In this week's Hymns on Sunday Home Edition, we bring the magnificent acoustic of St Paul's Cathedral, London, right into your living room with a performance of Psalm 23 by the choir. And you can sing Shirley Murray's hymn Our life has its seasons along with Wellington choir The Festival Singers.
Autumn morning, Wellington Photo: Robyn Jaquiery 2020
SONG: PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Neander trans Winkworth/Anon
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation.
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation:
All ye who hear,
brothers and sisters draw near,
praise him in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth
shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth:
hast thou not seen
all that his people have been
granted in what he ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee:
ponder anew
what the Almighty can do,
if with his love he befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath come now with praises before him!
Let the Amen
sound from his people again:
gladly for aye we adore him.
SONG: LAUDATE DOMINUM
Artist: St Thomas Music Group, Margaret Rizza (dir)
Words/Music: Jacques Berthier
Recording: Alliance Music 1999
Laudate Dominum
Laudate Dominum
Omnes, gentes, Alleluia!
SONG: OUR LIFE HAS ITS SEASONS
Artist: Festival Singers, Guy Jansen (dir)
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Colin Gibson
Label: Festivity Productions FPCD 2007
Our life has its seasons, and God has the reasons
why spring follows winter, and new leaves grow,
for there's a connection with our resurrection
that flowers will bud after frost and snow.
Refrain:
So there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.
There's a time to be planting, a time to be plucking,
a time to be laughing, a time to weep,
a time to be building, a time to be breaking,
a time to be waking, a time to sleep.
Refrain:
There's a time to be hurting, a time to be healing,
a time to be saving, a time to spend,
a time to be grieving, a time to be dancing,
a time for beginning, a time to end.
Refrain:
SONG: PSALM 23
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, John Scott (dir)
Words/Music: Psalm 23/Charles Hylton Stewart
Recording: Hyperion CDP 11002
The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing.
He shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul, and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his Name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me; thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Amen.
SONG: FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
Artist: Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square, Mack Wilberg (dir)
Words/Music: Pierpoint/Kocher
Recording: Mormon Tabernacle Choir 2005
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Refrain:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Refrain:
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Refrain:
SONG: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Scriven/Converse
Recording: Hyperion 711210
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
SONG: MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY
Artist: Scottish Festival Singers
Words/Music: Howe/Trad
Recording: Whole World Media Group
Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.
Refrain:
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men
before his judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer him!
be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
Refrain:
In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom
that transfigures you and me.
As He died to make men holy,
let us live to make men free,
While God is marching on.
Refrain:
He is coming like the glory
of the morning on the wave,
He is wisdom to the mighty,
He is succour to the brave,
so the world shall be his footstool,
and the soul of time his slave,
our God is marching on.
Refrain:
