It's the first of our Summer Hymn Requests today. Listener choices include Hail, Queen of Heaven (to mark the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary coming up on 1 January), as well as Christmas carols All poor men and humble and The Three Kings.
The Adoration of the Kings (Monforte Altar) - Hugo van der Goes Photo: Wikimedia Commons
SONG: CHRIST IS MADE THE SURE FOUNDATION
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Purcell
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the Head and Corner-stone,
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Sion's help for ever,
And her confidence alone.
All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.
Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain,
What they gain from Thee, for ever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.
SONG: POVERTY CAROL
Artist: The Victoria Scholars
Words/Music: Roberts/Trad
Recording: Catapult 2012
All poor men and humble,
all lame men who stumble.
Come haste ye, nor feel ye afraid.
For Jesus our treasure,
with love without measure,
in lowly poor manger is laid.
Though wise men who found him
laid rich gifts around him,
yet oxen they gave him their hay.
And Jesus in beauty
accepted their duty
(contented in manger he lay).
Then haste we to show him
the praises we owe him;
our service he ne'er can despise.
Whose love still is able
to show us that stable
where softly in manger he lies.
SONG: THE THREE KINGS
Artist: Donald Sweeney (baritone),Winchester Cathedral Choir, David Hill (dir)
Words/Music: Cornelius
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 231
[Lyrics not available]
SONG: HAIL, QUEEN OF HEAVEN
Artist: Choirs of the Diocese of Leeds
Words/Music: Lingard/Trad
Recording: Herald AV 2016
Hail, Queen of Heav'n, the ocean Star,
Guide of the wand'rer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears,
O thee, blest Advocate, we cry,
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.
And while to Him who reigns above,
In Godhead One, in Persons Three,
The source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee;
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the sea.
Pray for thy children, pray for me.
SONG: GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN
Artist: Choir of the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, Andrew Cantrill (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Newton/Haydn
Recording: Private 581
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
See! the streams of living waters,
springing form eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Saviour, if of Zion's city,
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
SONG: HOW SHALL I SING THAT MAJESTY
Artist: Choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland
Words/Music: Mason/Naylor
Recording: Private CD 805
How shall I sing that Majesty
which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
sing, sing, ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
thy praise; but who am I?
Enlighten with faith's light my heart,
inflame it with love's fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
with that celestial choir.
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
Lord, treasure up my mite.
How great a being Lord, is thine,
which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
to sound so vast a deep.
Thou art a sea without a shore,
a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
thy place is everywhere.
SONG: GLAD THAT I LIVE AM I
Artist: The London Fox Singers
Words/Music: Lisette Reese
Recording: Elevation 2014
Glad that I live am I;
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes
And the fall of dew.
After the sun the rain,
After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.
All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow,
Nearer the sky.
SONG: BEAUTIFUL PRESENCE
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Joy Cowley/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Beautiful presence, how can we name you?
Words are too small for the one who is all.
How can we speak of your gentleness in us,
the warmth of our hearts in response to your call?
Refrain:
Beautiful presence, ocean of love,
strong as forever, soft as a dove.
Words often fail us, but this we know true,
you live within us as we live in you.
There have been times of spiritual blindness,
when error and pain have distorted our sight.
Beautiful presence, you were there with us,
to show us how darkness can turn into light.
Refrain:
Nothing that happens to us will be wasted,
all of our living is grounded in grace.
Gently you take down the walls of division,
leading us on to a larger place.
Refrain:
SONG: THE LORD’S MY SHEPHERD (BROTHER JAMES’ AIR)
Artist: Choir of Truro Cathedral
Words/Music: Psalm 23/Bain
Recording: EMI 948306
The Lord's my Shepherd; I'll not want.
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again;
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of blessedness,
E'en for His own name's sake.
Yea, though I pass through shadowed vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head with oil Thou dost anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my days
Will surely follow me;
And in my heart forevermore
Thy dwelling place shall be.
