Navigation for Hymns on Sunday

The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan

One of the the bas-reliefs on the base of the statue of John Bunyan in Bedford, sculpted by Joseph Edgar Boehm. They each represent a scene from "The Pilgrim's Progress". Image by Simon Speed. Photo: Creative Commons

SONG: THANK YOU FOR THE NIGHT

Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Jenny McLeod
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300

Thank you for the night
that will bring us the dawn,
Alleluia, bright is our Redeemer.

Thank you for the light
that reveals where we are,
Alleluia, kindly is our Comforter.

Thank you for the wind
when we open the door,
Alleluia, cleansing breath of God from afar.

Thank you for the sea
that surrounds and enfolds,
Alleluia, God our refuge and mother.

Thank you for the sky
when we lift up our heads,
Alleluia, high and free our Saviour.

Thank you for the earth
giving sweetness to all,
Alleluia, God our life, our sustainer.

SONG: TO BE A PILGRIM

Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell (dir), Robert Quinney (organ)
Words/Music: Bunyan/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Priory PRCD 721

Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather.
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent,
To be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He'll with a giant fight,
But he will have a right
To be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin, nor foul fiend,
Can daunt his spirit:
He knows, he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He'll fear not what men say,
He'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.

SONG: THE SHINING SHORE

Artist: Anonymous 4, Mike Marshall (mandolin), Darol Anger (guitar)
Words/Music: Nelson/Root
Recording: Harmonia Mundi 467400

My days are gliding swiftly by,
And I, a pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them as they fly,
These hours of toil and danger.

Refrain:
For now we stand on Jordan's strand,
Our friends are passing over;
And just before the Shining Shore
We may almost discover.


Our absent King the watch-word gave,
“Let every lamp be burning,”
We look afar across the wave,
Our distant home discerning.
Refrain:

Should coming days be cold and dark,
We will not yield to sorrow,
For hope will sing with courage bold,
“There’s glory on the morrow.”
Refrain:

Let storms of woe in whirlwinds rise,
Each cord on earth to sever;
There, bright and joyous in the skies,
This is our home forever.
Refrain:

SONG: O, MARY DON’T YOU WEEP

Artist: Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: Bonneville 510097

Refrain:
O Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn,
O Mary, don't you weep don't you mourn;
Pharoah's army got drownded,
O Mary, don't you weep.


Some of these mornings bright and fair,
Take my sings and cleave the air.
Pharoah's army got drownded
O Mary, don't you weep.
Refrain:

When I get to Heaven goin' to sing and shout,
Nobody there for to turn me out.
Pharoah's army got drownded
O Mary, don't you weep.
Refrain:

When I get to Heaven goin' to put on my shoes,
Run about glory and tell all the news.
Pharoah's army got drownded
O Mary, don't you weep.
Refrain:

SONG: LET US WITH A GLADSOME MIND

Artist: Choir of Wakefield Cathedral, Jonathan Bielby, Louise Marsh (organ)
Words/Music: Milton/Antes adapted Wilkes
Recording: Priory PRCD 711

Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze his name abroad,
for of gods he is the God:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

He with all commanding might
filled the new-made world with light:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

He the golden-tressèd sun
caused all day his course to run:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

And the hornèd moon by night,
mid her spangled sisters bright:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

All things living he doth feed,
his full hand supplies their need:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us, with a gladsome mind,
praise the Lord, for he is kind:
for his mercies aye endure,
ever faithful, ever sure.

SONG: PILGRIMS’ HYMN

Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora
Words/Music: Browne/Paulus
Recording: Naxos 8.52540

Even before we call on Your name
To ask You, O God,
When we seek for the words to glorify You,
You hear our prayer;
Unceasing love, O unceasing love,
Surpassing all we know.

Glory to the father,
and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit.

Even with darkness sealing us in,
We breathe Your name,
And through all the days that follow so fast,
We trust in You;
Endless Your grace, O endless Your grace,
Beyond all mortal dream.

Both now and forever,
And unto ages and ages,
Amen.

SONG: LIGHT OF THE LONELY PILGRIM’S HEART

Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Denny/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: REJOICE! THE LORD IS KING

Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry, Paul Leddington-Wright (dir), David Poulter (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Handel
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 583

Rejoice, the Lord is king! Your Lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns, the God of truth and love;
When he had purged our stains he took his seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail, he rules o’er earth and heav’n,
The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

He sits at God’s right hand till all his foes submit,
And bow to his command, and fall beneath his feet:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the judge shall come,
And take his servants up to their eternal home.
We soon shall hear th’archangel’s voice;
The trump of God shall sound, rejoice!