28 Jan 2018

Hymns on Sunday, 28 January 2018

From Hymns on Sunday, 7:30 am on 28 January 2018

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

Prepare your vocal chords for a serious workout in this week's programme of Listener Requests! Hymns include Edward Perronet's All hail the power of Jesus' name, and two hymns with a maritime theme: Eternal Father, and Will your anchor hold.

A stormy Spring day on Sumner Beach, Christchurch.

A stormy Spring day on Sumner Beach, Christchurch. Photo: Creative Commons

SONG: COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE

Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Paul Leddington-Wright (dir), David Poulter (organ)
Words/Music: da Siena/Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605-51249

Come down, O love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine
own ardour glowing.
O comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes
in its heat consuming;
And let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness
become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power
of human telling;
For none can guess its grace,
till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

SONG: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESU’S NAME

Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Perronet/Ellor
Recording: Decca 448684

All hail the pow'r of Jesu's name!
Let angels prostrate fall,
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him, crown Him,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God,
Who from His altar call,
Who from His altar call.
Extol the Stem of Jess’s rod
And crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him, crown Him,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Sinners, whose love can never forget
The wormwood and the gall,
The wormwood and the gall,
Go, spread your trophies at his feet
And crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him, crown Him,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Let ev'ry tribe and ev’ry tongue,
Before Him prostrate fall,
Before Him prostrate fall.
And shout in universal song
The crownèd,
Crownèd, crownèd, crownèd,
The crownèd of all.

Oh, that with yonder sacred throng
We at his feet may fall,
We at his feet may fall!
Join in the everlasting song
And crown Him,
Crown Him, crown Him, crown Him,
And crown Him Lord of all.

SONG: BE STILL, MY SOUL

Artist: Choir of Paisley Abbey, George McPhee (dir)
Words/Music: Von Schlegel trans Borthwick/Sibelius
Recording: Decca 448684

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

SONG: COLNE

Artist: NZ Community Trust Woolston Brass Band, David Gallaher (dir)
Words/Music: Anon arr Rive
Recording: Private 930

SONG: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, John Scott (dir)
Words/Music: Psalm 23/Charles Hylton Stewart
Recording: Hyperion CDP11002

The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing.
He shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul, and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness for his Name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me; thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full.
But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen.

SONG: ETERNAL FATHER

Artist: Choir and Congregation of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Gordon St John Clarke (dir)
Words/Music: Whiting/Dykes
Label: Priory

Eternal father, strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to thee,
For those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word
The wind and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amid its rage did sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O sacred Spirit, who did brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
who badst its angry tumult cease,
and gave us light, and life, and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger's hour
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go:
And evermore shall rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

SONG: WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD

Artist: Choir of Ely Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon trans Mary Byrne, versified Elinor Hull/Trad
Recording: Owens/Kirkpatrick

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
Refrain:
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!


It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,
For ’tis well secured by the Saviour’s hand;
And the cables passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy the blast, through strength divine.
Refrain:

It will firmly hold in the straits of fear,
When the breakers have told the reef is near;
Though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,
Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.
Refrain:

It will surely hold in the floods of death,
When the waters cold chill our latest breath;
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While our hopes abide within the veil.
Refrain:

When our eyes behold through the glaring light
the city of gold, the harbour bright?
winch the anchor fast by the heavenly shore,
where the storms are past for evermore.
Refrain:

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