It’s the first Sunday of Lent – the period in the liturgical calendar of preparation for Easter. Hymns include Forty days and forty nights, and a beautiful Lenten anthem by 16th Century English composer Richard Farrant: Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake.
Photo: RNZ/Paul Bushnell
SONG: I WILL SING THE WONDROUS STORY
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry, Paul Leddington Wright (dir)
Words/Music: Francis Rowley/Rowland Prichard
Recording: Integrity 2011
I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me.
How He left the realms of glory
For the cross of Calvary.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
Days of darkness still may meet me
Sorrow’s paths I oft may tread.
But His presence still is with me
By His guiding hand I’m led.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
He will keep me till the river
Rolls its water at my feet;
Then He'll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.
Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.
SONG: GOD IS LOVE, LET HEAV’N ADORE HIM
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Timothy Rees/Anthony Caesar
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
God is love: let heaven adore him;
God is love: let earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the earth's foundation,
he who spread the heavens above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love eternal love.
God is love, and is enfolding
all the world in one embrace;
with unfailing grasp is holding
every child of every race;
and when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow's iron rod,
that same sorrow, that same aching
wrings with pain the heart of God,
God is love: and though with blindness
sin afflicts and clouds the will,
God's eternal loving-kindness
holds us fast and guides us still.
Sin and death and hell shall never
o'er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so Love for ever
o'er the universe must reign.
SONG: FORTY DAY AND FORTY NIGHTS
Artist: Choir of Gloucester Cathedral, David Briggs (dir), Ian Ball (organ)
Words/Music: George Smyttan adapted Potts/Herbst
Recording: Priory PRCD 704
Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.
Sunbeams scorching all the day,
Chilly dewdrops nightly shed,
Prowling beasts about thy way,
Stones thy pillow, earth thy bed.
Let us thine endurance share,
And awhile from joys abstain,
With thee watching unto prayer,
Strong with thee to suffer pain.
And if Satan, vexing sore,
Flesh or spirit should assail,
Thou, his vanquisher before,
Grant we may not faint or fail.
So shall we have peace divine,
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us too shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to thee.
Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
Ever constant by thy side;
That with thee we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.
SONG: LORD, FOR THY TENDER MERCY’S SAKE
Artist: Voices of Ascension, Denis Keene (dir)
Words/Music: Richard Farrant
Recording: Delos DE 3227
Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake,
lay not our sins to our charge,
but forgive that is past
and give us grace to amend our sinful lives;
to decline from sin and incline to virtue,
that we may walk in a perfect heart
before thee now and evermore.
Amen.
SONG: HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?
Artist: Con Anima (St Patrick’s College, Wellington), Roger Powdrell (dir), Nick Field (oboe), Lance Mundy (piano)
Words/Music: Robert Lowry
Recording: Private 1469
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: SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Words/Music: Robert Lowry/Traditional
Recording: OCP
Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain:
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river
gathered with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
Soon we'll reach the shining river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.
Refrain:
SONG: FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS
Artist: Choir of St John’s Cathedral, Napier
Words/Music: Fred Kaan
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: DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Words/Music: John Greenleaf Whittier/Hubert Parry
Recording: Helios CDH 88036
Dear Lord and father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise,
In deeper reverence, praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow thee,
Rise up and follow thee.
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace,
The beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm,
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm,
O still small voice of calm!
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce/John Rosser
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith:
trouble may break us,
grief overtake us,
sickness and death,
this is our creed:
no place so distant
God is not present,
knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day,
angel and devil,
danger and evil
make their own play;
God's love is sure,
unseen but seeing
heart of our being,
comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone,
though human error,
turmoil or terror
shake every bone,
hope is our song:
hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus,
where we belong,
Refrain:
