A selection of traditional and modern hymns. Today's hymns range from the 1600s (William Barton's paraphrase of Psalm 103) to the 21st century classic, In Christ Alone.
Carlisle Cathedral interior Photo: Michael Beckwith, Creative Commons
SONG: PRAISE TO THE HOLIEST IN THE HEIGHT
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Martin Baker (organ)
Words/Music: Newman/Somervell
Recording: Griffin 224018
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.
O generous love! that he, who smote,
In man for man the foe,
The double agony in man
For man should undergo.
And in the garden secretly,
And on the cross on high,
Should teach his brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
SONG: COME, WE THAT LOVE THE LORD
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, Thomas Forster (dir), Craig Phillips (organ)
Words/Music: Watts/Dirksen
Recording: Gothic 349074
Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne.
Refrain:
Hosanna, hosanna!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad.
Refrain:
The heirs of grace have found
glory begun below;
celestial fruits on earthly ground
from faith and hope may grow.
Refrain:
Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground
to fairer worlds on high.
Refrain:
SONG: O FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD
Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: Cowper/Anon (Scottish Psalter)
Recording: Move 743142
O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame.
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Return, O holy Dove! return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn,
And drove Thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame:
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
SONG: PSALM 103 (O THOU, MY SOUL, BLESS GOD THE LORD)
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir), John Langdon (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 103 paraphrased Barton/Anon
Recording: Abbey 282830
O thou my soul, bless God the Lord;
and all that in me is
Be stirred up his holy name
to magnify and bless.
Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God,
and not forgetful be
Of all his gracious benefits
he hath bestow’d on thee.
All thine iniquities who doth
most graciously forgive:
Who thy diseases all and pains
doth heal, and thee relieve.
Who doth redeem thy life, that thou
to death may’st not go down;
Who thee with loving-kindness doth
and tender mercies crown:
Who with abundance of good things
doth satisfy thy mouth;
So that, ev’n as the eagle’s age,
renewed is thy youth.
SONG: O GOD, YOU SEARCH ME AND YOU KNOW ME
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Farrell/Farrell
Recording: Hyperion 112105
O God, you search me and you know me
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze
When I walk or lie down you are before me:
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.
You know my resting and my rising
You discern my purpose from afar
And with love everlasting you besiege me:
In ev'ry moment of life or death, you are.
Before a word is on my tongue, Lord,
You have known its meaning through and through.
You are with me beyond my understanding:
God of my present, my past and future, too.
Although your Spirit is upon me,
Still I search for shelter from your light.
There is nowhere on earth I can escape you:
Even the darkness is radiant in your sight.
For you created me and shaped me,
Gave me life within my mother's womb.
For the wonder of who I am, I praise you:
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.
SONG: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Bode/Elliott
Recording: Hyperion 112102
O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
be thou forever near me, my Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side,
nor wander from the pathway if thou wilt be my guide.
O let me feel thee near me! The world is ever near:
I see the sights that dazzle; the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw thou nearer and shield my soul from sin.
O let me hear thee speaking in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen, thou guardian of my soul.
O let me see thy footmarks, and in them plant mine own:
my hope to follow duly is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
and then in heav’n receive me, my Saviour and my friend.
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Murray/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:
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.
