Something for the shortest day in Hymns on Sunday this week - In the bleak midwinter. It's one of those snow-filled Northern hemisphere carols that sound best sung on a wintry day...
Photo: 123RF
SONG: WHEN IN OUR MUSIC GOD IS GLORIFIED
Artist: Choir of Winchester College Chapel
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: JESU, LOVER OF MY SOUL
Artist: St Chad’s Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: C Wesley/J Parry
Recording: Priory PRCD 723
Jesu, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none,
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
with the shadow of thy wing.
Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
freely let me take of thee;
Spring thou up within my heart;
rise to all eternity.
SONG: PSALM 96 (O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG)
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Andrew Lumsden (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 96/Peasgood
Recording: Virgin 545036
O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth.
Sing unto the Lord, and praise his name; be telling of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his honour unto the heathen, and his wonders unto all peoples.
For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised; he is more to be feared than all gods.
As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols; but it is the Lord that made the heavens.
Glory and worship are before him; power and honour are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the peoples, ascribe unto the Lord worship and power.
Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his name; bring presents, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King, and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; and how that he shall judge the peoples righteously.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.
For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; and with righteousness to judge the world, and the peoples with his truth.
SONG: O WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS
Artist: Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral
Words/Music: Monsall/Anon
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 205
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore him; the Lord is his Name!
Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.
Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine;
truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
these are the offerings to lay on His shrine.
These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
he will accept for the Name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before Him, His glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore him; the Lord is his Name!
SONG: JESU, JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING
Artist: Choir of Guildford Cathedral
Words/Music: Schop, Bach/Bridges
Recording: Word WSTCD 9705
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.
SONG: IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Rosetti/Holst
Recording: Integrity Music 2011
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim worship night and day,
A breastful of milk and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom Angels fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.
Angels and Archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But only His Mother in her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved with a kiss.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
SONG: COME, LET US JOIN OUR CHEERFUL SONG
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Watts/Norton
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 582
Come, let us join our cheerful songs
with angels round the throne;
ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
but all their joys are one.
'Worthy the Lamb that died,' they cry,
'to be exalted thus';
'Worthy the Lamb,' our lips reply,
'for he was slain for us.'
Jesus is worthy to receive
honour and power divine;
and blessings, more than we can give,
be, Lord, for ever thine.
The whole creation joins in one
to bless the sacred name
of him that sits upon the throne,
and to adore the Lamb.
SONG: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT REDEEMER
Artist: Choir of Ely Cathedral
Words/Music: Williams/Hughes
Recording: Priory PRCD 703
Guide me, O my great Redeemer,
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 till I want no more,
feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield,
be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's destruction,
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.
