Lots of good hymns to sing along to in today's programme, as well as some American folk hymns and one of my all-time favourite hymns. And I'll be giving details of how you can take part in our Summer Hymn Request programmes that will play throughout January.
Email Hymns on Sunday with your request: hymns@rnz.co.nz
Coventry Cathedral Interior, West Midlands, UK Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons.
SONG: I WILL SING THE WONDROUS STORY
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry, Paul Leddington Wright (dir)
Words/Music: Rowley/Prichard
Recording: Integrity 2011
I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me.
How He left the realms of glory
For the cross of Calvary.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
Days of darkness still may meet me
Sorrow’s paths I oft may tread.
But His presence still is with me
By His guiding hand I’m led.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
He will keep me till the river
Rolls its water at my feet;
Then He'll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.
Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.
SONG: PRAISE, MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Lyte/Goss
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven!
to his feet thy tribute bring,
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting king.
Praise him for his grace and favour
to our fathers in distress;
praise him still the same as ever,
slow to chide and swift to bless:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness.
Father-like, he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Widely as his mercy flows.
Angels in the height adore him,
ye behold him face to face;
Saints triumphant, bow before him,
gathered in from ev’ry race.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
SONG: THE GOD OF ABRAHAM PRAISE
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin
Words/Music: Anon adapted Olivers/Lyon, Olivers
Recording: Ely 105
The God of Abraham praise,
who reigns enthroned above;
Ancient of Everlasting Days,
and God of Love;
Jehovah, great I AM!
by earth and heaven confessed;
We bow and bless the sacred name
forever blest.
There dwells the Lord our king,
The Lord our righteousness,
Triumphant over the world and sin,
The Prince of Peace.
On Zion’s sacred height
His kingdom he maintains
And glorious with his saints in light
Forever reigns.
The God who reigns on high
The great archangels sing,
And "Holy, holy, holy!" cry,
"Almighty King!
Who was and is the same.
And evermore shall be:
Jehovah, Father, Great I Am!
We worship thee!"
The whole triumphant host
Give thanks to God on high.
"Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!"
They ever cry.
Hail, Abraham’s God and mine!
I join the heavenly lays:
All might and majesty are thine
And endless praise!
SONG: PSALM 96 (O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG)
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Andrew Lumsden (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 96/Peasgood
Recording: Virgin 545036
O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth.
Sing unto the Lord, and praise his name; be telling of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his honour unto the heathen, and his wonders unto all peoples.
For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised; he is more to be feared than all gods.
As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols; but it is the Lord that made the heavens.
Glory and worship are before him; power and honour are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the peoples, ascribe unto the Lord worship and power.
Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his name; bring presents, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King, and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; and how that he shall judge the peoples righteously.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.
For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; and with righteousness to judge the world, and the peoples with his truth.
SONG: O WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS
Artist: Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral
Words/Music: MONSALL/ANON
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 205
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore him; the Lord is his Name!
Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.
Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine;
truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
these are the offerings to lay on His shrine.
These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
he will accept for the Name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore him; the Lord is his Name!
SONG: O, THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
Artist: Choir of Hereford Cathedral
Words/Music: Francis/Thomas
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4060
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to my glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of every love the best:
vast the ocean of his blessing,
sweet the haven of his rest!
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus,
very heaven of heavens to me,
and it lifts me up to glory,
evermore his face to see.
SONG: SAINTS BOUND FOR HEAVEN
Artist: Kansas City Chorale, Charles Bruffy (dir)
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: Nimbus NI 5568
Our bondage it shall end, by and by, by and by,
Our bondage it shall end, by and by;
From Egypt's yoke set free;
Hail the glorious jubilee,
And to Canaan we'll return, by and by, by and by,
And to Canaan we'll return, by and by.
Our deliverer he shall come, by and by, by and by,
Our deliverer he shall come, by and by;
And our sorrows have an end,
With our threescore years and ten,
And vast glory crown the day, by and by, by and by,
And vast glory crown the day, by and by.
And when to Jordan's floods, we are come, we are come,
And when to Jordan's floods, we are come;
Jehovah rules the tide,
And the waters he'll divide,
And the ransomed host shall shout, we are come, we are come,
And the ransomed host shall shout, we are come.
Then with all the happy throng, we'll rejoice, we'll rejoice,
Then with all the happy throng, we'll rejoice;
Shouting glory to our King,
Till the vaults of heaven ring,
And through all eternity we'll rejoice, we'll rejoice,
And through all eternity we'll rejoice.
SONG: HARK, I HEAR THE HARPS ETERNAL
Artist: Kansas City Chorale, Charles Bruffy (dir)
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: Nimbus NI 5568
Hark, I hear the harps eternal
Ringing on the farther shore,
As I near those swollen waters
With their deep and solemn roar.
Refrain:
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah, praise the lamb!
Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Glory to the great I AM!
And my soul, tho’ stain’d with sorrow,
Fading as the light of day,
Passes swiftly o’er those waters,
To the city far away.
Refrain:
Souls have cross’d before me, saintly,
To that land of perfect rest;
And I hear them singing faintly
In the mansions of the blest.
Refrain:
SONG: O DAY OF PEACE
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, Thomas Forster (dir), Craig Phillips (organ)
Words/Music: Daw/Parry
Recording: Gothic 349074
O day of peace that dimly shines
through all our hopes and prayers and dreams,
guide us to justice, truth, and love,
delivered from our selfish schemes.
May swords of hate fall from our hands,
our hearts from envy find release,
till by God’s grace our warring world
shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace.
Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb,
nor shall the fierce devour the small;
as beasts and cattle calmly graze,
a little child shall lead them all.
Then enemies shall learn to love,
all creatures find their true accord;
the hope of peace shall be fulfilled,
for all the earth shall know the Lord.
