A selection of traditional and modern hymns. Today we've the first of our Summer Requests programmes, with favourite hymns including All things bright and beautiful, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, and Guide me, O thou great Jehovah.
Lupins at Lake Tekapo Photo: Khootkheng, Creative Commons
SONG: CHRIST TRIUMPHANT, EVER REIGNING
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Saward/Barnard
Recording: Hyperion 711210
Christ triumphant ever reigning,
Saviour, master, king,
Lord of heav'n, our lives sustaining,
Hear us as we sing:
Refrain
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown,
the eternal name.
Word incarnate, truth revealing,
Son of man on earth!
Power and majesty concealing
By your humble birth:
Refrain
Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated,
Victim crucified!
Death is through the Cross defeated,
Sinners justified:
Refrain
Priestly king, enthroned for ever
High in heaven above!
Sin and death and hell shall never
Stifle hymns of love:
Refrain
So, our hearts and voices raising
Through the ages long,
Ceaselessly upon you gazing,
This shall be our song:
Refrain
SONG: ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
Artist: Cantillation
Words/Music: Alexander/Monk
Recording: ABC 476509
Refrain
All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors;
He made their tiny wings.
Refrain
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
Refrain
The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky:
Refrain
He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.
Refrain
SONG: FAR ABOVE THE HIGHEST HEAVEN
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: C Wesley/Wyn Morris
Recording: Decca 448684
Far above in highest heaven, Jesus reigns, our Lord and King:
He His life for us has given, He did life eternal bring:
Sing, then children, sing with gladness, Loud let grateful anthems ring:
Jesus is the children’s Saviour, Jesus is the children’s King.
Once on earth the children praised Him, and ‘hosanna’ was their cry;
Now that God to heav’n has raised Him, loud they praise Him in the sky:
Shout, then, children, shout your praises, Loud let grateful anthems ring:
Jesus is the children’s Saviour, Jesus is the children’s King.
Come, then, early, come to Jesus, As the children did of old:
He from sin and sorrow frees us, never will His love grow cold:
Daily let us learn to love Him, daily let us join to sing
Praises to our Lord and Saviour, praises to the children’s King.
SONG: DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND
Artist: St Paul’s Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: Whittier/Parry
Recording: Helios CDH 88036
Dear Lord and father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow thee.
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm,
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fires,
O still small voice of calm!
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: St Clement’s Choir, Philadelphia
Words/Music: C Wesley/Stainer
Recording: Dorian 790259
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
SONG: FIRMLY I BELIEVE AND TRULY
Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: Newman/SS Wesley
Recording: Move 743142
Firmly I believe and truly
God is three, and God is one;
And I next acknowledge duly
Manhood taken by the son.
And I trust and hope most fully
In that manhood crucified;
And each thought and deed unruly
Do to death, as he has died.
Simply to his grace and wholly
Light and life and strength belong,
And I love supremely, solely,
Him the holy, him the strong.
Adoration aye be given,
With and through the angelic host,
To the God of earth and heaven,
Father, son and Holy Ghost.
GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
Artist: Morriston Orpheus Choir
Words/Music: Williams/Hughes
Recording: Hallmark 300822
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream shall flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through;
strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
be thou still my help and shield
be thou still my help and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
bear me through the swelling torrent,
land me safe on Canaan's side;
songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee
I will ever give to thee.
SONG: CHRIST IS MADE THE SURE FOUNDATION
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donell (dir), Robert Quinney (organ)
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Purcell
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Christ is made the true foundation,
Christ the Head and Corner-stone,
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Sion's help for ever,
And her confidence alone.
All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.
To this temple, where we call Thee,
Come, O Lord of Hosts, to-day;
With Thy wonted loving-kindness,
Hear Thy servants as they pray;
And Thy fullest benediction
Shed within its walls alway.
Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain,
What they gain from Thee, for ever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.
Amen.
