It's the fifth Sunday in Lent, and in today's programme you can hear one of the great hymns for Lent and Holy Week: Samuel Crossman's My song is love unknown.
Misericords at Wells Cathedral. Photo: Image by Rodw, Wikimedia Commons
SONG: BE STILL FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Artist: Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral, David Price (dir), David Thorne (organ)
Words/Music: David Evans
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 205
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here;
Come bow before him now
with reverence and fear:
In him no sin is found
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight
our radiant king of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace
No work too hard for him
In faith receive from him
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.
SONG: O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Francis/Williams
Recording: RNZ 2020
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love;
leading onward, leading homeward
to my glorious rest above.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore!
How He watcheth o'er His loved ones,
died to call them all His own;
how for them He intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Love of every love the best:
vast the ocean of his blessing,
sweet the haven of his rest!
Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus,
very heaven of heavens to me,
and it lifts me up to glory,
evermore his face to see.
SONG: O LOVE, HOW DEEP, HOW BROAD, HOW HIGH
Artist: Sheffield Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: Webb/Schein
Recording: Priory PRCD 713
O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
it fills the heart with ecstasy,
that God, the son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals' sake!
He sent no angel to our race
of higher or of lower place,
but wore the robe of human frame
and he himself, to this world came.
For us baptised, for us he bore
his holy fast and hungered sore,
for us temptation sharp he knew;
for us the tempter overthrew.
For us to wicked men betrayed,
scourged, mocked, in crown of thorns arrayed,
for us he bore the cross’s death,
for us at length gave up his breath.
For us he rose from death again;
for us he went on high to reign;
for us he sent his spirit here,
to guide, to strengthen and to cheer.
All honour, laud, and glory be,
O Jesu, virgin-born, to thee,
All glory, as is ever meet,
To father and to paraclete.
SONG: MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN
Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora, Paul Halley (organ)
Words/Music: Crossman/Ireland
Recording: Naxos 8.572540
My song is love unknown,
My saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?
He came from his blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know:
But O! my friend, my friend indeed,
Who at my need his life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the way
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
They rise and needs will have
my dear Lord made away;
a murderer they save;
the Prince of Life they slay.
yet cheerful he to suffering goes
that he his foes from thence might free.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
SONG: JESU BLEIBET MEINE FREUDE
Artist: Albrecht Mayer (oboe), Trinity Baroque, The English Concert
Words/Music: Bach
Recording: Decca 478 1517
Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
darum laß' ich Jesum nicht
aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.
SONG: O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER
Artist: St Thomas Music Group
Words/Music: Berthier
Recording: Alliance Music
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer;
when I call answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer;
come and listen to me.
SONG: E TE ARIKI
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Trad/Wi-Patena Te Pairi
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust
E te Ariki,
Whakarongo mai rā ki a mātou,
E te Ariki,
Titiro mai rā ki a mātou,
Tēnei mātou Ō tamariki,
E whakapono Ana mātou,
Ki a koe
Auē! Auē!
Te matua te tamaiti.
Wairua tapu e.
Te matua te tamaiti.
Wairua tapu e.
[O Lord, listen to us. O Lord, look at us. This is us, your children. We believe in you.
The Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.]
SONG: ALL MY HOPE ON GOD IS FOUNDED
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew,
me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
newborn worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th’almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ, his son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall
