2 Oct 2016

Hymns on Sunday, 2 October 2016

From Hymns on Sunday, 7:30 am on 2 October 2016
Wilkinson River - confluence with Whitcombe River, New Zealand.

Wilkinson River - confluence with Whitcombe River, New Zealand. Photo: M Lawrie. Wikimedia Commons

A selection of traditional and modern hymns. The image of a river comes up in several of our hymns this week, which include Like A River Glorious, and Let Justice Roll Down Like A River.

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

SONG: O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST

Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Watts/attrib Croft
Recording: Griffin 224018

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:

Within the shadow of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.

O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while troubles last,
and our eternal home.

SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING

Artist: St Clement’s Choir, Philadelphia
Words/Music: C Wesley/Stainer
Recording: Dorian 790259

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every 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,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

SONG: LIKE A RIVER GLORIOUS

Artist: Scottish Festival Singers
Words/Music: Havergal/Mountain
Recording: Whole World Media Group

Like a river glorious is God's perfect peace,
over all victorious in its bright increase:
perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day;
perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah
Hearts are fully blessed
Finding, as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest.


Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.
Refrain:

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
Refrain:

SONG: LET JUSTICE ROLL DOWN LIKE A RIVER

Artist: Otago Girls’ High School Choir
Words/Music: Gibson/Gibson
Recording: RNZ CD 816

Refrain:
Let justice roll down like a river,
let justice flow  down to the sea;
let justice roll down like a river
let justice begin through me.


Justice for all who go hungry,
crying to God to be fed,
left in a world of abundance
to beg for a morsel of bread.
Refrain:

Justice for those who are homeless,
victims of war or of need,
trapped on the borders of nowhere,
lost in the canyons of greed.
Refrain:

Justice for all who are powerless,
yearning for freedom in vain,
plundered and robbed of their birth-right,
silently bearing their pain.
Refrain:

SONG: DEAR LORD AND FATHER OF MANKIND

Artist: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Simon Halsey (dir), Peter King (organ)
Words/Music: Whittier/Parry
Recording: Conifer 500521

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: LIKE A MIGHTY RIVER FLOWING

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

Like a mighty river flowing,
like a flower in beauty growing,
far beyond all human knowing
is the perfect peace of God.

Like the hills serene and even,
like the coursing clouds of heaven,
like the heart that's been forgiven
is the perfect peace of God.

Like the summer breezes playing,
like the tall trees softly swaying,
like the lips of silent praying
is the perfect peace of God.

Like the morning sun ascended,
like the scents of evening blended,
like a friendship never ended
is the perfect peace of God.

Like the azure ocean swelling,
like the jewel all-excelling,
far beyond our human telling
is the perfect peace of God.

SONG: GOD IS OUR HOPE AND STRENGTH (PSALM 46)

Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Bill Ives (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 46/Luther
Recording: Marquis

God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved,
And though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea.

Though the waters thereof rage and swell,
And though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God:
The holy place of the tabernacle of the most highest.

God is in the midst of her therefore shall she not be removed:
God shall help her and that right early.
The heathen make much ado and the kingdoms are moved:
But God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.

The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.

O come hither and behold the works of the Lord:
What destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
He maketh wars to cease in all the world:
He breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder,
And burneth the chariots in the fire.

Be still then and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
World without end. Amen.

SONG: GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN

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

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.

Saviour, if of Sion's city,
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Sion's children know.

 

This programme was first broadcast on 28 June 2015

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