A selection of traditional and modern hymns. In today's programme, we've two quite different settings of Psalm 130, hymns for Lent, and we mark a very special occasion for the congregation of Oxford Terrace Baptist Church in Christchurch.
A field of sunflowers Photo: Bruce Fritz, Wikimedia Commons
SONG: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: St Francis of Assisi paraphrased Draper/Anon
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer 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 moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
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: IT IS A THING MOST WONDERFUL
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir)
Words/Music: How/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605-51248
It is a thing most wonderful,
Almost too wonderful to be,
That God’s own Son should come from Heav’n,
And die to save a child like me.
And yet I know that it is true;
He chose a poor and humble lot,
And wept, and toiled, and mourned, and died,
For love of those who loved Him not.
But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
Of that great love, which, like a fire,
Is always burning in His heart.
It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
But ’tis more wonderful to see
My love for Him so faint and poor.
And yet I want to love Thee, Lord;
Oh, light the flame within my heart,
And I will love Thee more and more,
Until I see Thee as Thou art.
SONG: PSALM 130 – OUT OF THE DEEP
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Purcell adapted Turle
Recording: Virgin 545036
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint.
If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee; therefore shalt thou be feared.
I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch; I say, before the morning watch.
O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.
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: LORD FROM THE DEPTHS TO THEE I CRIED
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Wilson
Recording: Abbey 282830
Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
My voice, Lord, do thou hear:
Unto my supplication’s voice
give an attentive ear.
Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,
should’st mark iniquity?
But yet with thee forgiveness is,
that fear’d thou mayest be.
I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
my hope is in his word.
More than they that for morning watch,
my soul waits for the Lord;
I say, more than they that do watch
the morning light to see.
Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with him mercies be;
And plenteous redemption
is ever found with him.
And from all his iniquities
he Israel shall redeem.
SONG: IN THE LORD IS MY JOY AND SALVATION
Artist: St Thomas’s Music Group, Margaret Rizza (dir)
Words/Music: Margaret Rizza
Recording: Alliance Music 190892
In the Lord is my joy and salvation
He gives light to all his creation.
In the Lord is my joy and salvation,
He gives peace and true consolation.
SONG: THY HAND, O GOD, HAS GUIDED
Artist: Choir of Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, Christchurch, Russell Kent (organ), David Sell (dir)
Words/Music: Plumtre/Harwood
Recording: Kiwi LC41
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: AN IRISH BLESSING
Artist: Choir of Belfast Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon/Trad arr Stanford
Recording: Priory PRCD 826
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
