In our Hymn Requests programme today you can hear several hymns by Charles Wesley (and a tune by his grandson), as well as hymns inspired by the psalms. And we add 'Orlington' to the ever-growing collection of Psalm 23 settings.
SONG: CHRIST IS OUR CORNERSTONE
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Anon trans J Chandler/SS Wesley
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Christ is our corner-stone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints alone
The courts of heaven are filled,
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above.
O then with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring;
Our voices we will raise
The Three in One to sing;
And thus proclaim in joyful song,
Both loud and long that glorious name.
Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh;
In copious shower on all who pray,
Each holy day, Thy blessings pour.
Here may we gain from heaven
The grace which we implore;
And may that grace, once given,
Be with us evermore,
Until that day when all the blest
To endless rest are called away.
SONG: WHO WOULD TRUE VALOUR SEE
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Bunyan/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Griffin GGCD 224018
Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather.
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent,
To be a pilgrim.
Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He'll with a giant fight,
But he will have a right
To be a pilgrim.
Hobgoblin, nor foul fiend,
Can daunt his spirit:
He knows, he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He'll fear not what men say,
He'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
SONG: JESUS, THE NAME HIGH OVER ALL
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral, Paul Leddington-Wright (dir), David Poulter (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Philips
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 583
Jesus! the name high over all,
in hell or earth or sky;
angels and men before it fall,
and devils fear and fly
and devils fear and fly.
Jesus! the name to sinners dear,
the name to sinners given;
it scatters all their guilty fear,
it turns their hell to heaven
it turns their hell to heaven.
Jesus the prisoner's fetters breaks,
and bruises Satan's head;
pow'r into strengthless souls He speaks,
and life into the dead
and life into the dead.
Oh, that the world might taste and see,
the riches of His grace!
the arms of love that compass me,
would all mankind embrace
would all mankind embrace.
His only righteousness I show,
his saving truth proclaim:
'tis all my business here below,
to cry, Behold the Lamb!
to cry, Behold the Lamb!
Happy, if with my latest breath
I may but gasp His name:
preach Him to all, and cry in death,
"Behold, behold the Lamb!"
"Behold, behold the Lamb!"
SONG: ONE BREAD, ONE BODY
Artist: OCP session choir
Words/Music: John Foley, S.J.
Recording: Journeysongs Vol 3 2012
Refrain:
One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
one cup of blessing which we bless,
and we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.
Refrain:
SONG: PSALM 23 (ORLINGTON)
Artist: The Scottish Philharmonic Singers
Words/Music: Psalm 23/Campbell
Recording: Private 1469
The Lord's my shepherd; I'll not want.
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; He leadeth me
In pastures green; He leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again;
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
Within the paths of righteousness,
E'en for His own name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
For Thou art with me, and Thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
My head Thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God's house forevermore
And in God's house forevermore
My dwelling place shall be.
SONG: LIFT THINE EYES, FROM ELIJAH
Artist: Boys of King’s College Choir, Cambridge
Words/Music: Psalm 121/Mendelssohn
Recording: EMI 557896
Lift thine eyes, O lift thine eyes
To the mountains
Whence cometh help.
Thy help cometh from the Lord
From the maker of heaven and earth
He hath said thy foot shall not be moveth
Thy keeper will never slumber,
Never, will never slumber
Lift thine eyes, O lift thine eyes
To the mountains whence cometh help.
SONG: I LIFT MY EYES TO THE QUIET HILLS
Artist: Choir of All Souls, Langham Place, London
Words/Music: Dudley-Smith/Baughen, Crocker
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 936
I lift my eyes to the quiet hills
in the press of a busy day;
as green hills stand in a dusty land
so God is my strength and stay.
I lift my eyes to the quiet hills
to a calm that is mine to share;
secure and still in the Father's will
and kept by the Father's care.
I lift my eyes to the quiet hills
with a prayer as I turn to sleep;
by day, by night, thro' the dark and light
my Shepherd will guard his sheep.
I lift my eyes to the quiet hills
and my heart to the Father's throne;
in all my ways to the end of days
the Lord will preserve his own.
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
Words/Music: C Wesley/Stainer
Recording: Priory 723
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heav'n to earth come down:
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown:
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter ev'ry 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,
'til in heav'n we take our place,
'til we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
SONG: AND CAN IT BE
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Campbell
Recording: Marquis 181175
And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Saviour's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.