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Ruth
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« Reply #31 on: May 12, 2006, 12:57:42 AM » |
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I've just got to share some of my favorites with you folks. In fact, let's just take a journey through the Church-year:
Advent
Come O Long Expected Jesus
Come, O long expected Jesus, born to set your people free
From our fears and sins release us by your death on Calvary
Israel's strength and consolation, hope to all the earth impart
Dear desire of every nation, joy of everything longing heart
Born your people to deliver, born a child and yet a king
Born to reign in us forever, now your gracious kingdom bring
By your own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone
By your all-sufficient merit raise us to your glorious throne
(Charles Wesley 1707-1788)
Christmas
Of the Father's Love Begotten
Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessèd, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!
This is He Whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word;
Now He shines, the long expected,
Let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore!
Let the heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King!
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!
Christ, to you, with God the Father; and the Spirit, there shall be
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving, and the shout of jubilee
Honor, glory, and dominion
And eternal victory, evermore and evermore!
(Aurelius Prudentius Clemens c. 348-413)
Epiphany
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,
manifested by the star
to the sages from afar;
branch of royal David's stem
in thy birth at Bethlehem;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest and King supreme;
and at Cana, wedding guest,
in thy Godhead manifest;
manifest in power divine,
changing water into wine;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
Manifest in making whole
palsied limbs and fainting soul;
manifest in valiant fight,
quelling all the devil's might;
manifest in gracious will,
ever bringing good from ill;
anthems be to thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.
Grant us grace to see thee, Lord,
mirrored in thy holy Word;
may we imitate thee now,
and be pure, as pure art thou;
that we like to thee may be
at thy great Epiphany;
and may praise thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.
(Christopher Wordsworth 1807-1885)
Lent:
My Song is Love Unknown
My song is love unknown, my Savior's love to me
Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be
But who am I that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?
He came from his blest throne, salvation to bestow
But men made strange and none the longed-for Christ know
But, oh my friend, my friend indeed
Who at my need his life did spend
Sometimes they strew his way, and his sweet praises sing
Resounding all the day hosannas to their king
Then crucify is all their breath
And for his death they thirst and cry
Why, what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run, he gave the blind their sight
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease and 'gainst him rise
They rise and needs will have my dear Lord made away
A murdered they save, the Prince of Life they slay
Yet cheerful he to suffering goes
That he his foes from thence might free
In life no house no home my Lord on earth might have
In death no friendly tomb but what a stranger gave
What may I say? Heaven was his home
But mine the tomb wherein he lay
Here might I stay and sing, no story so divine
Never was love, dear King, never was grief like thine
This is my friend in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend
(Samuel Crossman c. 1624-1683)
Passion Week
Go to Dark Gethsemane
Go to dark Gethsemane, all that feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see, watch with Him one bitter hour,
Turn not from His griefs away; learn of Jesus Christ to pray.
See Him at the judgment hall, view the Lord of life arraigned;
O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss; learn of Christ to bear the cross.
Calvary’s mournful mountain climb; there, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time, God’s own sacrifice complete.
“It is finished!” hear Him cry; learn of Jesus Christ to die.
Early hasten to the tomb where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom. Who has taken Him away?
Christ is risen! He meets our eyes; Savior, teach us so to rise.
(James Montgomery 1771-1854)
Easter
At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious king,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from his pierced side.
Alleluia!
Praise we him, whose love divine
Gives his sacred blood for wine,
Gives his body for the feast
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.
Alleluia!
Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Alleluia!
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, paschal bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
Alleluia!
Mighty Victim from the sky,
Hell’s fierce powers beneath you lie;
You have conquered in the fight
You have brought us life and light.
Alleluia!
Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthrall;
You have opened paradise,
And your saints in you shall rise.
Alleluia!
Easter triumph, Easter joy!
This alone can sin destroy;
From sin’s power, Lord, set us free,
Newborn souls in you to be.
Alleluia!
Father, who the crown shall give,
Savior, by whose death we live,
Spirit, guide through all our days;
Three in One, Your name we praise.
Alleluia!
(office hymn, 17th century)
Pentecost
Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling
Holy Spirit, ever dwelling
in the holiest realms of light
Holy Spirit, ever brooding
o'er a world of gloom and blight
Holy Spirit, ever raising
earthbound souls to glory high
Living, life-imparting Spirit
you we praise and magnify.
Holy Spirit, ever breathing
on the church the breath of life
Holy Spirit, ever striving
through you people's ceaseless strife
Holy Spirit, ever forming
in the church the mind of Christ
In our worship we will praise you
for your fruit and gifts unpriced.
Holy Spirit, ever working
through the church's ministry
Quickening, strengthening, and absolving
setting captive sinners free
Holy Spirit, ever binding
age to age and soul to soul
In community unending
you we worship and extol.
(Timothy Raes 1874-1939)
All Saint's Day
For All the Saints
For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
All who by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
You were their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
You, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
You, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one within your great design.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
O may your soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
But yet there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of glory passes on His way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
(William How 1823-1897)
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I could probably go a few pages more with hymns...the other day I had someone tell me that the words of hymns are not "relevant" anymore. I asked him to explain how so. I never got a good answer. The Lutheran church is all about music, and I must say, growing up with its hymnody tradition has been a huge blessing. Hope you all enjoyed your brief tour through the church-year.
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