9 Sep 2018

Hymns on Sunday, 9 September 2018

From Hymns on Sunday, 7:30 am on 9 September 2018

Today's selection of traditional and modern hymns includes Reginald Heber's great Trinitarian hymn Holy, holy, holy as well as hymns by 19th century newspaper editor and poet James Montgomery. Sing along using the lyrics below.

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

A stormy Spring day on Sumner beach

A stormy Spring day on Sumner beach Photo: grumpylumixuser, Wikimedia Commons

SONG: HOLY! HOLY! HOLY

Artist: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
Words/Music: Heber/Dykes
Recording: Argo 414609
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert and art and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

SONG: STAND UP AND BLESS THE LORD

Artist: Coventry Singers
Words/Music: Montgomery/Lockhart
Recording: Mission Worship 2013

Stand up and bless the Lord,
All people of His choice;
Stand up and bless the Lord your God
With heart and soul and voice.

Though high above all praise,
Above all blessing high,
Who would not fear His holy name,
And laud and magnify?

Oh for the living flame
From His own altar brought,
To touch our lips our minds inspire,
And wing to heaven our thought!

God is our strength and song,
And His salvation ours;
Then be His love in Christ proclaimed
With all our ransomed powers.

Stand up and bless the Lord;
The Lord your God adore;
Stand up and bless His glorious name,
Henceforth forevermore.

SONG: HAIL TO THE LORD’S ANOINTED

Artist: Coventry Singers
Words/Music: Montgomery/Cruger
Recording: Mission Worship 2013

Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free;
To take away transgression and rule in equity.

He comes in succor speedy to those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy, and bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing, their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying, were precious in His sight.

To Him shall prayer unceasing and daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end:
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;
His Name shall stand forever, His Name to us is Love.

SONG: I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY

Artist: Scottish Festival Singers
Words/Music: Bonar/Dykes
Recording: Whole World Media Group

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found him in a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till traveling days are done.

SONG: OUR LIFE HAS ITS SEASONS

Artist: Otago Girls’ High School Choir
Words/Music: Murray/Gibson
Recording: Radio New Zealand recording

Our life has its seasons, and God has the reasons
why spring follows winter, and new leaves grow,
for there's a connection with our resurrection
that flowers will bud after frost and snow.

Refrain:
So there's never a time to stop believing,
there's never a time for hope to die,
there's never a time to stop loving,
these three things go on.


There's a time to be planting, a time to be plucking,
a time to be laughing, a time to weep,
a time to be building, a time to be breaking,
a time to be waking, a time to sleep.
Refrain

There's a time to be hurting, a time to be healing,
a time to be saving, a time to spend,
a time to be grieving, a time to be dancing,
a time for beginning, a time to end.
Refrain

SONG: I, THE LORD OF SEA AND SKY

Artist: Choirs of Knox Church and Knox College
Words/Music: Schutte
Recording: Hyperion 711210

I, the lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Refrain
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.


I, the lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?
Refrain

I the lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?
Refrain

SONG: LORD JESUS CHRIST, SHALL I STAND STILL

Artist: Choirs of Knox Church and Knox College, Dunedin
Words/Music: Maule, Bell/Trad
Recording: Praise Be CD

Lord Jesus Christ shall I stand still
And stare at You hung on the tree
Or shall I move to where You move
And die and live again for me
Shall I to sin and failure cling
Consorting with the guilt I hate
Or on Your shoulders shall I fling
The wrong I breed and contemplate.

Shall I Your story read and tell
To note Your mark on history
Or shall I make Your story mine
And live by faith and mystery
Shall I embrace the love You show
And covet this sweet holy thing
Or of that love shall my heart speak
My hands relate my being sing.

Shall I retreat from where You fall
And seek a safer path through life
Or shall I meet You in the world
Where peace is scarce injustice rife
Lord Jesus Christ the God who lives
To love and die and rise again
Make me the who and You the why
Your way the how and now the when.

SONG: GOD OF ETERNITY, LORD OF THE AGES

Artist: Choirs of Knox Church and Knox College, Dunedin
Words/Music: Merrington
Recording: Praise Be CD

[words unavailable due to copyright restrictions]

SONG: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD

Artist: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury (dir)
Words/Music: Rinkart trans Winkworth/Crüger
Recording: Argo 414609

Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

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