Hymns with a Nature theme feature today, as well as a couple of hymns by 18th century newspaper editor and poet James Montgomery. Find out why he ended up in prison - twice.
Lake Matheson just after the sunrise Photo: CC-BY-SA-3.0, Sebastian Mrogex
SONG: MORNING HAS BROKEN
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne/Michael Leighton-Jones
Words/Music: Farjeon/Trad arr Michael Leighton-Jones
Recording: ABC 476509
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
SONG: FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Pierpoint/Evans
Recording: Hyperion 711210
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Refrain:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Refrain:
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Refrain:
For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n:
Refrain:
SONG: AMAZING GRACE
Artist: Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Words/Music: Newton/Trad
Recording: Bonneville 519602
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound.
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind but now I see.
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved:
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound.
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: 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: HOLY GOD, WE PRAISE YOUR NAME
Artist: The Kolbe Singers
Words/Music: Walworth/Anon
Recording: Private
Holy God, we praise your name;
Lord of all, we bow before you.
All on earth your scepter claim;
all in heaven above adore you.
Infinite your vast domain,
everlasting is your reign.
Hark! The glad celestial hymn
angel choirs above are raising;
cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord:
“Holy, holy, holy Lord!”
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name you,
while in essence only one;
undivided God we claim you,
and adoring, bend the knee
while we own the mystery.
Spare Thy people, Lord, we pray,
by a thousand snares surrounded:
keep us without sin today,
never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
never, Lord, abandon me.
SONG: O CHRIST THE SAME
Artist: Llandaff Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: Dudley-Smith/Trad
Recording: Priory PRCD 719
O Christ the same, through all our story's pages--
our loves and hopes, our failures and our fears;
eternal Lord, the King of all the ages,
unchanging still, amid the passing years:
O living Word, the source of all creation,
who spread the skies, and set the stars ablaze;
O Christ the same, who wrought our whole salvation,
we bring our thanks for all our yesterdays.
O Christ the same, the friend of sinners, sharing
our inmost thoughts, the secrets none can hide;
still as of old upon your body bearing
the marks of love, in triumph glorified:
O Son of Man, who stooped for us from heaven,
O Prince of life, in all your saving power,
O Christ the same, to whom our hearts are given,
we bring our thanks for this the present hour.
O Christ the same, secure within whose keeping
our lives and loves, our days and years remain,
our work and rest, our waking and our sleeping,
our calm and storm, our pleasure and our pain:
O Lord of love, for all our joys and sorrows,
for all our hopes, when earth shall fade and flee,
O Christ the same, beyond our brief tomorrows,
we bring our thanks for all that is to be.
SONG: O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: C Wesley/C H Parry
Recording: Signum 2006
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace! [last line x 4]
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro' all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name. [last line x 4]
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
that bids our sorrows cease,
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace. [last line x 4]
Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, ye dumb
your loosened tongues employ,
your loosened tongues employ
ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
and leap ye lame for joy! [last line x 4]
In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
Anticipate your heaven below
And own that love is heaven. [last line x 4]
