Some hymns to celebrate the ever-increasing signs of Spring; Henry Baker's setting of Psalm 23 The king of love my shepherd is; and a 7-verse rendition of Charles Wesley's O for a thousand tongues by the St Michael Singers, Coventry Cathedral.
St Dunstan's Church, Clyde, Central Otago Photo: Benchill, Creative Commons
SONG: WHEN IN OUR MUSIC GOD IS GLORIFIED
Artist: Winchester College Chapel Choir, Malcolm Archer (dir), Jamal Sutton (organ)
Words/Music: Green/Stanford
Recording: Convivium Records 2015
When in our music God is glorified,
and adoration leaves no room for pride,
it is as though the whole creation cried:
Alleluia!
How often, making music, we have found
a new dimension in the world of sound,
as worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!
So has the church, in spoken word and song,
in faith and love, through centuries of wrong,
borne witness to the truth in every tongue:
Alleluia!
And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night
when utmost evil strove against the light?
Then let us sing, for whom he won the fight:
Alleluia!
Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always:
Alleluia!
SONG: FOR ALL THE SAINTS
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: How/Vaughan Williams
Recording: Hyperion 711210
For all the saints, who from their labours rest;
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
SONG: PSALM 150
Artist: Winchester College Chapel Choir, Malcolm Archer (dir), Jamal Sutton (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 150/Stanford
Recording: Convivium Records 2015
O praise God in his holiness praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him in his noble acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: praise him upon the lute and harp.
Praise him in the cymbals and dances: praise him upon the strings and pipe.
Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: praise him upon the loud cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath: praise the Lord.
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: THE SPRING HAS COME
Artist: Choir of St John’s Cathedral, Napier
Words/Music: Murray/Gibson
Recording: Private CD 814
The spring has come, let all the church be part of it!
The world has changed, and God is at the heart of it!
New light, new day, new colour after winter grey,
new light, new day, the spring has come,
let all the church be part of it!
The sun is warm, let all God's children play in it!
The world expands, let's spread the gospel way in it!
New leaf, new thrust, new greening for the love of Christ,
new leaf, new thrust, the sun is warm,
let all God's children play in it!
The spring has come, new people are the flowers of it!
Through wind and rain, new life is in the showers of it!
New bud, new shoot, new hope will bear the Spirit's fruit,
new bud, new shoot, the spring has come,
new people are the flowers of it!
SONG: FAIREST LORD JESUS
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Anon/Trad
Recording: Marquis 181175
Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O thou of God and man the Son,
thee will I cherish, thee will I honour,
thou, my soul's glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,
and fair the twinkling, starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
wondrously, Jesus, is found in thee;
none can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
than thou, my Saviour, art to me.
SONG: THE KING OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Baker/Dykes
Recording: Griffin GGCD 4010
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
SONG: HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING
Artist: The Birralee Blokes, Paul Holley (dir), Ashreya Ward (oboe), Justine Favell (piano)
Words/Music: Lowry
Recording: ABC 476509
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
SONG: O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral, Paul Leddington-Wright (dir)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Jarman arr Leddington-Wright
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 583
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]
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]
See all your sins on Jesus laid
the Lamb of God was slain
the Lamb of God was slain
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man. [last line x 4]
He breaks the power of cancell'd sin,
He sets the prisoner free
He sets the prisoner free
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avail'd for me. [last line x 4]
He speaks, - and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive
new life the dead receive
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice
The humble poor believe. [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]
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim
assist me to proclaim
To spread through all the world abroad
The honours of Thy name. [last line x 4]
