Sunday, 3 July 2016

SONG: PRAISE TO THE HOLIEST IN THE HEIGHT

Artist: Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
Words/Music: Newman/Dykes
Recording: Priory PRCD 376

Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.

O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.

O generous love! that he, who smote,
In man for man the foe,
The double agony in man
For man should undergo.

And in the garden secretly,
And on the cross on high,
Should teach his brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.

Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.

SONG: GOD IS OUR HOPE AND STRENGTH (PSALM 46)

Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Bill Ives (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 46/Luther
Recording: Marquis

God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved,
And though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea.

Though the waters thereof rage and swell,
And though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God:
The holy place of the tabernacle of the most highest.

God is in the midst of her therefore shall she not be removed:
God shall help her and that right early.
The heathen make much ado and the kingdoms are moved:
But God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.

O come hither and behold the works of the Lord:
What destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
He maketh wars to cease in all the world:
He breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder,
And burneth the chariots in the fire.

Be still then and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
World without end. Amen.

SONG: BE STILL, FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD

Artist: Lincoln Minster School Chamber Choir, Alex Prentice (dir), Charles Harrison (organ)
Words/Music: David Evans
Recording: Priory 2013

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here;
Come bow before him now
with reverence and fear:
In him no sin is found
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight
our radiant king of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace
No work too hard for him
In faith receive from him
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.

SONG: GOD OF GODS, WE SOUND HIS PRAISES

Artist: Choir of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
Words/Music: Dudley-Smith/Strover
Recording: RNZ Private CD 812

God of gods, we sound his praises,
highest heav'n its homage brings;
earth and all creation raises
glory to the King of kings.
Holy, holy, holy name him,
Lord of all his hosts proclaim him,
to the everlasting Father
every tongue in triumph sings.

Christians in their hearts enthrone him,
tell his praises wide abroad;
prophets, priests, apostles own him
martyrs' crown and saints' reward.
Three-in-one his glory sharing,
earth and heav'n his praise declaring,
praise the high majestic Father,
praise the everlasting Lord.

Hail the Christ, the King of glory,
he whose praise the angels cry,
born to share our human story,
love and labor, grieve and die.
By his cross his work completed,
sinners ransomed, death defeated,
in the glory of the Father
Christ ascended reigns on high.

Lord, we look for your returning,
teach us so to walk your ways,
hearts and minds your will discerning,
lives alight with joy and praise.
In your love and care enfold us,
by your constancy uphold us,
may your mercy, Lord and Father,
keep us now and all our days.

SONG: JESUS WHERE’ER THY PEOPLE MEET

Artist: St Michael Singers of Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Cowper/Knapp
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 599

Jesus, where'er thy people meet,
there they behold thy mercy-seat;
where'er they seek thee, thou art found,
and every place is hallowed ground.

For thou, within no walls confined,
inhabitest the humble mind;
such ever bring you where they come,
and going, take thee to their home.

Dear Shepherd of Thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim
The sweetness of Thy saving name.

Here may we prove the power of prayer
to strengthen faith and sweeten care,
to teach our faint desires to rise,
and bring all heaven before our eyes.

Lord, we are few, but thou art near;
nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear;
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
and make a thousand hearts thine own!

SONG: SAVIOUR, AGAIN TO THY DEAR NAME WE RAISE

Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: Eller/Hopkins. harmonized by Sullivan
Label: Hyperion 112105

Saviour, again to Thy dear Name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise;
Guard thou the lips from sin, the hears from shame,
That in this house have called upon thy name.

Grant us thy peace, Lord, through the coming night;
Turn thou for us its darkness into light;
From harm and danger keep thy children free,
For dark and light are both alike to thee.

Grant us thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Peace to thy church from error and from strife;
Peace to our land, the fruit of truth and love;
Peace in each heart, thy Spirit from above.

Thy peace in life, the balm of every pain;
Thy peace in death, the hope to rise again;
Then, when thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to thy eternal peace.

SONG: BY HIS HAND

Artist: International Staff Songsters of the Salvation Army
Words/Music: Gilmore/Mack
Recording: Salvationist Publishing & Supplies SPS 321

He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden's flowers bloom,
by waters calm, o'er troubled sea,
still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.
Refrain

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since 'tis my God that leadeth me.
Refrain

SONG: LORD, ENTHRONED IN HEAVENLY SPLENDOUR

Artist: Elora Festival Singers
Words/Music: Bourne/Willan
Label: NAXOS 8.557734

Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendor,
first-begotten from the dead.
Thou alone, our strong defender,
liftest up thy people's head.
Alleluia!
Jesus, true and living bread!

Here our humblest homage pay we,
here in loving reverence bow;
here for faith's discernment pray we,
lest we fail to know thee now.
Alleluia!
Thou art here, we ask not how.

Though the lowliest form doth veil thee
as of old in Bethlehem,
here as there thine angels hail thee,
branch and flower of Jesse's stem.
Alleluia!
We in worship join with them.

Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished
once for all when thou was slain,
in its fullness undiminished
shall for evermore remain.
Alleluia!
Cleansing souls from every stain.

Life-imparting heavenly manna,
stricken rock with streaming side,
heaven and earth with loud hosanna
worship thee, the lamb who died.
Alleluia!
Risen, ascended, glorified!