Hymns on Sunday, 20 June 2021

Hymns to mark World Refugee Day and the start of Matariki feature in Hymns on Sunday this week.

Winter landscape in western Southland Photo: Ingolfson, Creative Commons

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: HOW SHALL I SING THAT MAJESTY

Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Mason/Naylor
Recording: Hyperion 112101

How shall I sing that Majesty
which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
sing, sing, ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
thy praise; but who am I?

Enlighten with faith's light my heart,
inflame it with love's fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
with that celestial choir.
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
Lord, treasure up my mite.

How great a being Lord, is thine,
which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
to sound so vast a deep.
Thou art a sea without a shore,
a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
thy place is everywhere.

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: TAMA NGAKAU MARIE

Artist: Te Roopu Waiata Maori
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: WEA 172870

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: CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT

Artist: OCP Session Choir
Words/Music: Bernadette Farrell
Recording: Journeysongs Vol 28

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.

Refrain:
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.

Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.
Refrain:

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.
Refrain:

SONG: FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS

Artist: Choir of St John’s Cathedral, Napier
Words/Music: Fred Kaan/attrib M Haydn
Recording: Private 807

For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing
of the things that earth affords;
To a life of love in action
help us rise and pledge our word.

All that kills abundant living,
let it from the earth be banned;
pride of status, race, or schooling,
dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice
may we hallow life's brief span.

You, Creator God, have written
your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness
bring the life of Christ to mind,
that by our response and service
earth its destiny may find.

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.