This week's selection includes hymns to mark the First Sunday in Lent; German theologian Martin Luther's Feast Day; and there are hymns with a Christchurch connection to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake.
Aokautere Community Church, Palmerston North Photo: Robyn Jaquiery
SONG: GOD IS LOVE, LET HEAV’N ADORE HIM
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Rees/Caesar
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
God is love: let heaven adore him;
God is love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth's foundation,
he who spread the heavens above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love eternal love.
God is love, and is enfolding
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp is holding
every child of every race;
and when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow's iron rod,
that same sorrow, that same aching
wrings with pain the heart of God,
God is love: and though with blindness
sin afflicts and clouds the will,
God's eternal loving-kindness
holds us fast and guides us still.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o'er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so Love for ever
o'er the universe must reign.
SONG: FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS
Artist: Choir of Gloucester Cathedral, David Briggs (dir), Ian Ball (organ)
Words/Music: Smyttan adapted Potts/Herbst
Recording: Priory PRCD 704
Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.
Sunbeams scorching all the day,
Chilly dewdrops nightly shed,
Prowling beasts about thy way,
Stones thy pillow, earth thy bed.
Let us thine endurance share,
And awhile from joys abstain,
With thee watching unto prayer,
Strong with thee to suffer pain.
And if Satan, vexing sore,
Flesh or spirit should assail,
Thou, his vanquisher before,
Grant we may not faint or fail.
So shall we have peace divine,
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us too shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to thee.
Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
Ever constant by thy side;
That with thee we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.
SONG: LORD, FOR THY TENDER MERCY’S SAKE
Artist: Voices of Ascension, Denis Keene (dir)
Words/Music: Blow/Farrant
Recording: Delos DE 3227
Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake,
lay not our sins to our charge,
but forgive that is past
and give us grace to amend our sinful lives;
to decline from sin and incline to virtue,
that we may walk in a perfect heart
before thee now and evermore.
Amen.
SONG: PRAISE THE LORD, YE HEAVENS ADORE HIM
Artist: Jubilate Singers
Words/Music: Anon, Osler/Redhead
Recording: RNZ CD 809
Praise the Lord! ye heav'ns, adore Him;
Praise Him, angels, in the height.
Sun and moon, rejoice before Him;
Praise Him, all ye stars of light.
Praise the Lord! for He hath spoken;
Worlds His mighty voice obeyed.
Law which never shall be broken
For their guidance hath He made.
Praise the Lord for He is glorious;
Never shall His promise fail.
God hath made His saints victorious;
Sin and death shall not prevail.
Praise the God of our salvation!
Hosts on high, His power proclaim,
Heav'n and earth and all creation
Laud and magnify His name.
Worship, honor, glory, blessing,
Lord, we offer unto Thee.
Young and old, Thy praise expressing,
In glad homage bend the knee.
All the saints in heav'n adore Thee;
We would bow before Thy throne.
As Thine angels serve before Thee,
So on earth Thy will be done.
SONG: HOLY GOD WE PRAISE YOUR NAME
Artist: The Kolbe Singers
Words/Music: Walworth/Anon
Recording: The Kolbe Singers
Holy God, we praise your name;
Lord of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your scepter claim;
all in heaven above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain,
everlasting is your reign.
Hark! The glad celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name you,
while in essence only one;
undivided God we claim you,
and adoring, bend the knee
while we own the mystery.
Spare Thy people, Lord, we pray,
by a thousand snares surrounded:
keep us without sin today,
never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
never, Lord, abandon me.
SONG: WILD WIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Words/Music: William L (Bill) Wallace
Recording: Private
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of life in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of love in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan compassion’s fire in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan your justice in our hearts.
SONG: EVENTIDE (ABIDE WITH ME)
Artist: NZ Community Trust Woolston Brass/David Gallagher
Words/Music: Monk
Recording: Woolston Brass CDWB3896340
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce/John Rosser
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith:
trouble may break us,
grief overtake us,
sickness and death,
this is our creed:
no place so distant
God is not present,
knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day,
angel and devil,
danger and evil
make their own play;
God's love is sure,
unseen but seeing
heart of our being,
comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone,
though human error,
turmoil or terror
shake every bone,
hope is our song:
hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus,
where we belong,
Refrain:
SONG: A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD
Artist: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia Brass, John Rutter (dir)
Words/Music: Luther/Luther arr Rutter
Recording: Collegium 880126
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
