9 Oct 2016

Hymns on Sunday, 9 October 2016

From Hymns on Sunday, 7:30 am on 9 October 2016

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

St Francis addressing the birds - Giotto.

St Francis addressing the birds - Giotto. Photo: Creative Commons

A selection of traditional and modern hymns. In today's programme, a hymn about church unity (Thy Hand, O God, Has Guided), as well as some St Francis of Assisi-related hymns to mark the 12th century saint's feast day on 4 October.

SONG: THY HAND, O GOD, HAS GUIDED

Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Plumtre/Harwood
Recording: Hyperion 711210

Thy hand, O God, has guided
thy flock, from age to age;
the wondrous tale is written,
full clear, on every page;
our fathers owned thy goodness,
and we their deeds record;
and both of this bear witness:
one Church, one faith, one Lord.

Thy heralds brought glad tidings
to greatest, as to least;
they bade men rise, and hasten
to share the great King's feast;
and this was all their teaching,
in every deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming
one Church, one faith, one Lord.

Through many a day of darkness,
through many a scene of strife,
the faithful few fought bravely,
to guard the nation's life.
Their Gospel of redemption,
sin pardoned, man restored,
was all in this enfolded:
one Church, one faith, one Lord.

Thy mercy will not fail us,
nor leave thy work undone;
with thy right hand to help us,
the victory shall be won;
and then, by men and angels,
thy name shall be adored,
and this shall be their anthem:
one Church, one faith, one Lord.

SONG: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING

Artist: Choir of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh, Dennis Townhill (dir), Peter Backhouse (organ)
Words/Music: St Francis of Assisi paraphrased Draper/Anon
Recording: Priory PRCD 376

All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing:
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
thou shining moon with silver gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise Him, alleluia!
Thou rising dawn in praise rejoice;
ye lights of evening find a voice:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for thy Lord to hear:
alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fire, so masterful and bright,
that givest man both warmth and light.
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

SONG: MAKE ME A CHANNEL OF YOUR PEACE

Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey/Martin Neary (dir), Martin Baker (org)
Words/Music: Anon/Temple
Recording: Griffin 224018

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there is doubt true faith in you.

Refrain:
Oh, master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.


Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness only light
And where there's sadness ever joy
Refrain:

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all man that we receive
In dying that we are born to eternal life.
Refrain:

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there is doubt true faith in you.

SONG: PSALM 47: O CLAP YOUR HANDS TOGETHER

Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Michael Bloss (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 47/Crotch
Recording: Naxos 8.572540

O clap your hands together, all ye peoples:
O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
For the Lord most high is to be feared:
he is the great King over all the earth.
He subdued the peoples under us,
and the nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
even the glorious land of Jacob whom he loved.
God is gone up with a merry noise,
and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.
O sing praises, sing praises unto our God:
O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
For God is the King of all the earth:
sing ye praises with understanding.
God reigneth over the nations:
God sitteth upon his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together
with the people of the God of Abraham:
For the rulers of the earth belong unto God;
he is the very highly exalted.

SONG: CAST THY BURDEN UPON THE LORD

Artist: The Celebration Singers, Christchurch, Francis Dennis (dir)
Words/Music: Psalm 55/Mendelssohn
Recording: Private 3030

Cast your burden upon the Lord,
and he shall sustain you;
he never will suffer the righteous to fall:
he is at your right hand.
Your mercy, Lord, is great
and far above the heavens:
let none by made ashamed
that wait upon you.

SONG: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

Artist: St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, Sydney
Words/Music: Scrivens/Converse
Recording: Sartel STARCD 1005

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.

SONG: HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?

Artist: The Birralee Blokes, Paul Holley (dir), Ashreya Ward (oboe), Justine Favell (piano)
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Purcell adapted Turle
Recording: ABC 476509

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: IN CHRIST ALONE

Artist: Lincoln Minster School Chamber Choir, Alex Prentice (dir), Charles Harrison (organ)
Words/Music: Townend and Getty
Recording: Priory 2013

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all –
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid –
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death –
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home –
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

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