"O LORD, OUR LORD"
"O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!" (Ps. 8:1)
INTRO.: A hymn which ascribes praise to the name that is excellent in all the earth is "O Lord, Our Lord." A number of hymns have appeared in our books with that title, but the text which is the subject of this hymn study was written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Based on Psalm 8, it was first published with nine stanzas as the first of three paraphrases on Psalm 8 in his 1719 Psalms of David. The tune that I would suggest with this hymn was composed by Lloyd Otis Sanderson (1901-1992). It was produced for his own two-stanza arrangement of Psalm 8 probably around 1948 and appeared that year in Christian Hymns No. 2 which he edited that year for the Gospel Advocate Co. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, Watts's text has never been used any of which I am aware. In addition to Christian Hymns No. 2, the tune appeared in the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 also edited by Sanderson.
Several of our books have had an 1874 choral arrangement of Ps. 8:1 entitled "O Lord, Our Lord" by Horatio Richmond Palmer. In Christian Hymns, Sanderson noted that his arrangement "may be followed by the chorus on the following page" which was Palmer's. Some of our newer books have a 1964 hymn entitled "O Lord, Our Lord" with words by Morris Lynwood Smith and music by C. C. Stafford. The original editions of Hymns for Worship had a paraphrase of Psalm 8 with words only to be sung to Jessie S. Irvine's tune (Crimond) used as an alternate for "The Lord's My Shepherd" or the tune (Arlington) used in Hymns for Worship with "Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" This text is based upon a version found in The Psalter of 1912, revised for The Book of Psalms for Singing of 1973, and included in Edward Fudge's 1974 Selected Psalms for Church Singing with the tune (Antioch) arranged by Lowell Mason from Music of George Frederick Handel normally used for "Joy to the World." And there is a fairly new (1981) contemporary Christian music type of "praise song" by Michael W. Smith entitled "How Majestic Is Your Name" that begins, "O Lord, our Lord."
Watt's text with Sanderson's tune seems a fitting way to capture the thought of the Psalm.
I. Stanza 1 expresses praise to God's wondrous name
"O Lord, our Lord, how wondrous great Is Thine exalted Name!
The glories of Thy heav’nly state Let men and babes proclaim."
A. Our Lord is great: Ps. 16:25
B. Therefore, His name should be exalted: Isa. 12:4
C. Men and even babes can proclaim the glories of His heavenly state: Matt. 21:15-16
II. Stanza 2 considers the works of God
"When I behold Thy works on high, The moon that rules the night,
And stars that well adorn the sky, Those moving worlds of light."
A. The works of the heaven declare the glory of God: Ps. 19:1
B. He created the moon to rule the night: Gen. 1:16
C. Because He made them, He knows the number of the stars: Ps. 147:4
III. Stanza 3 wonders why God is mindful of man
"Lord, what is man, or all his race, Who dwells so far below,
That Thou shouldst visit him with grace, And love his nature so?"
A. In view of God's greatness as manifested in nature, we might wonder why He is mindful of us who are lower than the angels: Heb. 2:6-7
B. Yet we know that He is mindful of man because He visits Him with grace: Tit. 2:10
C. Furthermore, He is perfect in His love for man in that the sun rise on the evil and the good and the rain falls on the just and the unjust: Matt. 5:45
IV. Stanza 4 points out that God is so mindful of man that His Son took mortal form
"That Thine eternal Son should bear To take a mortal form;
Made lower than His angels are, To save a dying worm?"
A. Even greater than the physical blessings of earth, God has been mindful of man that His eternal Son should take mortal form and become flesh: Jn. 1:1, 14
B. Since we are made a little lower than the angels, the Son was also made a little lower than the angels and shared in our flesh and blood: Heb. 2:9-18
C. His purpose in doing this was to save sinful man, represented as a "dying worm," reminiscent of Watt's line in "Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed" which says, "For such a worm as I" and which modern man rejects to be replaced by "Such a one as I": Job 25:6, Ps. 22:6
V. Stanza 5 says that the Son should be crowned with majesty and honor
"Let Him be crowned with majesty, Who bowed His head to death;
And be His honors sounded high, By all things that have breath."
A. Jesus is to be crowned with majesty: Phil. 2:9-11
B. This is because He bowed His head to death for us: Rom. 5:8
C. Therefore, we should honor the Son just as we honor the Father: Jn. 5:23
VI. Stanza 6 concludes with an expression of praise to Jesus as Lord
"Jesus, our Lord, how wondrous great Is Thine exalted Name!
The glories of Thy heav’nly state Let the whole earth proclaim."
A. Jesus Christ is Lord: Jn. 13:13
B. He is now in a glorified heavenly state: 1 Tim. 3:16
C. Thus, the whole should should proclaim Him: Isa. 61:1-2
CONCL.: The three stanzas which Watts himself indicated could be omitted are:
5. "Yet while He lived on earth unknown, And men would not adore,
Th’ obedient seas and fishes own His Godhead and His power."
6. "The waves lay spread beneath His feet; And fish, at His command,
Bring their large shoals to Peter’s net, Bring tribute to His hand."
7. "These lesser glories of the Son Shone through the fleshly cloud;
Now, we behold him on His throne, And men confess Him God."
Edward Fudge noted, "Thomas Campbell, and his son Alexander, came from strictest Presbyterian stock. And, as reformers are apt to do, when it came to church music, Alexander Campbell threw out the baby with the bath! Not only did he reject the exclusive use of biblical Psalms in worship, Campbell practically rejected the Psalms altogether. His own hymnal, published in 1828, contained not a single Psalm from the Old Testament." While we, like Campbell, would reject the exclusive use of biblical Psalms in worship, we can still agree with Fudge, "There can be no harm, and there can be much good, in restoring the scriptural use of inspired Psalms in the Bible." Isaac Watts, while writing "hymns of human composure," also sought to provide the Psalms of David imitated in the language of the New Testament. There are times when it is appropriate and good to use the inspired language of the Psalms as we address God in song, saying, "O Lord, Our Lord."
"O GOD OF BETHEL"
"Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest" (Gen. 28:15)
INTRO.: A hymn which emphasizes that God has promised His people to be with them and keep them in all places where they go is "O God of Bethel." The original text was written by Philip Doddridge (1702-1751). Doddridge produced many other hymns, such as "O Happy Day" and "Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve." This hymn, "O God of Bethel," was produced in 1736 or 1737 and first published in the Scottish Paraphrases of 1745. The present text is a revision that was made most likely by John Logan (1748-1788). It was published in the Scottish Translations and Paraphrases of 1781 edited by William Cameron. The sixth stanza is by an unknown Scottish author, perhaps Logan, and was added in the Scottish Paraphrases of 1781.
The tune (Salzburg) used in most of our books is dated 1806 and usually attributed to Johann Michael Haydn, who was born around Sept. 14, 1737, at Rohrau in Austria. The younger brother of composer Franz Josef Haydn, Johann began singing as a chorister at St. Stephen's in Vienna and while there studied violin, clavier, and counterpoint. In 1757, he was appointed to the court of the Bishop of Grosswardein in what is now northern Romania, and in 1763 won an appointment as concert master to Archbishop Schratenbach of Salzburg, where he remained until his death. Also he played organ in Salzburg and taught violin at the court. His works include symphonies, oratorios, other sacred music, and instrumental works for organ. In 1804 he was inducted into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and died two years later, on Aug. 10, 1806, at Salzburg. Several hymn tunes are possibly credited to him, including the one (Lyons) most often used with "O Worship the King," and another (Greenland) often used with "The Day of Resurrection."
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the text of "O God of Bethel" was used with a tune (Dundee) attributed to Guillaume Franc and most often associated with William Cowper's "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," in the 1922 edition of the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) edited by E. L. Jorgenson, and the Haydn tune was used with "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" in the 1925 edition of Great Songs (No. 1). The song with the Haydn tune appeared in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 also edited by Jorgenson. Today, the text may be found, again with the Dundee tune, in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the song with the Haydn tune is found in the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand.
The song identifies Jacob's God at Bethel with the God whom we worship and serve.
I. Stanza 1 addresses God as the one who has always fed and led His people
"O God of Bethel, by whose hand Thy people still are fed,
Who through this weary pilgrimage Hast all our fathers led."
A. Bethel was the place where Jacob had his dream, received God's blessing, and promised to serve Him: Gen. 28:16-22
B. It is by God's hand that we are still fed, just as He sent manna for the children of Israel in the wilderness: Exo. 16:14-15
C. And as He led them, He still leads us through our weary pilgrimage: 1 Pet. 2:11-12
II. Stanza 2 says that we present our vows and our prayers before His throne
"Our vows, our prayers, we now present Before thy throne of grace;
God of our Fathers, be the God Of their succeeding race."
A. Because He is a loving Father, we can make our requests known to Him in prayer: Phil. 4:6-7
B. This is symbolized by our coming before His throne of grace for help in time of need: Heb. 4:14-16
C. But we can do these things only as we make Him our God, just as He was the God of our fathers who determined to serve Him with all their house: Josh. 24:15
III. Stanza 3 asks Him to guide us and give us our daily bread
"Through each perplexing path of life Our wandering footsteps guide;
Give us each day our daily bread, And raiment fit provide."
(The original read:
"If Thou, through each perplexing path Wilt be our constant guide,
If Thou wilt daily bread supply And raiment wilt provide.")
A. The path of life is often perplexing, and the right way is described as strait and narrow or difficult: Matt. 7:13-14
B. However, we look to God to guide us with His word as the lamp to our feet and light to our pathway: Ps. 119:105
C. In addition, we also look to Him to give us each day our daily bread: Matt. 6:11
IV. Stanza 4 makes the request that He cover us with His wings and lead us to heaven
"O spread Thy covering wings around Till all our wanderings cease,
And at our Father's loved abode Our souls arrive in peace."
(The original read,
"If Thou wilt spread Thy shield around Till these our wanderings cease.")
A. We can request that God spread His covering wings around us as we journey through live: Ps. 36:7
B. Someday all our wanderings will cease when we pass from this life: Heb. 9:27
C. And our hope is that we shall arrive at peace in our Father's loved abode: Jn. 14:1-3
V. Stanza 5 vows that we shall our whole selves resign to God and give Him all we have
"To Thee as to our Covenant God We'll our whole selves resign,
And count that not our tenth alone But all we have is Thine."
A. God is our Covenant God because Christians have accepted His new covenant: Heb. 8:6-13
A. Like the Macedonians, we should first give ourselves to the Lord: 2 Cor. 8:5
C. Then, like David, we will recognize that all things come from Him and that whatever we give is of His own: 1 Chron. 29:14
VI. Stanza 6 promises that because of His blessings He will be our God and our portion
"Such blessings from Thy gracious hand Our humble prayers implore;
And Thou shalt be our chosen God, And portion evermore."
A. God is the source of every good and perfect gift, both physical and spiritual: Jas. 1:17
B. Therefore, we can continue to seek His blessings with the assurance that He will hear and answer us: 1 Jn. 5:14-15
C. But, again, we must determine that we shall make Him our God and portion evermore: Ps. 16:5
CONCL.: Albert Bailey wrote of this hymn, "It is the story of Jacob's vow made at Bethel after he had had his dream of the ladder reaching to heaven. See how closely Doddridge followed the original scripture....In the old days when every Christian knew his Bible, each phrase in the hymn would at once suggest the original words, and part of the joy in singing the hymn was that constant recognition of Jacob's parallel situation." It is the opinion of many in our day that "old" hymns such as these, though steeped in Biblical imagery and language, just do not speak to modern mankind. Yet, if we truly understand the Bible, we will realize that we still need Him whom we address as "O God of Bethel."
"O FOR A SOUL AGLOW WITH LOVE"
"And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1 Jn. 4:21)
INTRO.: A hymn which emphasizes the need for those who claim to love God to make sure that they love their brother also is "O For a Soul Aglow with Love." The text was written and the tune (Saxony or Agape) was composed both by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). He provided melodies for many well known texts by various authors, including "A Blessing in Prayer," "O Spread the Tidings 'Round," "Give Me Thy Heart," "I Am Not Skilled to Understand," "Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah!", "He Hideth My Soul," "Jesus Understands," "Lead Me to Calvary," "Meet Me There," "O To Be Like Thee," "Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It," "Stepping in the Light," "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," "We Have an Anchor," "Welcome for Me," "When Love Shines In," "For Christ and the Church," "In the Hush of Early Morning," "The Lord Is in His Holy Temple," "Who Will Follow Jesus?", and "Jesus Saves," as well as arrangements for "Blessed Be the Name," "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place," "We'll Work Till Jesus Comes," and "On the Cross of Calvary."
Kirkpatrick produced both words and music for very few songs, including "Lord, I'm Coming Home," "Saved to the Uttermost," and "O For a Soul, Aglow with Love," which was published in 1900. Its first inclusion in a hymnbook prepared for churches of Christ seems to have been in The New Christian Hymn Book of 1907 edited by Kirpatrick and T. B. Larimore and published by the Gospel Advocate Company in Nashville, TN. Among other hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, it appeared in the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis; and the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2 and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 both edited by L. O. Sanderson. Today it may be found in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann. Cyberhymnal suggests using this same tune with Isaac Watts's paraphrase of Psalm 8, "O Lord, Our Lord, How Wondrous Great."
The song describes several characteristics of a soul that is filled with love.
I. Stanza 1 talks about how broad that love should be
"O for a soul aglow with love, With love for God and man;
Rejoicing every passing day To follow God's own plan."
A. Our love should be so broad that it encompasses both God and man: Matt. 22:37-40
B. Such a love can rejoice in the Lord every passing day: Phil. 4:4
C. However, true love will always follow God's own plan by keeping His commandments: 1 Jn. 5:3
II. Stanza 2 talks about how large that love should be
"A soul so large that all mankind Can be embraced therein:
The high, the low, the good, the bad, Be counted all akin."
A. This love will be so large that all mankind can be embraced in it, even our enemies: Matt. 5:43-48
B. It will include the high, the low, the good, the bad--there will be no respect of persons: Jas. 2:1-4
C. To say that these "be counted all akin" simply means that we must recognize that each human being is a person made in the image of God: Gen. 1:26-27
III. Stanza 3 talks about how great that love should be
"A soul so great that God alone Can actuate its will;
That every pulse shall beat for Him, His purpose to fulfil."
A. God is able to actuate our wills if we do love love with all our hearts and are determined that His will, not ours, be done: Lk. 22:42
B. Every pulse will beat for Him because the one who truly loves God will seek first His kingdom and righteousness: Matt. 6:33
C. This is the kind of attitude that God can best use to fulfil His purpose: Eph. 1:9
CONCL.: It should be the "holy desire" of each Christian to submit his soul to Jesus Christ in such a way that it will be filled with a love for God and man which will be large enough to embrace all mankind and great enough to fulfil God's purpose. We live in a world where we are sometimes tempted when we are drawn away by our own desires, which include the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. When such desire conceives, it gives birth to sin. We can surely be thankful that forgiveness is available, but it should be our desire to work at overcoming the problem of sin in our lives by making our request known to the Father, saying, "O For a Soul Aglow with Love."
“O COME, LET US SING”
“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Heb. 13:14)
INTRO.: A song which looks forward to that continuing city which we seek to come is “O Come, Let Us Sing.” The text was written and the tune was composed both by Albert Fredericks. I have not been able to find any further information about this author-composer. The song is listed as copyright 1931 by the Gospel Advocate Publishing Co. It appears that many of the songs owned by the Gospel Advocate Publishing Co. during this time were actually renewals or assignments from other publishing companies, but I do not know if that is true of this one or not. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, “O Come, Let Us Sing” appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson.
The song looks forward to the mansion fair in the home over there.
I. Stanza 1 points out that it will be a place of rest
“O come, let us sing of the rest by and by,
When life and its labors are o’er,
Of that home where they know not a tear or a sigh,
Where sorrows will come no more.”
A. The rest that those who die in the Lord enjoy is a foretaste of the rest by and by: Rev. 14:13
B. This rest for the righteous begins when life and its labors are over at death: Ps. 116:15
C. Thus, like the patriarchs, they can seek a homeland prepared by God: Heb. 11:13-16
II. Stanza 2 points out that it will be a place of eternal life
“For soon all the hardships of life will be past,
All suffering and sickness and pain,
Temptations and trials be ended at last,
And life everlasting we’ll gain.”
A. Soon all the hardships of life will be past when we die: Heb. 9:27
B. At that time, when we reach that home in heaven, all suffering, sickness, pain, temptations, and trials will be ended: Rev. 21:1-4
C. Then, in the world to come, we shall gain everlasting life: Mk. 10:29-30
III. Stanza 3 points out that it will be a place where we shall see the King
“The King in His glory and beauty we’ll see;
We’ll dwell in the city of gold.
No more to go out, evermore we will be
Secure in the heavenly fold.”
A. We shall see our King in His glory and beauty when He comes to take us home: 1 Jn. 3:1-3
B. Then we shall dwell in the city of gold: Rev. 21:18
C. And we shall no more go out but will be evermore secure in the heavenly fold, having the right to the tree of life: Rev. 22:14-15
CONCL.: The chorus exhorts us to sing of our hope for that place where we shall be at rest.
“O come, let us sing
Of the home over there;
We’ll soon be at rest over there,
At home in the mansion fair.”
Yes, we have responsibilities in this life that should occupy our minds here in this world as to how we can fulfill them consistent with God’s word. However, as those who are to set their affections on things above and not on this earth, we should certainly keep our minds focused on the ultimate goal of eternal life in heaven. Therefore, Christians will constantly be thinking of heaven and encouraging each other, saying of that eternal home, “O Come, Let Us Sing.”
"NOTHING BETWEEN"
"And they shall see His face..." (Rev. 22:4)
INTRO.: A song which suggests that we should not allow anything to keep us from seeing the Lord's face is "Nothing Between" (#531 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written and the tune was composed both by Charles Albert Tindley Sr., who was born at Berlin, MD, on July 7, 1851 (although some sources give 1856), the son of slave parents, Charles and Esther Tindley. His mother died when he was four years old, and he was separated from his father the following year. As a result of his own efforts, he taught himself how to read and write when he was seventeen, and so determined was he to get an education, that after plowing all day in the field, he would walk or run fourteen miles at night to learn from a school teacher. Shortly after that, he moved to Philadelphia, PA, worked as a hod carrier, was janitor of the small John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church on Bainbridge St., and attended night school. Also, he took a correspondence course from the Boston School of Theology.
Becoming a Methodist minister, Tindley joined the Delaware Annual Conference in 1885, and from then to 1899 served in several places, including South Wilmington, DE; Cape May, NJ; Odessa, DE; Pocomoke Circuit, MD; Fairmount, MD; Ezion, DE; and Wilmington, DE. He was presiding elder of the Wilmington District from 1899 to 1902. During these years, he also began producing hymns, often to emphasize a point in one of his sermons. His 1901 song "I'll Overcome Some Day" served as a basis for the 1960's civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome." In 1902, after his marriage to Daisy Henry Tindley, he moved back to Philadelphia and became minister of the same church where had once been a janitor years before, now known as the Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church. One day he was in his study, working on a sermon, when a gust of wind blew some papers over top of his work. "Now, now," he thought to himself, "let nothing between." So the theme of a hymn suggested itself.
"Nothing Between," copyrighted in 1905 and perhaps first printed in 1906, was one of eight hymns from a difficult period of Tindley's life when negotiations were underway for the purchase of the Westminster Presbyterian Church on Broad St. It is said to reflect some of the emotional joys and disappointments of that time. The arrangement was made by F. A. Clark. His dates are usually given as 1851 to 1933, but these are the same as Tindley's. One of the song's early hymnbook publications was in his 1916 New Songs of Paradise. So successful was Tindley's work that in 1908 a new building was needed for the growing congregation. When it was erected at Broad and Fitzwater Streets in 1924, it was renamed the Tindley Temple Methodist Church, despite his protests. With a membership of over 7,000, great throngs of people attended, and both blacks and whites were represented in the leadership, along with Italians, Jews, Germans, Norwegians, Mexicans, and Danes. Known as one of the founding fathers of American gospel music, Tindley produced around fifty hymns. Other songs by him which have appeared in some of our books are "Leave It There," "Stand By Me," and "By and By" (or "Trials Dark on Every Hand"). He died in Philadelphia on July 26, 1933.
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Nothing Between" appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) and with a two-stanza arrangement by the editor in the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 both edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1938 Spiritual Melodies edited by Tillit S. Teddlie; the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis; and the 1979 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church and the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed. both edited by Alton H. Howard; as well as Sacred Selections, the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat, the latter using the Sanderson arrangement, and the 2009 Favorite Songs of the Church edited by Robert J. Taylor Jr..
The song identifies several things which we must never allow to come between us and the Savior.
I. Stanza 1 mentions the world
"Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world's delusive dream.
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine--there's nothing between."
A. The Savior between whom we should allow nothing is Jesus Christ: Lk. 2:11
B. Everything that this world has to offer us is a delusive dream; therefore, we must not love the world: 1 Jn. 2:15-17
C. Instead, we must like Moses renounce the pleasures of sin which are but for a season: Heb. 11:24-25
II. Stanza 2 mentions pleasure
"Nothing between like worldly pleasure.
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever;
He is my all--there's nothing between."
A. We must be careful not to be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God: 2 Tim. 3:1-4
B. Many habits of life, such as seeking wealth which often brings many people pleasure, may seem harmless, but they can be very dangerous: 1 Tim. 6:9-10
C. Therefore, we must never let things like covetousness and the pleasure that it brings sever our hearts from God like an idol: Eph. 5:5
III. Stanza 3 mentions friends
"Nothing between like pride or station;
Self or friends shall not intervene.
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved--there's nothing between."
A. We must never allow pride in whatever station of life which we may have achieved come between us and the Lord because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble: 1 Pet. 5:5-6
B. One thing that often appeals to our pride is the friends that we have, but while good friendships can be helpful, we must never let
friends or even family intervene: Matt. 10:34-39
C. This must be our attitude, even if renouncing this world or rejecting worldly friends causes us much tribulation: Acts 14:21-22
IV. Stanza 4 mentions trials
"Nothing between, e'en many hard trials,
Though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self-denial,
I'll triumph at last--there's nothing between."
A. The Bible tells us that we shall fall into various trials to test our faith: Jas. 1:2-3
B. Sometimes, it may seem as if the whole world convenes against us, and Jesus reminds us that if the world hated Him it will hate us too: Jn. 15:18-21
C. Therefore, we need to watch and pray lest we fall into any temptation: Matt. 26:41
CONCL.: The chorus repeats the importance of allowing nothing to come between us and the Savior.
"Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear--there's nothing between."
Concerning the text, William Farley Smith said, "In this hymn of Christian perfection, Charles A. Tindley teaches us how to clear the path in order to make the soul and the Savior one. Worldly ways must be renounced even if friends and the world may turn against you." Regarding the tune, Horace Clarence Boyer wrote that it is "extremely well-formed...[and] F. A. Clark's simple harmonies only add to the beauty of one of the most moving of Tindley's hymns." Surely it should be our "holy desire" that in our relationship with Jesus there should be "Nothing Between."
"NOR SILVER NOR GOLD"
"...Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold...but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19)
INTRO.: A song which emphasizes that we are not redeemed with corruptible things such as silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ is "Nor Silver Nor Gold" also known as "I Am Redeemed." The text was written by James Martin Gray who was born on May 11, 1851, in New York City, NY, and was converted while reading William Arnot's Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth. Becoming a minister with the Reformed Episcopal Church, he served for a while at a church in Boston, MA, and later was a lecturer in English Bible at a seminary in Philadelphia, PA. In 1893, he was invited by Dwight L. Moody to teach at the Bible Institute for Home and Foreign Missions at Chicago, IL. Following Moody's death in 1899, Gray was named dean and the school was called the Moody Bible Institute. During these years, he authored many books and was responsible for the publication of the Voice of Thanksgiving, Nos. 1 to 4 from 1913 to 1928, which were the official hymnbooks of the Moody Bible Institute. "Nor Silver Nor Gold" is dated 1900 and was first published in the 1901 Hymns of Faith and Praise by Edmund S. Lorenz. The tune (Priceless) was composed by the director of the Music Department at Moody Bible Institute, Daniel Brink Towner (1850-1919).
Another of Gray's hymns, "Only a Sinner" dated 1905 and beginning "Naught have I gotten but what I received," also with music by Towner, has been popular. But Gray is perhaps best remembered among us for his 1903 hymn "What Did He Do?" beginning "O listen to our wondrous story," which our books set to a melody by Welsh musician William Owen. After his retirement in 1934, Gray died at Passavant Hospital in Chicago on Sept. 21, 1935. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Nor Silver Nor Gold" appeared with the chorus only in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson. Among other hymnbooks, the entire song can be seen in the 1967 Favorite Hymns of Praise published by the Tabernacle Publishing Company, the 1968 American Service Hymnal published by John T. Benson Publishing Company, the 1968 Great Hymns of the Faith published by Singspiration Inc., the 1972 Soul Stirring Songs and Hymns published by the Sword of the Lord Publishers, the 1972 Living Hymns published by Encore Publications Inc., the 1974 Hymns for the Living Church published by Hope Publishing Company, and the 1987 Zion's Praises published by Weaver Music Company.
The song points out that only the blood of Christ, shed in His death on the cross, can bring redemption.
I. Stanza 1 talks about riches of earth
"Nor silver nor gold hath obtained my redemption,
Nor riches of earth could have saved my poor soul.
The blood of the cross is my only foundation;
The death of my Savior now maketh me whole."
A. Riches of earth could never save one soul because even if a man gained the whole world he could still lose his soul: Matt. 16:26
B. Yet, the one thing that each of us needs more than anything else is the saving of the soul: Heb. 10:39
C. It is the death of our Savior that makes us whole because Jesus died for our sins: Rom. 5:8
II. Stanza 2 talks about the guilt of the conscience
"Nor silver nor gold hath obtained my redemption;
The guilt on my conscience too heavy had grown.
The blood of the cross is my only foundation;
The death of my Savior could only atone."
A. When we sin, we become guilty before God: Jas. 2:10
B. Therefore, what we need is to have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: Heb. 10:22
C. It is the death of Jesus that makes this possible by providing an atonement or reconciliation for sin: Rom. 5:11
III. Stanza 3 talks about the holy commandment
"Nor silver nor gold hath obtained my redemption;
The holy commandment forbade me draw near.
The blood of the cross is my only foundation;
The death of my Savior removeth my fear."
A. The "holy commandment" of the law simply forbids sin: Rom. 7:8-11
B. Therefore, because all have sinned it forbids us from drawing near to God because the curse of the law is to everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them: Gal. 3:10
C. However, the death of Jesus removes our fear of death by offering us access to the new and living way: Heb. 2:14-15, 10:19-20
IV. Stanza 4 talks about the way to heaven
"Nor silver nor gold hath obtained my redemption;
The way into heaven could not thus be bought.
The blood of the cross is my only foundation;
The death of my Savior redemption hath wrought."
A. What God wants for us, and what we should want, is to go to heaven: 1 Pet. 1:3-5
B. However, the way to heaven could never be bought with anything of our own because it is not of works: Eph. 2:8-9, Tit. 3:5
C. So we must look to the blood of Christ by which eternal redemption is provided: Heb. 9:11-12
CONCL.: The chorus repeats the fact that we are redeemed, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus.
"I am redeemed, but not with silver,
I am bought, but not with gold;
Bought with a price, the blood of Jesus,
Precious price of love untold."
Today, proper English indicates that the correct usage is "Neither...nor." However, in previous days, especially in poetic language, it was common to use "Nor...nor" as a correlative conjunction. The New Testament certainly teaches that we must obey the gospel of Christ in faith to receive the pardon that God offers by His grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. However, we must also remember that in so doing, there is nothing that we can do or offer to make atonement for our own sins and thus earn or merit a right relationship with God. Hence, we understand that our redemption is received by "Nor Silver Nor Gold."
"MY MOTHER'S PRAYER"
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed" (Prov. 31:28)
INTRO.: A song which encourages children to rise up and call their mother blessed is "My Mother's Prayer." The text was written by Judson Wheeler VanDeVenter (1855-1939). The tune was composed by Winfield Scott Weeden (1847-1908). The song was copyrighted in 1895 by Weeden and VanDeVenter. VanDeVenter was an evangelistic preacher, and Weeden served as his song director. The two collaborated on several songs, including the well known "I Surrender All" beginning "All to Jesus I surrender," and "Sunlight" beginning "I wandered in the shades of night." Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "My Mother's Prayer" appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson. It used to be quite popular judging from its appearance in older hymnbooks, but very few in recent years have used it. There is another song by Tullius Clinton O'Kane that was included in Ira Sankey's Gospel Hymns Nos. 1 to 6 Complete with the same title.
The song relates the prayers of godly mothers to their children and their behavior.
I. Stanza 1 mentions a mother's influence in prayer
"I never can forget the day I heard my mother kindly say:
'You're leaving now my tender care; Remember, child, your mother's prayer.'"
A. God has created us with the capacity to remember, and there are certain things that we should not forget: 2 Pet. 1:9
B. One thing that we should not forget is the law of our mother: Prov. 1:8-9
C. This is true even after that time when a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife: Gen. 2:24
II. Stanza 2 mentions a mother's influence through different places
"I never can forget the voice That always made my heart rejoice;
Though I have wandered, God knows where, Still I remember mother's prayer."
A. Not forgetting the teaching that our mothers have given us is one way to honor our mothers: Eph. 6:2
B. Especially if we have had mothers who have stirred up unfeigned faith in us through their teaching, remembering their voice will always make our hearts rejoice: 2 Tim. 1:5
C. Quite often, our lives will cause us to wander in various places, but wherever we are, we should remember that when we live righteously, it causes our mothers to rejoice: Prov. 23:24-25
III. Stanza 3 mentions a mother's influence over the passage of time
"Though years have gone, I can't forget Those words of love--I hear them yet;
I see her by the old arm chair, My mother dear, in humble prayer."
A. Of course, the older we get, the more the years go by: Gen. 25:7-8
B. Yet, it is still important to remember that no matter how old we become, it is possible to act in such a way as to bring a mother to shame: Prov. 29:15
C. Rather, throughout life, assuming that our mothers are or were praying for us, we should strive to live in such a way as to honor them or at least their memory, knowing that the effective fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much: Jas. 5:16
IV. Stanza 4 mentions a mother's influence leading to salvation
"I never can forget the hour I found the Savior's cleansing power;
My sins and guilt He cancelled there. 'Twas there He answered mother's prayer."
A. Certainly all Christians can be thankful for the Savior's cleansing power: Eph. 5:26
B. When we obey the gospel, our sins and guilt He cancels or remits and remembers them no more: Heb. 10:17-18
C. Such an occasion might just be the answer to a mother whose heart's desire and prayer to God has been that her child might be saved: Rom. 10:1
CONCL.: The chorus continues to remind one of his mother's care and concern for him or her.
"When-e'er I think of her so dear, I feel her angel spirit near;
A voice comes floating on the air, Reminding me of mother's prayer."
The chorus to the final stanza reads as follows:
"O praise the Lord for saving grace! We'll meet up yonder face to face,
The home above together share, In answer to my mother's prayer."
Some might object to songs like this as merely sentimental religious nostalgia, and others might think this song inappropriate because not all Christians have had godly mothers whom they expect to see in heaven. However, I have to wonder, since the scriptures command us to honor our mothers, is it unscriptural to honor them in spiritual songs? Many denominational churches observe Mother's Day as a special occasion in their worship. The New Testament does not authorize the church to observe any such special days. However, it is not wrong for individuals to observe Mother's Day, and it is not wrong for the church by its teaching to exhort people to honor their mothers. So again I have to ask, does it make any difference whether that teaching is done by word or by song? Each one will have to make up his own mind about the matter, but I have to admit that the older I get, it not only brings a tear to my eye but also helps me to be more faithful in my service to God when I remember "My Mother's Prayer."
“MY MOTHER’S BIBLE”
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35)
INTRO.: A song which emphasizes the eternal nature of the words of Jesus as recorded in the Scriptures is “My Mother's Bible.” The text was written by Milan Bertrand Williams, who was evidently a preacher of some sort since in some books he is identified as “Evangelist M. B. Williams.” A book entitled Record of Christian Work, Volume 14 edited by Alexander McConnell, William Revell Moody, and Arthur Percy Fitt contains the following item. “We have just closed a remarkable series of revival meetings under the leadership of Evangelist M. B. Williams of Atlanta, AG, assisted by Prof. Chas. Alexander of the Moody Institute, Chicago, as singer, and Fred Seibert, also a student of the Institute. Mr. Williams is one of God's rare men; reading makes a full man, writing makes an exact man, speaking makes a ready man, all these are combined in him very eminently.” Books by Williams include Among Many Witnesses: A Book for Bible Students of 1891, Where Satan Sows His Seed of 1896, and If Any Man Will, and Other Sermons of 1899.
A book entitled Adversaries of Dance: From the Puritans to the Present by Ann Louise Wagner dated 1997 says that Williams, who flourished from 1889 to 1910, was an itinerant evangelist in the Midwest during the late eighties and during the nineties, who also served as a secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association. In the 1890s he was sometimes assisted by the neophyte evangelist Billy Sunday. After 1901, Williams mixed revival preaching with lectures on “sex problems” and then veered off into the perils of immigration and the virtues of the Anglo-Saxons. Williams’ 1896 publication Where Satan Sows His Seed gave the reader “Plain Talks” on the evils of modern amusements—dance, theater, cards and wine. However, he considered dancing to be to “some extent” a greater evil than the other amusements.
I have not been able to find any other information about this author. The tune for the hymn was composed by Charles (Charlie) Davis Tillman (1861-1943). The song was first published in 1893, and the copyright was renewed by Tillman in 1921. Tillman provided melodies for such well known songs as “Ready to Suffer” and “The End of the Way.” Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, “My Mother’s Bible” appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson; and the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis (giving the date of 1883, which is probably a misprint). The song was apparently a very popular hymn at one time. Among other hymnbooks in my collection, it was used in the 1926 American Hymnal, the 1935 Church Hymnal of the United Brethren in Christ, the 1940 Broadman Hymnal, and the 1947 Voice of Praise. In fact, Hymnary.org lists 78 hymnbooks that contained the hymn.
The song reminds us of the importance of Biblical principles that are often taught by parents.
I. Stanza 1 tells about how the Book should be taught by parents to children
“There’s a dear and precious Book, Though it’s worn and faded now,
Which recalls those happy days of long ago,
When I stood at Mother’s knee, With her hand upon my brow,
And I heard her voice in gentle tones and low.”
A. The word “Bible” means “book,” and thus refers to the book of God: Jn. 20:30-31
B. For people who have been taught to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, the Bible should remind them of the happy days of long ago when their parents brought them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: Eccl. 12:1, Eph. 6:4
C. It is certainly right for a mother to teach her children from God’s book: 2 Tim. 1:3-5, 3:14-15
II. Stanza 2 tells about how the stories of the Old Testament illustrate resisting the wiles of Satan
“As she read the stories o’er Of those mighty men of old,
Of Joseph and of Daniel and their trials,
Of little David bold Who became a king at last,
Of Satan with his many wicked wiles.”
A. Two of the mighty men of old from whose trials we can learn are Joseph and Daniel: Gen. 50:15-21, Dan. 6:18-23
B. Another Old Testament character who has much to teach us is David: 1 Ki. 15:1-5
C. These Old Testament examples help to illustrate how we can stand against the wiles of Satan: Eph. 6:11
III. Stanza 3 tells about how the life and death of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament were for us
“Then she read of Jesus’ love As He blessed the children dear,
How He suffered, bled, and died upon the tree,
Of His heavy load of care; Then she dried my flowing tears
With her kisses as she said it was for me.”
A. During His life, Jesus blessed the children dear: Matt. 19:13-15
B. But more importantly, He suffered, bled, and died upon the tree: 1 Pet. 2:24
C. This He did for every person on earth: Heb. 2:9
IV. Stanza 4 tells about how the teachings that we learn from the Book should guide us through life
“Well, those days are passed and gone, But their memory lingers still,
And the dear old Book each day has been my guide;
And I see to do His will As my mother taught me then,
And ever in my heart His words abide.”
A. The dear old Book should be our guide because God gave it to make us complete and thoroughly furnished unto all good works: 2 Tim. 3:16-17
B. By following it, we can do God’s will so that we may abide forever: 1 Jn. 2:17
C. But in order to follow it, His words (note, it is not “her words” but “His words” as taught by her) must abide in us: Jn. 15:7
CONCL.: The chorus talks about how we should love to look in the blessed Book and follow it.
“Blessed Book, precious Book,
On thy dear old tear-stained leaves I love to look;
Thou art sweeter day by day, As I walk the narrow way
That leads at last to that bright home above.”
Some might think of a song like this as mere religious-based nostalgia. Such a kind of thing was quite popular back in the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. While there is certainly a nostalgic element present in the song, the emphasis is really upon the content of the Scriptures and the importance of its being taught to a child. If I have learned from my parents the importance of God’s word, I cannot see anything wrong with singing about “My Mother’s Bible.”
“MAKE TODAY YOUR BEST DAY”
“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice)” (Heb. 3:7)
INTRO.: A song which encourages us to hear the voice of the Lord today is “Make Today Your Best Day.” The text was written by N. A. McAuly, which is most likely the same as Neal A. McAulay (also sometimes spelled McCauley), who was born in 1854. From 1886 to 1907, he was minister with the First Presbyterian Church in Wilton, IA. Cyberhymnal lists three other hymns by him, “How Could it Be,” “I Love the Gospel Story,” and “The Old Fashioned Faith.” In addition to gospel songs, he also published poetry in several Masonic works. The tune for “Make Today Your Best Day” was composed by Samuel William Beazley (1873-1944). The song was copyrighted in 1913 by Hildebrand-Burnett Co. Inc. of Roanoke, VA, and probably first appeared in the 1914 Crown Him King edited by Beazley for the Ruebush Kieffer Co. of Dayton, VA. McCaulay died around 1922. The 1971 Songs of the Church edited by Alton H. Howard has a song entitled “Deep Settled Peace” with words by N. A. McAulay and music by Samuel W. Beazley. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, “Make Today Your Best Day” appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson, who at the time controlled the copyright.
The song mentions several things that we need to do every day to make it our best day.
I. Stanza 1 mentions giving our all to the Master
“Give your all to the Master here; Time is passing away.
Serve His cause with a heart sincere; Make today your best day.”
A. We should give our all to the Master here just as the Macedonians first gave themselves to the Lord: 2 Cor. 8:5
B. We understand that time is certainly passing away so that now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed: Rom. 13:11
C. Therefore, we should serve His cause with a heart sincere 1 Thess. 1:9
II. Stanza 2 mentions praying
“He will answer your heart’s appeal, When for favor your pray;
Love and light through His word reveal! Make today your best day.”
A. God has promised to hear and answer His people: 1 Pet. 3:12
B. Therefore, we should pray: Lk. 18:1
C. When we do, we shall find that love and light are revealed to us through His word: Jn. 1:4, 17
III. Stanza 3 mentions casting our cares on Him
“Wander not from His blessed side; He will lighten the way
For the ones who in Him confide! Make today your best day.”
A. It should be our aim never to wander from His blessed side: Ps. 119:10
B. For those who follow Him, He will lighten the way because He offers rest: Matt. 11:28-30
C. Therefore, we can confined in Him by casting our burdens on Him: Ps. 55:22
IV. Stanza 4 mentions telling His mercy to those in need
“Tell His mercy to those in need; Show them Jesus, the way.
Bid them come while He gently pleads; Make today your best day.”
A. We need to tell of the Lord’s mercy to those in need that they might be saved: Tit. 3:5
B. In doing this, we show to them Jesus, who is the way: Jn. 14:6
C. The means by which we bid them come while He gently pleads is preaching the word: Acts 8:4
CONCL.: The chorus tells us that since it is the Lord who redeemed our souls and made us whole, we should strive to make each day count for Him.
“Live for the Lord who redeemed your soul, Since in His goodness He made you whole.
Let Him your talents by love control; Make today your best day.”
Every day of life that we have is a gift from the Lord and should be used wisely. We accomplish this aim by giving ourselves to the Lord, praying to Him, casting our cares on Him, and telling others about Him. It is my hope by this hymn study to exhort you to “Make Today Your Best Day.”
"LULLABY AND GOOD NIGHT"
"...For so He giveth His beloved sleep" (Ps. 127:2)
INTRO.: A song which reminds us how that God can give His beloved, especially little children, sleep is "Lullaby and Good Night." The text is of unknown origin. Two stanzas were published in 1868 as Wiegelied, Op. 49, No. 4, beginning "Guten Abend, gute Nacht, mid Rosen bedacht," with the tune (Cradle Song) composed by Johannes Brahms, who was born on May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, Germany. His father, Johann Jakob Brahms, had come to Hamburg from Dithmarschen, seeking a career as a town musician, and married Johanna Henrika Christiane Nissen, a seamstress, who was seventeen years older than he was. Johann Jakob gave first musical training to his son who then studied piano from the age of seven with Otto Friedrich Willibald Cossel and later with Eduard Marxsen. Johannes first visited Vienna, Austria, in 1862, stayed there over the winter, and based himself increasingly in Vienna, soon making it his home.
During the succeeding years in Vienna, Brahms was a leader of the musical scene, composing for piano, chamber ensembles, symphony orchestra, voice, and chorus. An accomplished pianist, he gave the first performance of many of his own pieces and worked with the leading performers of his time, with many of his compositions becoming staples of the modern concert repertoire. Nineteenth century conductor Hans von Bülow grouped him with Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven as one of the "Three Bs." Brahms was both a traditionalist and an innovator. His music was firmly rooted in the structures and compositional techniques of the Baroque and classical masters, yet he created bold new approaches to harmony and timbre which challenged existing notions of tonal music. Brahms developed cancer (sources vary on whether this was in the liver or pancreas), and he died on April 3, 1897, in Vienna.
Concerning the song that has come to be known as "Brahms' Lullaby," several sources say that the reputed author of the original two stanzas was a German writer and poet named Karl Joseph Simrock (1802-1876). However, other sources say that the first stanza was taken from a collection of German folk poems called Das Knaben Wunderhorn (The Youth's Magic Horn), edited by Achim von Arnim and Clemens Bretano, and published in Heidelberg between 1805 and 1808. It is possible that Simrock borrowed a stanza from it and then provided his own second stanza, or just used a couple of stanzas from the folk collection and perhaps arranged them. The translator of the standard English version is unknown. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared with two stanzas in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson, who provided his own translation for stanza 2. Further stanzas from various sources have been added to lengthen the song.
The song is obviously intended to help in putting a small child to sleep.
I. Stanza 1 talks the blessing of sleep
"Lullaby, and good night! With roses bedight,
With lillies bespread (o'er-spread) Is baby's wee bed;
Lay thee down now and rest: May thy slumber be blest;
Lay thee down now and rest: May thy slumber be blest."
Arthur Wesbrook provided this alternate translation:
"Lullaby and goodnight! With roses bedight,
Creep into thy bed, There pillow thy head.
If God will thou shalt wake When the morning doth break.
If God will thou shalt wake When the morning doth break."
A. "Bedight" is am archaic word that is seldom used today; it is defined to mean "deck out, array, equip, adorn." The idea of having the bed decked out with roses and lillies suggests the sweetness and blessing of sleep: Eccl. 5:12
B. The bed, of course, is the place of sleep: Ps. 63:6
C. The purpose of sleep is so that we may lie down and rest, which is something that we need: Mk. 6:31
II. Stanza 2 talks about dreaming of Paradise
"Lullaby and good night! Dream of Paradise bright,
While near thee, at hand, The angels shall stand.
If God wills, thou shalt wake When the morning doth break;
If God wills, thou shalt wake When the morning doth break."
The standard translation reads:
"Lullaby and good night! Thy mother's delight,
Bright angels beside My darling abide.
They will guard thee at rest, Thou shalt wake on my breast;
They will guard thee at rest, Thou shalt wake on my breast."
(One version has: "Soft and warm is your bed, Close your eyes, rest your head")
Arthur Westbrook's alternate translation is as follows:
"Lullaby and goodnight! Those blue eyes close tight;
Bright angels are near, So sleep without fear.
They will guard thee from harm, With fair dreamland's sweet charm;
They will guard thee from harm, With fair dreamland's sweet charm."
A. Paradise, coming from a Persian word that means "beautiful garden," in the Bible refers either to the place of comfort which the souls of the righteous (or safe) go at death and by extension perhaps the eternal home of God's
people: Lk. 23:43, 2 Cor. 12:4, Rev. 2:7
B. There is much about the activities of angels that we do not know because it is not revealed in scripture, but with reference to children, Jesus did make reference to "their angels": Matt. 18:10
C. After dreams of Paradise while possibly being guarded by angels during the night, we can look forward to waking when the morning breaks: Ps. 139:17-18
III. Stanza 3 talks about the care of parents and angels
"Sleepyhead, close your eyes, Mother's right here beside you.
I'll protect you from harm, You will wake in my arms.
Guardian angels are near, So sleep on with no fear;
Guardian angels are near, So sleep on with no fear."
A. A mother who truly loves her children as God's word commands will certainly be concerned for them even while they sleep: Tit. 2:4
B. One of the roles of parents, including mothers, in laying up for their children and providing for their own is to protect them from harm to whatever extent they can: 2 Cor. 12:14, 1 Tim. 5:8
C. Again, there is great debate among Bible believers as to whether the scriptures teach the concept of "guardian angels" or not, but God's word does say that angels are ministering spirits sent forth for those who will inherit salvation: Heb. 1:13-14
IV. Stanza 4 talks about awakening in the morning
"Lullaby, and sleep tight. Hush! my darling is sleeping,
On his sheets white as cream, With his head full of dreams.
When the sky's bright with dawn, He will wake in the morn;
When the sky's bright with dawn, He will wake in the morn."
(or the last line: When noontide warms the world, He will frolic in the sun.")
A. God made the night for sleeping: Prov. 3:24
B. God made the dawn to bring in the new day: Matt. 28:1
C. Then we can awaken for the events and activities of the day: Ps. 3:5
CONCL.: There is another "further" stanza that some might find amusing.
"Go to sleep, little one, Think of puppies and kittens;
Go to sleep, little one, Think of butterflies in spring.
Go to sleep, little one, Think of sunny bright mornings;
Go to sleep, little one, Sleep tight through the night."
Whether this is a "hymn" or even a spiritual song would be a matter of debate, especially if it came to using it in a worship service. Some might argue that it does mention God and angels and Paradise, while others might argue that it is primarly secular in nature and just happens to have some religious references. Each will have to make his own decisions as to its usefulness. However, there is certainly nothing wrong with singing about God to a small child when we tell it "Lullaby and Good Night."
"LOVE HIM, LOVE HIM"
"...Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise" (Matt. 21:16)
INTRO.: A song which encourages children and even infants to give praise to God is "Love Him, Love Him." The author is usually identified as unknown or anonymous. The original text is thought possibly to have been written and the tune (Bonner, Praise Him, God Is Love, or He Is Love) was most likely composed (or at least arranged) under the pseudonym of E. Rawdon Bailey both by Carey Bonner, who was born on May 1, 1859, at Southward in London, England. The son of a Baptist minister, he attended the Plaistow School and, after hearing a sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon, studied at Rawdon Baptist College in London. Becoming a Baptist minister himself in 1884, he worked with the Oakfield Union Church at Sale in Cheshire from 1884 to 1895, and with the Portland Chapel in Southampton from 1895 to 1900. Going on to become involved in the British Sunday School Movement, he began as secretary in 1900, a position which he held for the rest of his life, then additionally served as President of the National Sunday School Union in 1922 and 1923. Also, he was President of the Baptist Union in 1931 and 1932.
Another principal interest of Bonner's beside Sunday school work was hymns. In 1896, he served as music editor for The Christian Endeavor Hymnal. In 1905 he edited The Sunday School Hymnary, and he published three volumes of Child Songs in 1908, 1923, and 1936. Also, he was chairman of the committee that prepared the Baptist Church Hymnal Revised in 1933, and with W. T. Whitley, he compiled its handbook in 1935. Bonner's other major work was Some Baptist Hymnists of 1937. A founding member of The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland, he composed cantatas, anthems, sacred songs, part songs, in addition to being an author and arranger, often using pseudonyms. He died at Muswell Hill, Hornsey, in Middlesex, England, near London, on June 16, 1938. His best-known contribution to children's religious songs is this little piece originally entitled "Praise Him, all ye little children."
The hymn first appeared in Bonner's Sunday School Hymnary of 1905, although some sources it was in the first edition (1908) of his Child Songs. The Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal (1992) observes that Bonner was noted for his arrangements and harmonizations of melodies from other sources and says, "It is therefore unclear to what extent this is an original work." Most of our books have made "Love Him, love Him, all ye little children" the first stanza, have "Praise Him..." as the second, and simply mark the hymn "Arr." for "arranged." One of them has "Arr. H. P. M," which according to another source refers to Hubert Platt Main (1839-1925). Most other books have three stanzas, "Praise Him...Love Him...Thank Him," and all end each line with "God is love." One book has added a fourth stanza, "Serve Him." I have taken the liberty to make some other additions and changes to give the song a little more substance and make it somewhat less repetitious.
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Love Him, Love Him" appeared in the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2 and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 both edited by L. O. Sanderson; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; in addition to the 2009 Favorite Songs of the Church edited by Robert J. Taylor. Other books in my collection to contain this song are the 1940 Broadman Hymnal edited by B. B. McKinney; the c. 1950s Praise and Worship Hymnal and the 1972 Worship in Song Hymnal both published by Lillenas Publishing Co.; the 1957 All American Church Hymnal and the 1968 American Service Hymnal both published by John T. Benson; the 1958 Our Hymns of Praise edited by J. Mark Stauffer; the 1967 Tabernacle Hymns published by Tabernacle Publishing Co.; the 1972 Living Hymns edited by Alfred B. Smith; the 1980 Praises We Sing edited by Elmina Yoder and Lula A.Miller (harmonized by the editors); the 1991 Baptist Hymnal edited by Wesley L. Forbis; the 1992 Pilgrim's Praises edited by Steven S. Rodabaugh; the 1997 Celebration Hymnal edited by Jack W. Hayford; and the 1999 Songs and Hymns of Revival edited by Jack Trieber (where it is erroneously attributed to Anna B. Warner as author and William B. Bradbury as composer). Almost all of these begin the song, "Praise Him, praise Him."
The song identifies several characteristics of God and tells what our response should be.
I.Stanza 1 says that we should love God because He is love
"Love Him, love Him, All ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
He sent Christ to Die for our salvation,
God is love, God is love."
A. We should love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, and mind: Matt. 22:37-38
B. The reason that we should love Him is that He is love: 1 Jn. 4:8
C. He showed His love for us in that He sent Christ to die for our salvation: Rom. 5:8
II. Stanza 1 says that we should praise God because He is great
"Praise Him, praise Him, All ye little children,
God is great, God is great;
He created All in earth and heaven,
God is great, God is great."
A. We should offer up the sacrifice of praise to God continually: Heb. 13:15
B. The reason that we should praise Him is because He is great: Ps. 150:1-2
C. He showed His greatness in that He created all in earth and heaven: Gen. 1:1
III. Stanza 3 says that we should thank God because He is good
"Thank Him, thank Him, All ye little children,
God is good, God is good;
He's the source of Every perfect blessing,
God is good, God is good."
A. We should express our thanks to God in everything: 1 Thess. 5:18
B. The reason that we should be thankful is that He is good: Ps. 34:8
C. He showed His goodness towawrd us in that He is the source of every good and perfect gift: Jas. 1:17
IV. Stanza 4 says that we should serve Him because He is near
"Serve Him, serve Him, All ye little children,
God is near, God is near;
He wants us to Be with Him in heaven,
God is near, God is near."
A. We should serve God with reverence and godly fear: Heb. 12:18
B. The reason that we should serve Him is that He is near, not far from any of us: Acts 17:28
C. Not only does He want to be near us in this life, but He also wants
us to be even nearer to Him in heaven: Col. 1:5
CONCL.: Many of us learned to sing this song when small children in Bible study classes and "vacation Bible schools." In one congregation where I labored and a book with this song was used, a brother would lead it occasionally. Some may object to the inclusion of such "children's songs" in a regular worship service. Each congregation and song leader will have to make their own decisions on the matter, but since we are to have a child-like faith ("become as little children"), I have trouble understanding why we cannot sing songs in our worship that express the trust of a child as we encourage each other to "Love Him, Love Him."
"LO! WHAT A GLORIOUS SIGHT APPEARS"
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth..." (Rev. 21:1)
INTRO.: A hymn which seeks to help our minds picture what the Scriptures say about the new heaven and new earth is "Lo! What a Glorious Sight Appears." The text was written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). All sources but one say that it was first published in six stanzas as a paraphrase of Rev. 21:1-4 in his 1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs. One source gives the date of 1745. It did appear in the Scottish Paraphrases of 1751 with several alterations and an additional stanza. The tune (Crediton) used in some books was adapted from Thomas Clark (1775-1859). Other tunes have been used, but the one (Northfield) in our books was composed by Jeremiah Ingalls (1764-1828). It is dated 1805 and was probably first published in his Christian Harmony of that year, which also contained the first publication of the anonymous hymn and tune, "I Love Thee, I Love Thee." Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, "Lo, What a Glorious Sight Appears" appeared in the 1925 edition of the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 edited by L. O. Sanderson; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. Today it may be found in the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand. The Good Old Songs, a 1913 book edited by C. H. Cayce for the Primitive Baptists, using the Ingalls tune, inexplicably makes stanza 6 beginning "How long, dear Savior, O, how long" as number 1, with a few alterations ("That bright hour" and "The promised day") and makes stanzas 1 through 5 as stanzas 2 through 6.
The song points our thoughts forward to the second coming of Christ when time will end and our eternity will begin.
I. Stanza 1 refers to the earth and sea passing away
"Lo! what a glorious sight appears To our believing eyes!
The earth and sea are passed away, And the old rolling skies."
(Scottish paraphrase: "Lo! what a glorious sight appears To our admiring eyes!
The former seas have passed away, The former earth and skies.")
A. It will be a glorious sight to our eyes because, as was true of Christ's judgment upon the persecutors, so when He comes in final
judgment "every eye will see Him": Rev. 1:7
B. The earth with the sea and all that is in them will be burned up: 2 Pet. 3:10
C. Even the old rolling skies, the physical heavens, will grow old and perish: Heb. 1:10-12
II. Stanza 2 refers to the new Jerusalem
"From the third heaven, where God resides, That holy, happy place,
The new Jerusalem comes down, Adorned with shining grace."
A. The third heaven refers to the dwelling place of God: 2 Cor. 12:2
B. "The new Jerusalem" draws upon the Old Testament picture of Jerusalem as God's chosen city among His covenant people Israel to identify the heavenly city which is above: Gal. 4:26
C. John saw this new Jerusalem coming down because the vision which he received was sent to him out of heaven: Rev. 21:2
III. Stanza 3 refers to the attending angels
"Attending angels shout for joy, And the bright armies sing--
'Mortals, behold the sacred seat Of your descending King."
A. When Jesus comes, all His holy angels will be with Him: Matt. 25:31
B. These bright armies even now sing around the throne of God in heaven: Rev. 5:11-12
C. Then, mortals can behold the sacred seat because they will be in the very presence of God Himself: Rev. 21:22-23
IV. Stanza 4 refers to the presence of God
"'The God of glory down to men Removes His blest abode--
Men, the dear objects of His grace, And He the loving God."
(Scottish paraphrase: "The God of glory down to men Removes His blest abode;
He dwells with men; His people they, And He His people's God.")
A. God removes His blest abode in that no longer will mankind be separated from the presence of God by time and space, but the tabernacle or dwelling of God will be with men: Rev. 21:3
B. Of course, this blessing will be only for those who are the dear objects of His grace, having been saved by grace through faith: Eph. 2:8-9
C. But for these, the final fulfillment of that promise will be realized which began by His grace here on earth that we shall be His people and He our God: 2 Cor. 6:16-18
V. Stanza 5 refers to the wiping away of all tears
"'His own soft hand shall wipe the tears From every weeping eye,
And pains and groans and griefs and fears And death itself shall die.'"
(Scottish paraphrase: "His gracious hand shall wipe the tear From every weeping eye;
And pains and groans and griefs and fears And death itself shall die.")
A. God promises that in the New Jerusalem He shall wipe away all tears: Rev. 21:4
B. All the pains, groans, griefs, and fears will cease from which those who die in the Lord have found rest: Rev. 14:13
C. Even death itself shall die, because death will be the last enemy that Christ will put under His feet at His coming: 1 Cor. 15:24-26
VI. Stanza 6 refers to the desire of the righteous for this day
"How long, dear Savior, O how long Shall this bright hour delay?
Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time, And bring the welcome day."
A. As the martyrs under the altar asked concerning God's judgment on their persecutors, we today also look forward to Christ's return and cry, "How long?": Rev. 6:9-10
B. As John called upon the Lord to come quickly in bringing that judgment on the persecutors, we the righteous even now may pray, "Lord, quickly come": Rev. 22:20-21
C. Thus, we look forward to that welcome day when we shall be forever with the Lord: 1 Thess. 4:16-17
CONCL.: The additional stanza found in the Scottish Paraphrases, which seems intended to make a personal application of the thoughts of the song to us, reads as follows:
"O may we stand before the Lamb, When earth and seas are fled,
And hear the Judge pronounce our name With blessings on our head!"
Watts uses present tense language to describe figuratively the scene of Christ's return as if we were actually there, seeing it right now. Surely, when it comes, whether we are alive at His coming or are among those raised from the dead, we shall be able to say, "Lo! What a Glorious Sight Appears."
"LO! HE COMES WITH CLOUDS DESCENDING"
"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him..." (Rev. 1:7)
INTRO.: A hymn which emphasizes that when Jesus comes again in the clouds, every eye shall see Him is "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending." The original text was written by John Cennick (1718-1755). Produced perhaps as early as 1750, it was first published in his 1752 Collection of Sacred Hymns, 5th Edition, in six stanzas. It was altered by John Benjamin Wesley (1703-1791). He heard Cennick's hymn, was moved by it, and decided to provide a better version. Sometimes, the altered version is attributed to John's brother Charles Wesley (1707-1788). Perhaps they collaborated on it. Basically the Wesleys changed two of Cennick's stanzas drastically, kept two others basically the same, and added two or three more of their own. This version was first published in their 1758 Hymns of Intercession for All Mankind. Further alterations were made by Martin Madan (1726-1790). His arrangement was published in his 1760 Collection of Psalms and Hymns. Many tunes have been used with the song, but one (Regent Square) of the most popular was composed by Henry Thomas Smart (1813-1879). It was first published in the 1867 Presbyterian collection of Psalms and Hymns for Divine Worship edited by James Hamilton where it was set to Horatius Bonar's "Glory Be to God the Father."
Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for us in churches of Christ, "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending" appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; and the 1965 Great Christian Hymnal No. 2 edited by Tillit S. Teddlie. The same tune was used with Henry F. Lyte's "Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven" in the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today, "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending" may be found in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forest M. McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand. Praise for the Lord also uses the same tune with James Montgomery's "Angels from the Realms of Glory," as does the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise edited by Alton H. Howard.
The song uses present tense language to describe Christ's coming as if we were there to see it happening.
I. Stanza 1 emphasizes the manner of His coming
"Lo! He comes with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain;
Thousand, thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of His train:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Jesus Christ shall ever reign."
A. The scriptures promise that just as Christ was received from the earth by a cloud, so He will come again in like manner: Acts 1:11 (because "Once for favored sinners slain" sounds like the Calvinistic concept of limited atonement, which teaches that Christ died only for those who had been previously elected, many modern books change it to "Once for our salvation slain.")
B. Thousand, thousand saints will attend because the souls of those who sleep in Jesus will He bring with Him: 1 Thess. 4:13-14 (the word "saints" or "holy ones" could also refer to, or include, the angels who will come with Him)
C. Most books read, "Hallelujah! God appears on earth to reign." Some modern books read, "Christ, the Lord, returns to reign." In Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) E. L. Jorgenson changed it to read "Jesus now shall ever reign," but in Great Songs of the Church No. 2 altered that to read "Jesus Christ shall ever reign" to avoid aggrevating the premillennial controversy that had arisen among churches of Christ. The Bible does teach that "He shall reign forever and ever": Rev. 11:15
II. Stanza 2 tells us who will see Him at His coming
"Every eye shall now behold Him, Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, Deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see."
A. Every eye will then behold Him because all who are in the tombs shall come forth: Jn. 5:28-20
B. This will include even those who crucified Him: Acts 2:23
C. Like those persecutors upon whom God's judgment was promised, they will be deeply wailing: Rev. 18:15-19
III. Stanza 3 explains what will happen at His coming
"Every island, sea, and mountain, Heaven and earth, shall flee away;
All who hate Him must, confounded, Hear the trump proclaim the day.
Come to judgment, come to judgment, Come to judgment, come away."
A. Heaven and earth shall flee away in that they will perish: Heb. 1:10-11
B. All, including those who hate Him, will hear the trump of God: 1 Cor. 15:52
C. Then they will come to judgment: Acts 17:30-31
IV. Stanza 4 identifies the blessings to the redeemed at His coming
"Now Redemption, long expected, See in solemn pomp appear!
All His saints, by man rejected, Now shall meet Him in the air;
Alleluia! Alleluia! See the day of God appear."
A. Some newer books read, "Now the Savior, long expected." While it is true that Jesus came the first time to provide redemption through His blood and we can have that now, we still await the final, eternal redemption at Christ's coming: Rom. 8:22-25
B. Then, His saints will rise to meet Him in the air: 1 Thess. 4:15-17
C. All this will occur when the "day of the Lord" appears: 2 Pet. 3:10
V. Stanza 5 talks about what we shall see at His coming
"The dear tokens of His passion Still His dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation To His ransomed worshippers.
With what rapture, with what rapture Gaze we on those glorious scars."
A. "The dear tokens of His passion" refer to the print of the nails in His hand and the print of the spear in His side: Jn. 20:25
B. These tokens form part of the reason that we worship Him because they declare Him to be the spotless Lamb of God by whose blood we are redeemed: 1 Pet. 1:18-19
C. Whether He still bears the mark of these scars in His glorious body is a matter for the theologians to debate, but we know that when He comes we shall see Him just as He is: 1 Jn. 3:1-2
VI. Stanza 6 urges the Lord to be quick about His coming
"Yea, Amen! let all adore Thee, High on Thine exalted throne;
Savior! take Thy power and glory, Claim the kingdoms for Thine own:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Quickly, Lord, O quickly come!"
A. Just as Jesus is now upon His exalted throne, when He returns, we shall see Him on His throne: Matt. 25:31-32
B. The original read, "Claim the kingdom for Thine own," which would most likely refer to the fact that Christ would take the citizens of His kingdom home and then deliver the kingdom back to the Father: 1 Cor. 15:24
C. Wesley's original read, "O come quickly! Everlasting God, come down!" Various books have made different changes, such as "O come quickly! Alleluia, come, Lord, come," or "Alleluia! Thou shalt reign and Thou alone." In any event, just as John pled for the Lord to come quickly in judgment upon the persecutors, so we may hope that He will come quickly to take His people home:
Rev. 22:20-21
CONCL.: As given above, stanzas 1-2, and 5-6 are primarily the work of Wesley, whereas stanzas 3-4 are taken pretty much directly from Cennick. Another stanza of Wesley's, generally omitted, is as follows:
"Answer Thine own bride and Spirit, Hasten, Lord, the general doom!
The new heaven and earth t'inherit, Take Thy pining exiles home:
All creation, all creation Travails, groans, and bids Thee come!"
We do not know when the Lord will return. However, as Christians, we know that He could descend at any day or time, and thus we must always be ready. And when He does appear, we shall certainly say, "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending."
“LIGHT OF THE CROSS”
“I am the light of the world…” (Jn. 8:12)
INTRO.: A song which pictures Jesus Christ as the Light of the world is “Light of the Cross” (#323 in Sacred Selections for the Church). The text was written by James Robinson, about whom no further information seems available. The tune was composed by Bentley DeForest Ackley (1872-1958). Other tunes by Ackley in our books include those for James Rowe’s “Just Outside the Door,” “I Walk with the King,” and “I Would Be Like Jesus,” William Poole’s “Sunrise,” and Eliza E. Hewitt’s “Somebody Else Needs a Blessing.” Another collaboration by Robinson and Ackley was “What Shall It Be?” beginning, “What will you do with Jesus?” The original copyright for “Light of the Cross” is usually given as 1895. Hymnary.org says that it appeared in that year in Sunshine Songs for Sunday Schools edited by Charles H. Gabriel for Meyer and Bros. of Chicago, IL.
Ehymns.org, citing Fillmore’s Male Choir as its source, ascribes it to Gabriel under the pseudonym Charlotte G. Homer but with question marks, and this may be due to Gabriel’s owning the original copyright. In our books, the song is listed as “Copyright, Gospel Advocate Co., 1932,” but this must be a renewal or assignment, because in addition to Sunshine Songs for Sunday School, it also appeared in the 1899 Gospel Herald in Song, in addition to others. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1938 Spiritual Melodies edited by Tillit S. Teddlie; the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal edited by Marion Davis; and the 1952 Hymns of Praise and Devotion edited by Will W. Slater. Today it may be found in Sacred Selections.
The song identifies some of the blessings that the light of Christ provides for us.
I. Stanza 1 says that it points us to the homeland
“From the cross of Christ uplifted Shines an everlasting light;
By its rays the clouds are rifted Till the homeland is in sight.”
A. This light is pictured as coming from the cross because that was where Jesus gave His life for us: Eph. 2:16
B. The clouds represent the darkness of this world: Jn. 3:19
C. However, the light from the cross rifts the clouds and shows the way to the homeland of eternal life: Matt. 7:13-14
II. Stanza 2 says that it helps to alleviate the cares that come our way
“Every storm that gathers o’er us Adds new luster to its ray;
And the cares that rise before us In its radiance pass away.”
A. The trials and tribulations of life add new luster to the ray of the cross because by them we learn patience: Jas. 1:2-3
B. Thus, we learn to cast our cares upon Him who cares for us: 1 Pet. 5:7
C. These cares pass away in its radiance because we learn that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed: Rom. 8:18
III. Stanza 3 says that it guides us through the tempests of life
“Though the tempest wildly rages, By this Light the way is sure;
And throughout the sweep of ages, It, unshaken, shall endure.”
A. Trials and tribulations in life are often represented by a tempest that rages wildly: Ps. 107:23-29
B. However, all through such spiritual tempests, the Light, revealed to us in God’s word, is a lamp to our feet to guide us: Ps. 119:105
C. In this way, we have help that we might endure to the end: Matt. 24:13
CONCL.: The chorus praises Christ for the blessings of the light of His cross.
“Blessed Light, Light divine, To the world the rays are streaming;
Hallowed Light, Light of love, From the cross of Christ are beaming.”
It is such a blessing to have light by which we can see in darkness. Throughout history, mankind has had the light of torches, candles, oil lamps, gas lights, and now electricity. But even more important is that as we make our way through this world of spiritual darkness we have guidance from the “Light of the Cross.”
"LIFT UP, LIFT UP YOUR VOICES NOW"
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them..." (Col. 2:15)
INTRO.: A hymn which praises Christ for the triumph which Christ had in spoiling the principalities and powers by His resurrection from the dead is "Lift Up, Lift Up Your Voices Now." The text is usually attributed to John Mason Neale, who was born on Jan. 24, 1818, near St. Paul's Cathedral at Bloomsbury in London, England, to evangelical parents and named for his maternal grandfather John Mason Good. Cornelius Neale, his father who was a minister and fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, died when John was five years old, and the boy was brought solely by his mother. Attending Sherborne Grammar School, he was then tutored privately until 1836, when he entered Trinity College, Cambridge, where he won the Seatonian Prize for sacred poetry eleven times. After graduating in 1840, he served as a fellow, chaplain, and tutor at Downing College, becoming identified with the Oxford Movement and founding the Cambridge Camden Society. In 1842, he married the daughter of an evangelical minister, and that year he became a minister, but after he had served six weeks with a small church at Crawley in Sussex, chronic lung disease and his strong Anglo-Catholic leanings kept him from active service.
Spending three winters in Madeira, Portugal, for his health, Neale produced three books of original poetry, Hymns for Children in 1842, Hymns for the Sick in 1843, and Hymns for the Young in 1844. In 1846 he returned to England and was offered a position at St. Ninian's in Perth, Scotland, but refused because of the climate and became warden of Sackville College in East Grinstead, a home for elderly indigent men. Shortly afterwards, he began work on the five volume History of the Holy Eastern Church, which was finished in 1873. However, he is best known as a one of the most important translators of Greek and Latin hymns. Besides researching and writing, he also founded a nursing sisterhood, promoted social welfare, and expanded the ministry of Sackville to orphans and young women. His primary publications include Mediaeval Hymns and Sequences in 1851, Hymns of the Eastern Church in 1862, Hymns Chiefly Mediaeval on the Joys and Glories of Paradise in 1865, and Original Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses in 1866. Both The Hymnal Noted and Hymns Ancient and Modern contain many of his original hymns as well as translations, which include "All Glory, Laud, and Honor," "Good Christian Men, Rejoice," "The Day of Resurrection," "Jerusalem, the Golden," "Art Thou Weary, Art Thou Languid?", and "Brief Life Is Here Our Portion."
Also, Neale wrote the well known holiday carol, "Good King Wenceslaus." He died, aged 48, at East Grinstead in Sussex, England, on Aug. 6, 1866. Because of Neale's translating work, some books say, "Greek Translation by John M. Neale, 1854," but "Lift Up, Lift Up Your Voices Now" is now considered an anonymous cento from several sources. The first stanza is taken directly from Neale's "The foe behind, the deep before," published in his 1854 Carols for Eastertide. Other stanzas are taken from his translation of the Latin hymn "En dies est dominca" and from Mrs. Elizabeth Charles's 1858 translation of the Latin hymn "Aurora licis." The song as it appears today was published in The Church Hymnal of 1892 edited by Charles L. Hutchins. All books that I checked use a tune (Waltham, Camden, or Calkin) composed in 1872 by John Baptiste Calkin (1827-1905). However, it is found in most of our books with George Washington Doane's hymn "Fling Out the Banner, Let It Float," for which the composer intended it. Calkin composed another tune (Sefton), also dated 1872, which fits "Lift Up, Lift Up Your Voices Now" perfectly. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared, with the Waltham tune, in the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater. Today it may be found, again with the Waltham tune, in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann.
The song encourages us to give praise to the Lord for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
I. Stanza 1 tells us to lift up our voices to Christ who reigns
"Lift up, lift up your voices now; The whole wide world rejoices now.
The Lord hath triumphed gloriously, The Lord shall reign victoriously."
A. We should lift up our voices even as we lift up our heads to see the King of glory: Ps. 24:7
B. This King, our Lord, has triumphed gloriously over death just as He did over the Egyptians: Exo. 15:1
C. And having triumphed, our Lord shall reign forever and ever: Rev. 11:15
II. Stanza 2 tells us that Christ triumphed over the grave
"In vain with stone the cave they barred; In vain the watch kept ward and guard.
Majestic from the spoiled tomb, In pomp of triumph Christ is come."
A. His enemies sealed the tomb: Matt. 27:62-66
B. However, their guard could not prevent the resurrection of Christ: Matt. 28:1-4
C. Thus, Jesus rose early on the first day of the week: Mk. 16:9
III. Stanza 3 tells us that Christ binds the ancient foe
"He binds in chains the ancient foe; A countless host He frees from woe.
And heaven's high portal open flies, For Christ has risen, and man shall rise."
A. By His resurrection, He bound in chains the ancient foe: Matt. 12:29
B. In so doing, He freed a countless host by the truth: Jn. 8:31-32
C. Because Christ has risen, man shall rise: 1 Cor. 15:20-22
IV. Stanza 4 tells us that Christ has won so that man can win
"And all He did, and all He bare, He gives us as our own to share;
And hope and joy and peace begin, For Christ has won, and man shall win."
A. In His death, Christ bore our sins: 1 Pet. 2:24
B. But by His death and resurrection He gives us hope: 1 Pet. 1:3
C. Therefore, because He has won, we can gain the victory: 1 Cor. 15:54-57
V. Stanza 5 tells us that Christ is the Victor who will lead us through death
"O Victor, aid us in the fight, And lead through death to realms of light;
We safely pass where Thou hast trod. In Thee we die to rise to God."
A. As Victor, Christ can aid us in fighting the good fight of the faith: 1 Tim. 6:12
B. He can lead us through death to realms of light because He Himself has trod that path: Phil. 2:5-8
C. Therefore, in Him after death we have the hope of rising to God: Rom. 8:11
VI. Stanza 6 tells us that Christ is worthy of our alleluias
"Thy flock, from sin and death set free, Glad alleluias raise to Thee;
And ever with the heavenly host Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
A. Christ's flock consists of those who have been set free from sin and death: Rom. 8:1-2
B. Therefore, His flock should raise glad alleluias to Him: Rev. 19:1
C. In so doing, we praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: Matt. 28:19
CONCL.: John Julian called this hymn "a mosaic made up of fragments of...hymns, pieced together without any regard to the continuity of the originals" (p. 1664). That may be, but it certainly has a joyful message that is well brought out by Calkin's melody. The death of Christ procured our salvation from sin and justification before God. Yet, His death would mean little without the resurrection by which He gives us the hope of our own future resurrection and a home with God in heaven. As we think about this great event, we should exhort each other to "Lift Up, Lift Up Your Voices Now."
"LET US PASS OVER THE RIVER"
"For he that is entered into his rest...hath ceased from his own works" (Heb. 4:10)
INTRO.: A song which looks forward to that time when we shall enter into our rest and cease from our works is "Let Us Pass Over the River." The text was written by Kate Cameron. I have no further information about the author or the date, circumstances, and original publication of the song, except that the quote in the chorus contains the dying words of General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, who was born on Jan. 24, 1824, in Clarksburg, VA (now WV), the third child of Jonathan and Julia Beckwith Neale Jackson. A graduate of West Point, Thomas served in the artillery during the Mexican War, earning two brevets, and then resigned to accept a professorship at the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, VA. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he was commissioned a colonel in the Virginia forces and dispatched to Harpers Ferry. There he was active in organizing the raw recruits until relieved by Joe Johnston.
In October of 1862 Jackson was made a lieutenant general with the Confederate States of America army. Leaving Harpers Ferry with Johnston, his brigade moved to join with Beauregard at Manassas. In the First Battle of Bull Run, they were so distinguished that both the brigade and its commander were called "Stonewall" by Gen. Barnard Bee. That fall, Jackson was promoted to Major General, was given command of the Valley, and participated in battles at Kernstown, McDowell, Front Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys, and Port Republic. Then he joined Lee in the defense of Richmond and fought in the Seven Days battle. Following the battle of Cedar Mountain, he was sent to capture Harpers Ferry during the invasion of Maryland, and after being distinguished at Antietam with Lee was promoted and given command of the now official Second Corps. Gaining a victory at Fredericksburg, he led his corps around the Union right flank at Chancellorsville but while returning to his own lines he was accidentally shot and wounded by some of his own men on May 2, 1863.
Jackson's arm was amputated and he survived the surgery, but he died eight days later on Sunday, May 10, 1863, at Chancellorsville, VA, from complications of pneumonia. When he was notified that he had not long to live, this devoutly religious man replied, "It is the Lord's Day. My wish is fulfilled. I have always desired to die on Sunday." His personal physician, Dr. Hunter McGuire, said that a few moments before he died, Jackson cried out in his delirium, "Order A. P. Hill to prepare for action! Pass the infantry to the front rapidly! Tell Major Hawks--." Then he stopped, leaving the sentence unfinished. The doctor continued, "Presently a smile of ineffable sweetness spread itself over his pale face, and he said quietly, and with an expression as if of relief, 'Let us cross over the the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.'" The tune for the song was composed by Rigdon McCoy McIntosh (1836-1899). Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church, it appeared in the 1927 Sweeter Than All Songs edited by C. M. Pullias; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1940 Complete Christian Hymnal and the 1959 Hymnal both edited by Marion Davis; and the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C. Welch. Today it may be found in the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat.
The song emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the work, sorrows, and battles of this life to the rest of heaven.
I. Stanza 1 talks about our work
"When our work is ended, we shall sweetly rest
'Mid the sainted spirits safe on Jesus' breast;
All our trials over, we shall gladly sing,
'Grave, where is thy victory? Death, where is thy sting?'"
A. When we pass from this life, we shall rest from our labors: Rev. 14:13
B. Then we shall be with the sainted spirits safe on Jesus's breast, as Lazarus was in comfort on Abraham's bosom: Lk. 16:23-25
C. And when the Lord returns to raise the dead and give us our eternal reward, we shall say, "Grave, where is thy victory; death, where is thy sting?": 1 Cor. 15:54-55
II. Stanza 2 talks about our sorrows
"Earth hath many sorrows, but they cannot last,
And our greatest troubles quickly will be past;
If we look to Jesus, He will give us strength.
By His grace we shall be conquerors at length."
A. In this life on earth we have many sorrows and troubles: Job 14:1
B. However, they will not last forever, and we can look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, to give us strength to run the race: Heb. 12:1-2
C. By His grace, we can be more than conquerors: Rom. 8:37
III. Stanza 3 talks about our battles
"When the storm is over, sweet will be the calm,
After life's long battle, bright the victor's palm;
And the cross of anguish which now weighs us down,
We'll exchange in heaven for a shining crown."
A. Storms are often used to represent the battles of life that must be fought by God's people: 1 Tim. 6:12
B. However, after the storm of battle is over, we shall gain the victor's palm having overcome the world through faith: 1 Jn. 5:4
C. Then we shall exchange the cross of anguish for the shining crown: Jas. 1:12
CONCL.: The chorus urges us to endure through the dark waves until we can rest under the shade of the eternal tree of life.
"Though the dark waves roll high, we will be undismayed.
'Let us pass over the river, And rest under the shade,
Rest under the shade, rest under the shade of the trees.'"
Of course, there is more to do in this life than just sit around waiting for it to end so that we can go to heaven. However, as we grow older and come closer to the time when death will overtake us, Christians can look forward to the eternal rest that God has prepared for His people and encourage one another by saying, "Let Us Pass Over the River."
"LET THE WHOLE CREATION CRY"
"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude....saying, Alleluia! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" (Rev. 19:6)
INTRO.: A hymn that is filled with commitment to praise the Lord is "Let the Whole Creation Cry." The text was written by Stopford Augustus Brooke, who was born on Nov. 14, 1832, at Glendoen, Letterkenney, in Donegal, Ireland. Educated at Kingstown in Kidder minster, he attended Trinity College where he won the Downes Prize and the Vice Chancellor's prize for English verse, graduating with a B. A. in 1856 and an M. A. in 1858. Becoming an Anglican minister, he served at St. Matthews in Marylebone from 1857 to 1859 and then at St. Mary Abbots in Kensington from 1860 to 1863. After working as chaplain to the British Embassy in Berlin, Germany, from 1863 to 1865, he was minister at St. James Chapel, York St. in London from 1866 to 1875, and was appointed as Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen in 1872. Some of his written works include the Life and Letters of the Late F. W. Robertson in 1865, Theology in the English Poets in 1874, and Primer of English Literature in 1876.
In 1876, Brooke leased Bedford Chapel, where he continued to preach until his retirement in 1894. Withdrawing from the Church of England in 1880, he became an independent because of his liberal views, but although he had Unitarian leanings he never joined any denomination. In 1881, he prepared Christian Hymns for use in the congregation, and it included this hymn entitled "Invitation to Praise God" originally in ten four-line stanzas, loosely based on Psalm 148. His later works include Poems in 1888 and A Treasury of Irish Poetry in the English Tongue around 1900, and his death occurred on Mar. 18, 1916 at The Four Winds, Ewhurst, in Surrey, England. He refused to copyright his hymns, saying, "They are free, as I think all hymns ought to be, for the use of anyone who may care for them." A couple of melodies have been used with this one. The traditional tune (Salzburg) dates from 1678, is attributed to Jacob Hintze, and was harmonized by Johann Sebastian Bach. It requires the stanzas to be combined into eight-line stanzas.
Most modern books set the song to an 1817 Welsh tune (Llanfair) composed by Robert Williams and arranged by John Roberts. It is a wonderful melody but the vast majority of books use it with the anonymous Latin hymn "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today." However, I like the "Alleluia"s, which are not used with the Hintze melody, so I provided my own tune (Shakamak) in imitation of Welsh hymn melodies. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the text is found in the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann with the Hintze tune; and in the 1998 Hymn Supplement published by The Columbia Hymn Association Supplement, the 2007 Hymns for Worship Supplement edited by R. J. Stevens et. al, and the 2007 Sumphonia Hymn Supplement from Guardian of Truth Foundation edited by Steve Wolfgang et. al., all three with the Williams tune.
The song calls upon all of God's creation to praise God and sing "Alleluia!" to Him.
I. Stanza 2 is addressed to heaven and earth
"Let the whole creation cry: Alleluia!
'Glory to the Lord on high!' Alleluia!
Heaven and earth, awake and sing: Alleluia!
'God is good and therefore King!' Alleluia!"
A. The whole creation includes everything in the physical universe because made it all: Exo. 20:11
B. The whole creation should give God the glory: Ps. 29:1-2
C. Heaven and earth should awake and sing because God created them: Gen. 1:1. Evidently editors have felt the need to do a lot of tinkering with this song. For the last line, one book reads, "Praise to our almighty King," another reads, "God is God and therefore King," and still another reads, "God is good and reigns supreme."
II. Stanza 2 is addressed to the heavenly hosts both spiritual and physical
"Praise Him, all ye hosts above: Alleluia!
Ever bright and fair in love: Alleluia!
Sun and moon, uplift your voice: Alleluia!
Night and stars, in God rejoice! Alleluia!"
A. The heavenly hosts are told to praise the Lord: Ps. 103:20-21
B. The sun and moon are also told to lift up their voice: Ps. 148:3-4
C. Even the night and stars are told to join in declaring God's glory: Ps. 19:1-3. Again, tinkering has occurred. In the first line, one book reads, "Praise Him, angel hosts above," and another reads, "Praise God, heavenly hosts above." Many books change "uplift" in the third line to "lift up."
III. Stanza 3 is addressed to God's people
"Warriors fighting for the Lord: Alleluia!
Prophets burning with His word: Alleluia!
Those to whom the arts belong: Alleluia!
Add their voices to the song: Alleluia!"
A. All Christians are to be soldiers or warriors of Christ: Eph. 6:10-13 (books have changed this to "Christians fighting" or even to "Rulers bowing to")
B. There are no longer prophets today, those who are directly guided by the Holy Spirit to reveal God's word to mankind, but all Christians are to be teachers: Heb. 5:12
C. "The arts" here may refer to more than just things like painting, sculpture, music, and poetry, but to anything made by "artisans," and since all able Christians are to work at some trade, they should glorify God even in their work: Col. 3:22-24 (more tinkering--some books have the last line read, "Join the rushing of the song")
IV. Stanza 4 is addressed to those in civil authority
"Kings of knowledge and of law: Alleluia!
To the glorious circle draw: Alleluia!
All who work and all who wait: Alleluia!
Sing, 'The Lord is good and great!' Alleluia!"
A. While it is true that not many do or have done so, even kings and other rulers should praise the Lord: Ps. 148:11 (some books read simply, "Those of knowledge and of law")
B. They should to His glorious circle draw rather than setting themselves against the Lord: Ps. 2:1-3
C. Indeed, all who work and all who wait in the civil affairs of this life should acknowledge God: Dan. 4:36-37
V. Stanza 5 is addressed to all of mankind
"Men and women, young and old: Alleluia!
Raise the anthem manifold: Alleluia!
And let children's happy hearts: Alleluia!
In this worship bear their parts: Alleluia!"
A. Both men and women are encouraged to praise God, just as the Lord promised to pour out of His Spirit on both male and female: Joel 2:28-29
B. Both young and old are encouraged to praise God: Ps. 148:12
C. Even children are encouraged to praise God: Ps. 8:2 (again, more tinkering; in the second line, one book reads, "Raise the anthem loud and bold;" in the third line, some books read "Children, with your happy hearts;" and in the last line one book reads, "take their parts," while others read, "sing your parts.")
VI. Stanza 6 is addressed to the entire world
"From the north to southern pole: Alleluia!
Let the mighty chorus roll: Alleluia!
'Holy, holy, holy One: Alleluia!
Glory be to God alone!' Alleluia!"
A. The entire world from north to south should praise God: Ps. 89:11-12
B. The entire world should sing "Holy, Holy, Holy": Isa. 6:3
C. The entire world should give glory to God alone: 1 Pet. 3:10-11
CONCL.: Both the 1998 Hymn Supplement from The Columbia Hymn Association and the 2007 Sumphonia Hymn Supplement say of this hymn that it "calls for praise to God from all sources. This hymn depicts all created things, all heavenly beings, and all people singing praise to the Lord (Psa. 148:1-14, Rev. 19:1-6)." Truly, as our own hearts are filled with praise for all that God has done for us, we should declare to the entire world in singing alleluia, "Let the Whole Creation Cry."
"LET EVERY HEART REJOICE AND SING"
"O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever" (Ps. 136:1)
INTRO.: A hymn which encourage us to give thanks to the Lord because He is good and His mercy endures forever is "Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing." The text was written by Henry Stevenson Washburne (or Washburn), who was born at Providence, RI, on June 10, 1813, and spent his early years in Kingston, MA. After he had finished his education at the local grammar school, he worked in a bookstore at Boston, MA. Then he later attended Worcester Academy and entered Brown University to study law; one source says that he received no degree because of health problems but another said that he graduated in 1836. The following year he married Maria Carlisle Loring, and to their union were born five children. Active in various enterprises of the Baptist Church, he later became the director of publications with the New England Sabbath School Union for a time, where he originated the Young Reaper of which he was the editor for seven years, and then entered business at Worcester and Boston. Ultimately, he was employed by the Union Mutual Life Insurance Company where he rose to become president of the firm. Also, he served on the Boston School Board for nine years, was state representative from 1871 to 1872, and served one year as state senate in 1873 where he was the chairman of the committee on education. In 1876, he made a three year trip to Europe where he surveyed the condition of the insurance business for his company. His wife died in 1900, and Washburne himself died at Boston in 1903.
Washburne produced many poems and hymns which were widely circulated in his day. Little is known about the origin of "Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing." It is dated 1842. Sometime during or after the Civil War, he wrote a poem entitled "The Vacant Chair" to commemorate the death of an eighteen year old Union Army lieutenant who was killed in action around Thanksgiving of 1861. It, along with several other of his poems, were published as The Vacant Chair and Other Poems in 1895. That volume contained the following poem by Washburne entitled "Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing" with the note that it was "Sung by children of the Sabbath Schools of Boston in Fanueil Hall, July 4, 1842." However, it is somewhat different from the hymn as we have it.
1. "Let every heart rejoice and sing, Let the swelling chorus rise:
Ye reverend men and children, bring To God your sacrifice:
Whilst the breath of the morning floateth Along our valleys fair,
And the song of gladness riseth, Upon the dewy air--
While the rocks and the rills, While the vales and the hills,
A glorious anthem raise-- Let each prolong
The grateful song, And the God of our fathers praise!"
2. "Where first the voice of freedom Was heard in days of yore,
Now let the children's children Repeat that song once more;
While our country's banner o'er us Still waveth proudly free,
Oh, let the exulting chorus Ascend, great God, to thee:
While the rocks and the rills, While the vales and the hills,
A glorious anthem raise-- Let each prolong
The grateful song, And the God of our fathers praise!"
Forrest M. McCann in Hymns and History says that the text, presumably as we know it, was first published in The Psalmist, A New Collection of Hymns for the Use of Baptist Churches edited by Baron Stow and S. F. Smith at Boston for Kendall and Lincoln in 1843. Perhaps Washburne himself, or someone else, altered his original text to make it more suitable for general worship. The tune (Washburne) was composed by George Job Elvey (1803-1887). It is dated 1848, but I have found nothing about the circumstances of its composition. Some have suggested that it might have been a singing school exercise. Among hymnbooks published by brethren during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1), the 1948 Christian Hymns No. 2, and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 all edited by L. O. Sanderson; the 1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater; the 1965 Great Christian Hymnal No. 2 edited by Tillit S. Teddlie; and the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons. Today, it may be found in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C. Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H. Howard; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E. Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; as well as the 2007 Sacred Songs of the Church edited by William D. Jeffcoat. All of these have but two stanzas and a rather long chorus. I have taken the first four lines of the chorus to make a third stanza, and then begun the chorus with "While the rocks and the rills," which seems to be in harmony with Washburne's original poem.
The song suggests several ideas related to praising God.
I. Stanza 1 indicates who should praise
"Let every heart rejoice and sing, Let choral anthems rise;
Ye aged men and children bring To God your sacrifice."
A. Every heart is encouraged to sing praise to the Lord: Ps. 150:6
B. This includes both aged men and children: Ps. 148:12-13
C. In doing so, we bring to God the sacrifice of praise continually: Heb. 13:15
II. Stanza 2 indicates how we should praise
"He bids the sun to rise and set; In heaven His power is known;
And earth subdued to Him shall yet Bow low before His throne."
A. Even the sun rising and setting in obedience to God's will declares the glory of God: Ps. 19:1-6
B. God wants the earth likewise to be subdued to Him: Ps. 66:1-4
C. Thus, one way way that we praise the Lord is to bow low before His throne: Ps. 95:1-6
III. Stanza 3 indicates why we should praise
"For He is good, the Lord is good, And kind are all His ways;
With songs and honors sounding loud, The Lord Jehovah praise."
A. We should praise the Lord for He is good: Ps. 100:4-5
B. Also, we should praise the Lord for His ways are kind: Ps. 117:1-2
C. Therefore, Jehovah should be praised with songs and honors sounding loud: Ps. 69:30
CONCL.: The chorus then encourages both the inanimate and the intelligent creation to prolong the grateful song of praise to God.
"While the rocks and the rills, While the vales and the hills
A glorious anthem raise;
Let each prolong the grateful song,
And the God of our fathers praise, And the God of our fathers praise."
This song sounds very Psalm-like, but other than the general scripture references that some hymnbooks use with hymns, I could find no confirmation that it might have been based on a specific Psalm (although it does sound a little like the first few verses of Psalm 136). When we think of all that God has done for us--both the physical blessings of this earth that He has bestowed upon the whole world to provide for all our needs and the redemption that He offers to sinful mankind through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross--we should certainly want to lift our voices in praise to Him as we "Let Every Heart Rejoice and Sing."
“LEAD ME HOME”
“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments” (Ps. 119:176)
INTRO.: A song which points out that we are like lost sheep which need the guidance of a shepherd to return to the fold is “Lead Me Home.” The text, based on Ps. 119:169-176 in four stanzas, is taken from The Psalter 1912. Several tunes have been used or suggested with the words. The first three stanzas were taken, with the fourth as a chorus, and a new tune was composed both by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1856-1932). The song is listed as copyright 1931 by the Gospel Advocate Publishing Co. Gabriel had compiled or assisted in the compilation of at least a couple of hymnbooks for the Gospel Advocate Co, including the 1907 New Christian Hymn Book with T. B. Larimore, and the 1923 Song Sunbeams. At least one other song by Gabriel in the latter is also later listed as copyright 1931 by the Gospel Advocate Publishing Co., although “Lead Me Home” does not appear in the table of contents of Song Sunbeams. Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1) edited by L. O. Sanderson.
The song asks the Lord to hear our prayer, help us, give us salvation, and lead us to His home.
I. Stanza 1 calls upon God to listen to our cry
“O let my supplicating cry By Thee, my gracious Lord , be heard;
Give wisdom and deliver me According to Thy faithful word.”
A. The idea of supplicating suggests asking for humbly as by prayer or making a humble request of someone: Ps. 6:9
B. What the Psalmist is asking humbly for is wisdom to deliver him: Ps. 7:1
C. Of course, this wisdom for deliverance will be according to God’s faithful word: Ps. 119:9
II. Stanza 2 seeks the Lord’s help
“Instructed in Thy holy law, To praise Thy word I lift my voice;
O Lord, be Thou my present help, For Thy commandments are my choice.”
A. To receive the Lord’s help, we must be instructed by His law: Ps. 119:97
B. Then we can look upon Him as a very present help in time of trouble: Ps. 46:1
C. With this attitude, we will always make His commandments our choice: Ps. 112:1
III. Stanza 3 longs for salvation
“For Thy salvation I have longed, And in Thy law is my delight;
Enrich my soul with life divine, And help me by Thy judgments right.”
A. We can rejoice in the salvation that God offers mankind: Ps. 9:14
B. Thus, we look to God to enrich our souls with life divine: Ps. 16:11
C. But to receive these blessings, we must follow God’s judgments: Ps. 119:62
CONCL.: The chorus concludes with a request for the Lord to lead us like a shepherd leads his sheep.
“Thy servant like a wandering sheep May lose the path and go astray;
Restore my soul and lead me home, For Thy commands I would obey.”
The original second line of the chorus (stanza 4) read, “Has lost the path and gone astray.” Even in a day and time when God did operate directly in some instances, the Psalmist understood that the primary way in which God provided guidance for His people was through His written word. Therefore, today as I seek the guidance of the Lord in my life, I must look to His written word as I ask Him to “Lead Me Home.”
"JUST FOR TODAY"
"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself" (Matt. 6:34)
INTRO.: A hymn which encourages us not to be anxious for the morrow because the morrow will take care of itself is "Just for Today." The text was written by Sybil Farish Partridge, who was born around 1856 at London in Middlesex, England. Originally in eight four-line stanzas, it is dated 1876 and first appeared in the Jan., 1880, issue of The Messenger of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1881, she was a governess of a school in Liverpool while living in the convent of Notre Dame on Mount Pleasant. Frederick M. Steele, a Presbyterian minister from Chicago, IL, visited her, know then only as Sister Mary Xavier or S. M. X., to meet the author of "Lord, for tomorrow and its needs." She gave him her name but said, "It would be my preference that the great world outside should not know it till after I am gone." Sometimes the author's name is erroneously listed as E. R. Wilberforce. The text's first appearance in America seems to have been in the 1888 Songs of Rejoicing edited by Fred A. Fillmore.
In the Nov. 11, 1920, issue of The Continental, Lee wrote of his earlier visit with Partridge, saying, "I learn she recently has passed away, so I am at liberty now to tell the story." Thus, she must have died somewhere around 1910 to 1920, probably at the convent of Notre Dame in Liverpool, England. The tune (Vincent) most commonly used was composed for this text by Horatio Richmond Palmer (1834-1907). Though copyrighted in 1887, it first appeared in his 1892 Garnered Gems of Sunday School Song. Palmer is best remembered for "Yield Not to Temptation." Among hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, a version of "Just For Today" appeared in the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 with both words and music arranged by editor Lloyd Otis Sanderson (1901-1992). The same tune was used in the 1925 edition of the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great Songs of the Church No. 2 with Robert Walmsley's hymn "The Sun Declines O'er Land and Sea."
The song makes several requests of the Lord for each day.
I. Stanza 1 asks for help with our speech
"Lord, for tomorrow and its need, I do not pray;
Keep me, my God, from stain of sin, Just for today.
Let me no wrong or idle word Unthinking say;
Set Thou a seal upon my lips, Just for today."
A. There are many ways to sin, and we should ask God to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one: Matt. 6:13
B. One way that we often sin is by allowing wrong or idle words to proceed from our mouths: Matt. 12:36-37
C. Therefore, like the Psalmist, we should ask God to set a seal upon our lips: Ps. 141:3
II. Stanza 2 asks for help to be faithful in work
"Let me both diligently work, And duly pray;
Let me be kind in word and deed, Just for today.
Let me in season, Lord, be grave, In season gay;
Let me be faithful to Thy grace, Just for today."
A. We need to watch and pray and also work for the Lord: Matt. 26:41, 1 Cor. 15:58
B. In this work, we need to strive to be kind in word and deed: Eph. 4:31-32
C. There are times when we should be grave and others when we should be gay (some change these lines to read, "Let me in season, Lord, go foth, In season stay"), but in all our work we must strive to be faithful to the Lord: Rev. 2:10
III. Stanza 3 asks for help to be obedient
"And if, today, this life of mine Should ebb away
Give me Thy sacrament divine, Father, today.
Let me be slow to do my will, Prompt to obey;
Help me to sacrifice myself, Just for today."
A. As we grow older, our lives begin to ebb away as we see the night approaching: Jn. 9:4. The use of the word "sacrament" is indicative of the author's Roman Catholic background and suggests the rites of the Roman Catholic Church. It could be altered simply to read "Give me Thy love and grace divine."
B. Whether young or old, it should be our aim to be slow to do our own will and prompt to obey God's will: Matt. 26:39, Heb. 5:8-9
C. Thus, we should strive to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God throughout our lives on earth: Rom. 12:1-2
IV. Stanza 4 asks for help in going to heaven
"In pain and sorrow's cleansing fires, Brief be my stay;
O bid me, if today I die, Come home today.
So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
But keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, Just for today."
A. However long we live on earth, there will be pain and sorrow, and life is brief: Job 14:1
B. Eventually, we shall die (and it could even be today), so we should live so that when that occurs we can go home to be with Christ: Phil. 1:20-23
C. To prepare for this, we need to ask the Lord to keep and guide us every day: Ps. 48:14
CONCL.: This song once seemed to be quite popular. Among other books in my collection, I have seen it in the 1927 Church Hymnal Mennonite edited by J. D. Brunk; the 1939 Christian Service Songs published by Homer Rodeheaver, and the 1940 Broadman Hymnal edited by Benjamin B. McKinney. The text also was found in the 1937 New Hymnal for American Youth with a 1906 tune (Belleville) composed by James Edmund Jones. It is a shame that it has not been used in more of our books, because it expresses several wonderful thoughts about what we need from the Lord "Just For Today."