There's a beautiful setting of the Prayer of St Francis in this week's home edition of Hymns on Sunday: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Stained glass window, Aokautere Community Church, Manawatu Photo: Robyn Jaquiery 2020
SONG: CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Bridges, Thring/Elvey
Recording: Marquis 1811175
Crown him with many crowns,
the lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy chosen king
through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o’er the grave,
who rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
His glories now we sing
who died, and rose on high;
who died eternal life to bring;
and lives that death may die.
Crown him the Lord of heav'n,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King to whom is giv'n
The wondrous name of Love.
All hail, redeemer, hail!
For thou has died for me;
Thy praise will never ever fail
throughout eternity.
SONG: COME, LET US JOIN OUR CHEERFUL SONGS
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Isaac Watts/Henry Lahee
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 582
Come, let us join our cheerful songs
with angels round the throne;
ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
but all their joys are one.
'Worthy the Lamb that died,' they cry,
'to be exalted thus';
'Worthy the Lamb,' our lips reply,
'for he was slain for us.'
Jesus is worthy to receive
honour and power divine;
and blessings, more than we can give,
be, Lord, for ever thine.
The whole creation joins in one
to bless the sacred name
of him that sits upon the throne,
and to adore the Lamb.
SONG: HE WHO WOULD VALIANT BE
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: John Bunyan, Percy Dearmer/Trad arr Ralph Vaughan Williams
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
He who would valiant be
'Gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound
His strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
Though he with giants fight;
He will make good his right
To be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
Us with thy Spirit
We know we at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then, fancies, flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
SONG: LIGHT OF THE LONELY PILGRIM’S HEART
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Edward Denny/Charles Hylton Stewart
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
Light of the lonely pilgrim's heart,
Star of the coming day,
Arise, and with Thy morning beams
Chase all our griefs away.
Bid the whole earth, responsive now
To the bright world above,
Break forth in rapturous strains of joy
In memory of Thy love.
Thine was the cross, with all its fruits
Of grace and peace Divine:
Be Thine the crown of glory now,
The palm of victory Thine.
See how they fair creation groans,
The sky, the earth, the sea,
In unison with all our heart,
And calls aloud for thee.
Come, blessed Lord, let every shore
And answering island sing
The praises of thy royal name,
And own thee as their king.
SONG: LORD, MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF THY PEACE (FROM LUX PERPETUA)
Lord make me an instrument of thy peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, let there by union
Where there is doubt, faith.
Lord make me an instrument of thy peace.
Lord make me an instrument of thy peace
Where there is despair, let there be hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness
may there be joy.
Lord make me an instrument of thy peace.
May we all be in peace
peace and only peace
and may the peace come unto each.
SONG: PSALM 103 (COLESHILL)
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir), John Langdon (organ)
Words/Music: Paraphrase by 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: OUR FATHER
Artist: Choir of Durham Street Methodist Church, Wallace Woodley (dir)
Words/Music: Lord’s Prayer/Wallace Woodley
Recording: Private CD817
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heav’n.
Give us today our daily bread
forgive us our sins as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil,
for the kingdom, the power, and the glory
are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
SONG: I BIND UNTO MYSELF TODAY
Artist: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Words/Music: Anon trans Alexander/Trad arr Stanford
Recording: Conifer 500521
I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The three in one and one in three.
I bind this day to me forever,
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spicéd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, his might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The three in one and one in three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
Eternal father, spirit, word.
Praise to the lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!
Amen.
SONG: A CELTIC BLESSING
Artist: St Thomas Music Group, Margaret Rizza (dir)
Words/Music: Trad/Rizza
Recording: Kevin Mayhew490095
The guarding of the God of Life be on you,
the guarding of the loving Christ be on you,
the guarding of the Holy Spirit be on you,
to aid and uphold you each day and night of your life.
The guarding of God
the guarding of Christ,
the guarding of the Holy Spirit,
be upon you.
