It's the first Sunday of the Advent season, and this week's selection includes O Come Emmanuel, Jenny McLeod's Light of Lights, and Come Thou Long-expected Jesus by Charles Wesley.
Wellington Cathedral of St Paul Photo: Wikimedia Commons
SONG: O COME, O COME EMMANUEL
Artist: Choir of Wellington Cathedral, Philip Walsh (dir), Andrew Macmillan (organ)
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Anon arr Carter
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 224
O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee,
O Israel!
O come, Thou Branch of Jesse's tree,
Free them from Satan's tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow'r to save,
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave.
Refrain:
O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Refrain:
O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Refrain:
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Refrain:
SONG: HARK THE GLAD SOUND
Artist: Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir, Mervyn Cousins (dir), Richard Lea (organ)
Words/Music: Doddridge/Anon
Recording: Priory PRCD 715
Hark the glad sound! The Saviour comes,
The Saviour promised long;
Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne
And ev'ry voice a song.
He comes the pris'ners to release,
In Satan's bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heav'n's eternal arches ring
With Thy beloved name.
SONG: COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS
Artist: Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, Sarah MacDonald (dir), Timothy Morgan (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Stainer
Recording: Priory PRCD 714
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
SONG: CHRIST, BE OUR LIGHT
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Words/Music: Bernadette Farrell
Recording: Journeysongs Vol 28
Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.
Refrain:
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today.
Longing for shelter, many are homeless.
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stone.
Refrain:
Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.
Refrain:
SONG: LIGHT OF LIGHTS BEHOLDEN
Artist: Festival Singers
Words/Music: Jenny McLeod
Recording: Festivity Productions
Light of lights beholden
we from days of olden
sang this song
for to understand
that peace upon this planet
was pledged to come.
Each to other, sister, brother,
born for life and song,
look towards the light and carry on:
let the simple heart and hope among us
keep our family strong.
Darkness all around us,
light has always found us,
light will come
where the dark is deepest,
greater light will keep us
safe from harm.
Troubled times will always find
a voice of troubled doom,
look towards the light and carry on:
let the simple heart and hope among us
keep our family strong.
Let the simple heart and hope among us
Keep our family strong.
SONG: GOD BE IN MY HEAD
Artist: Clare College Chapel Choir, Cambridge, Timothy Brown (dir)
Words/Music: Anon/Davies
Recording: Guild 547109
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.
SONG: O THOU WHO CAMEST FROM ABOVE
Artist: Choir of St John’s Church, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Paul Halley (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/SS Wesley
Recording: Naxos 8.557037
O Thou who camest from above,
the pure celestial fire to impart
kindle a flame of sacred love
upon the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return,
in humble prayer and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
to work and speak and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.
Ready for all thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat,
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make my sacrifice complete.
SONG: COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Bianco da Siena trans Littledale/Vaughan Williams
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
O Thou who camest from above,
the pure celestial fire to impart
kindle a flame of sacred love
upon the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return,
in humble prayer and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
to work and speak and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.
Ready for all thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat,
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make my sacrifice complete.
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Cambridge Singers, John Rutter (dir), John Scott (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Rowlands
Recording: Collegium 880126
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesu, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
