Hymns to mark Pentecost Sunday this week and, on this Platinum Jubilee Queen’s Birthday Weekend, we’ll hear some of the Queen’s favourite hymns along with a hymn sung at her coronation in 1953.
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SONG: BE STILL, FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Artist: London Fox Singers
Words/Music: David Evans
Recording: Elevation 2014
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here;
Come bow before him now
with reverence and fear:
In him no sin is found
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight
our radiant king of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace
No work too hard for him
In faith receive from him
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.
SONG: COME, HOLY GHOST, OUR SOULS INSPIRE
Artist: Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral, David Price (Master of the Choristers)
Words/Music: Anon trans Robert Cosin/Anon
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 205
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
and lighten with celestial fire;
thou the anointing Spirit art,
who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.
Thy blessed unction from above
is comfort, life, and fire of love;
enable with perpetual light
the dullness of our mortal sight.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
and thee, of both, to be but one,
that through the ages all along
this may be our endless song:
Praise to thine eternal merit,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
SONG: SING TO HIM IN WHOM CREATION
Artist: Choir of Ely Cathedral, Paul Trepte (dir), Scott Farrell (organ)
Words/Music: Michael Hewlett/Christopher Dearnley
Recording: Priory PRCD 703
Sing to him in whom creation
found its shape and origin;
Spirit, moving on the waters,
troubled by the God within;
source of breath to all things breathing,
life in whom all lives begin.
Sing to God, the close companion
of our inmost thoughts and way;
who, in showing us his wonders,
is himself the power to gaze;
and his will, to those who listen,
by a still small voice conveys.
Holy men, both priest and prophet,
caught his accents spoke his word;
his the truth behind the wisdoms
which as yet know not our Lord;
he the love of God eternal,
which in Christ was seen and heard.
Tell of how the ascended Jesus
armed a people for his own;
how a hundred men and women
turned the known world upside down.
to its dark and furthest corners
by the Wind of Whitsun blown.
Pray we then, O Lord the Spirit,
on our lives descend in might;
let thy flame break out within us,
fire our hearts and clear our sight,
till, white-hot in thy possession,
we, too, set the world alight.
Praise, O praise the Holy Spirit,
praise the father, praise the Word,
source, and truth, and inspiration,
trinity in deep accord:
through thy voice which speaks within us
we thy creatures own thee Lord.
SONG: PRAISE, MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Michael Leighton-Jones (dir), Jonathan Bradley (organ)
Words/Music: Henry Lyte/John Goss
Recording: ABC 476509
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven!
to his feet thy tribute bring,
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like we his praise should sing:
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting king.
Praise Him for His grace and favour
To his people in distress.
Praise Him still the same for ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.
Father-like He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Alleluia!
Widely as His mercy flows.
Angels, help us to adore Him
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
SONG: THE LORD’S MY SHEPHERD
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral/Malcom Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 23/Jessie Seymour Irvine arr Malcolm Archer
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
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 righteousness,
E'en for His own name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through death's dark 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 Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God's house forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.
SONG: BREATHE ON ME, BREATH OF GOD
Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir/Malcom Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Edwin Hatch/Charles Lockhart
Recording: Hyperion 112105
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until my will is one with yours,
to do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with you the perfect life
for all eternity.
SONG: COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Bianco da Siena/Ralph Vaughan Williams
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
Come down, O love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine
own ardour glowing.
O comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn,
til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes
in its heat consuming;
And let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness
become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power
of human telling;
For none can guess its grace,
till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
SONG: ALL PEOPLE THAT ON EARTH DO DWELL
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O'Donnell (dir), Robert Quinney (organ)
Words/Music: William Kethe/attrib Louis Bourgeois arr Ralph Vaughan Williams
Recording: Hyperion 712801
All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with fear, his praise forth tell.
Come ye before him and rejoice.
The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid He did us make;
We are His folk, He doth us feed,
And for His sheep He doth us take.
O enter then His gates with praise;
Approach with joy His courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless His name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
For why? the Lord our God is good;
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.
To Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
The God whom Heaven and earth adore,
From men and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore.
Amen.
Watch BBC TV footage from the Coronation on 2 June 1953. The congregation sings All people that on earth do dwell at 1:53:40
