary.
Refrain
May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.
Refrain
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
What objections could I possibly have about this song? There are certainly worse ones beloved by many. My concern is that it seems to present a theology of debt and repayment, while the gospel is left out.
My worries begin at the second half of verse one: “Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow, / Lead me to Calvary.” That’s good, if the meaning of “Thy thorn crowned brow” is representative of what was accomplished on the cross, that is, the substitutionary atonement for my sin. But if the message is “remember to feel sorry for Jesus because of all he suffered,” or “I ought to do something for Jesus because of all he’s done for me,” then that is not the gospel, or even a part of it.
I wish I could believe the former was intended, but verses three and four suggest the latter. “Let me like Mary, through the gloom, / Come with a gift to Thee.” This is problematic because we have no gifts to bring to Jesus, and he asks for none. We come to him empty-handed, and he gives to us. Verse four seems to support the conclusion that this is about debt and repayment: “May I be willing, Lord, to bear / Daily my cross for Thee; / Even Thy cup of grief to share, / Thou hast borne all for me.” Here again, judging by the first half of the verse, we could assume biblical intent. Indeed, we are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24, cf. Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23). But the lines that follow indicate an erroneous understanding of cross-bearing. Jesus did not call his disciples to take up their cross in order to share in his suffering (suffering will come, but that is not the point here). The cross represents death. Jesus called us to die. Finally, preceding the last line is a big implied because. “I should do this because of, or in return for, that.
Lead Me to Calvary includes no mention of sin or atonement, only tears and a sense of obligation for Christ’s suffering. In the final analysis, it amounts to a load of sentimentality, with no real gospel included.
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”
And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.
—Matthew 28:1–8
Christ, the Lord, Is Risen Today
Christ, the Lord, is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say: Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply: Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
dying once He all doth save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth!
In his days may the righteous flourish,
and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth!
May desert tribes bow down before him,
and his enemies lick the dust!
May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands
render him tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts!
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations serve him!
For he delivers the needy when he calls,
the poor and him who has no helper.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
and precious is their blood in his sight.
Long may he live;
may gold of Sheba be given to him!
May prayer be made for him continually,
and blessings invoked for him all the day!
May there be abundance of grain in the land;
on the tops of the mountains may it wave;
may its fruit be like Lebanon;
and may people blossom in the cities
like the grass of the field!
May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
all nations call him blessed!
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 72
This hymn of Isaac Watts (Psalm 72 Part 2 in The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts) was originally titled Christ’s kingdom among the Gentiles. The original text can be found here.
Jesus Shall Reign
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at his feet.
While western empires own their Lord
And savage tribes attend his word.
To him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown his head;
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
People and realms of ev’ry tongue
Dwell on his love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on his name.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
The tune is Duke Street, which you might recognize as I Know That My Redeemer Lives and Give to Our God Immortal Praise.
Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
—John 14:1–3
The name of John W. Peterson (1921–2006) is probably not very well known in Reformed circles, being known primarily as a writer of that dubious genre, the 20th century gospel song, which includes some of the worst, most theologically vacuous songs ever belted out from fundamentalist pews.
Peterson was a prolific songwriter, with more than 1,000 songs and 35 cantatas to his name. Many of those are the typical clinkers of the genre, but a great many, if not theologically deep as Newton or Watts, are also solidly biblical and delightful to sing.
Try not to break into a waltz as you listen to this one.
Jesus Is Coming Again
Marvelous message we bring;
Glorious carol we sing,
Wonderful word of the King:
Jesus is coming again!
Chorus:
Coming again, coming again!
Maybe morning, maybe noon,
Maybe evening and Maybe soon!
Coming again, coming again!
O what a wonderful day it will be—
Jesus is coming again!
Forest and flower exclaim,
Mountain and meadow the same,
All earth and heaven proclaim:
Jesus is coming again!
Chorus
Standing before Him at last,
Trial and trouble all past,
Crowns at His feet we will cast.
Jesus is coming again!
Chorus
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
—Psalm 119:105
O Word of God Incarnate
O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth, unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky;
We praise thee for the radiance
That from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps,
Shines on from age to age.
The Church from her dear Master
Received the gift divine,
And still that light she lifteth
O’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket,
Where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heaven-drawn picture
Of Christ the living Word.
It floateth like a banner
Before God’s host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass
That o’er life’s surging sea,
’Mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
Still guide, O Christ, to thee.
O make thy Church, dear Savior,
A lamp of burnished gold,
To bear before the nations
Thy sure light as of old;
O teach thy wandering pilgrims
By this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see thee face to face.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
—Psalm 119:18
Thy Word Is Like a Garden, Lord
Thy Word is like a garden, Lord, with flowers bright and fair;
And everyone who seeks may pluck a lovely cluster there.
Thy Word is like a deep, deep mine; and jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths for every searcher there.
Thy Word is like a starry host: a thousand rays of light
Are seen to guide the traveler and make his pathway bright.
Thy Word is like an armory, where soldiers may repair;
And find, for life’s long battle day, all needful weapons there.
Oh, may I love Thy precious Word, may I explore the mine,
May I its fragrant flowers glean, may light upon me shine!
Oh, may I find my armor there! Thy Word my trusty sword,
I’ll learn to fight with every foe the battle of the Lord.
—Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
—Hebrews 10:19–23
What is nearly as good as a great old hymn accompanied by a pipe organ? I'm glad you asked. The answer is a solidly biblical gospel song played on a guitar.
Standing on the Promises
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
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain
Great Hymns of the Faith (Zondervan, 1968).
