Tag Archives: hymns

Music

Sunday Singing: That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright

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“That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright” performed by The Westminster Choir of Westminster Presbyterian of Buffalo, New York, follow by an improvisation on the hymn’s Latin melody

It’s still Easter this month for our Sunday Singing posts. This hymn was translated from a longer Latin verse, once attributed to St. Ambrose, and now believed to have been written by a sixth or seventh century Gaul. The text copied here was translated by Englishman John Mason Neale in 1861 and altered by the editors of the Trinity Hymnal.

Though the hymn is short enough, I feel it could be sung about 1.5x faster. In the video, the choir above does not sing all of these words and the organist improvises on the tune for a few minutes afterward.

1 That Easter day with joy was bright:
the sun shone out with fairer light
when to their longing eyes restored,
th’apostles saw their risen Lord.

2 His risen flesh with radiance glowed,
his wounded hands and feet he showed;
those scars their solemn witness gave
that Christ was risen from the grave.

3 O Jesus, King of gentleness,
do thou thyself our hearts possess,
that we may give thee all our days
the willing tribute of our praise.

4 O Lord of all, with us abide
in this, our joyful Easter-tide;
from ev’ry weapon death can wield
thine own redeemed forever shield.

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Sunday Singing: Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

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Continuing an Easter theme, here’s a marvelous hymn that fits our Good Friday meditations. “Stricken, smitten, and afflicted” comes from the Irishman Thomas Kelly (1769-1855), who wrote 765 hymns over 51 years. The tune, I believe, is of German folk origin with harmony arranged by American Paul G. Bunjes for Lutheran Worship (1982). The text below is taken from the 2006 Lutheran Service Book.

1 Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
see him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ, by man rejected;
yes, my soul, ’tis he, ’tis he!
‘Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
’tis the true and faithful Word.

2 Tell me, ye who hear him groaning,
was there ever grief like his?
Friends through fear his cause disowning,
foes insulting his distress;
many hands were raised to wound him,
none would interpose to save;
but the deepest stroke that pierced him
was the stroke that Justice gave.

3 Ye who think of sin but lightly
nor suppose the evil great
here may view its nature rightly,
here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
see who bears the awful load;
’tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

4 Here we have a firm foundation,
here the refuge of the lost;
Christ, the Rock of our salvation,
his the name of which we boast:
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
who on him their hope have built.

Music

Easter Singing: Welcome, Happy Morning!

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The Choir of Christ Church, Georgetown, Washington, D. C. performing “Welcome, Happy Morning!”

Venantius Honorius Clematianus Fortunatus (530-609) wrote the original text to our Easter hymn today. When I looked for a video of it, I found several recordings of a version that includes the first of these verses before moving into less Christocentric thoughts. The words below come from the Trinity Hymnal and are performed in by The Choir of Christ Church above.

This weekend is what life on earth is about. Praise the Living God who made us and redeemed us for his own glory. Happy Easter, everyone!

1 “Welcome, happy morning!”
age to age shall say:
hell today is vanquished;
heav’n is won today.
Lo! the Dead is living,
God forevermore!
Him, their true Creator,
all his works adore.

2 Maker and Redeemer,
life and health of all,
thou, from heav’n beholding
human nature’s fall,
of the Father’s God-head
true and only Son,
manhood to deliver,
manhood didst put on.

3 Thou, of life the author,
death didst undergo,
tread the path of darkness,
saving strength to show;
come then, True and Faithful,
now fulfil thy word,
’tis thine own third morning;
rise, O buried Lord.

4 Loose the souls long prisoned,
bound with Satan’s chain;
thine that now are fallen
raise to life again;
show thy face in brightness,
bid the nations see;
bring again our daylight;
day returns with thee.

Music

Sunday Singing: Unto My Lord Jehovah Said

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“Unto my Lord Jehovah said” piano accompaniment of the Elbing tune

This arrangement of Psalm 110 first appeared in the Irish Psalter of 1898. It’s paired with the Elbing tune in the Trinity Hymnal, which I’ve shared above, but other hymnals arrange this text with at least two more tunes.

I offer it here today in that strange Palm Sunday attitude of singing praise to Christ the King, even as the Jerusalem crowds shouted Hosanna in ignorance. They didn’t know the irony of their words. They wanted Jesus of Nazareth to be a political king who would overthrown Rome, but he was the king of kings whose kingdom was not of this world.

1 Unto my Lord Jehovah said:
At my right hand I throne thee,
till, at thy feet in triumph laid,
thy foes their ruler own thee.
From Zion hill the Lord shall send
thy scepter, till before thee bend
the knees of proud rebellion.

2 Thy saints, to greet thy day of might,
in holy raiment muster;
as dewdrops in the morning light
thy youths around thee cluster.
The Lord hath sworn and made decree,
thou, like Melchizedek, shalt be
a kingly priest for ever.

3 The Lord at thy right hand shall bring
on rulers desolation;
the Lord shall smite each heathen king,
and judge each rebel nation.
He, swiftly marching in his wrath,
shall quaff the brook upon his path,
and lift his head in glory.

As an alternative, let me also share this 9th century French hymn, “Gloria, laus et honor,” performed by Harpa Dei.

Music

Sunday Singing: Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched

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“Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched” by Joseph Hart

Today’s hymn is one version of London language teacher Joseph Hart’s 1759 hymn, which seems to have many versions among its many publications. I’m more familiar this version, but the version I offer here is the one in the Trinity Hymnal. The 1852 tune is by Welsh composer William Owen.

  1. Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
    Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
    Jesus ready stands to save you,
    Full of pity joined with pow’r:
    He is able, (3x)
    He is willing, doubt no more. (2x)
  2. Come, ye needy, come and welcome,
    God’s free bounty glorify;
    True belief and true repentance,
    Every grace that brings you nigh,
    Without money, (3x)
    Come to Jesus Christ and buy. (2x)
  3. Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
    Lost and ruined by the fall;
    If you tarry till you’re better,
    You will never come at all:
    Not the righteous, (3x)
    Sinners Jesus came to call. (2x)
  4. Let not conscience make you linger,
    Nor of fitness fondly dream;
    All the fitness He requireth
    Is to feel your need of Him:
    This He gives you, (3x)
    ’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam. (2x)
  5. Lo! th’ incarnate God, ascended,
    Pleads the merit of His blood;
    Venture on Him, venture wholly;
    Let no other trust intrude:
    None but Jesus, (3x)
    Can do helpless sinners good (2x).

Music

Sunday Singing: Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet

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“Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet” performed by the Harding University Concert Choir

As we approach Easter next month, let’s join together in singing Franny Crosby revival-style hymn, “Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet.” Crosby (1820-1915) was born in Putnam County, New York, and lost her sight at age six. “It is as a writer of Sunday-school songs and gospel hymns that she is known wherever the English language is spoken, and, in fact, wherever any other language is heard.” The tune was written by Connecticut industrialist William H. Doane.

1 Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they be red like crimson,
They shall be as wool;
Though your sins be as scarlet,
Though your sins be as scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow,
They shall be as white as snow.

2 Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
He is of great compassion,
And of wondrous love;
Hear the voice that entreats you,
Hear the voice that entreats you,
O return ye unto God!
O return ye unto God!

3 He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more;
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more;
“Look unto Me, ye people,”
Saith the Lord your God;
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
He’ll forgive your transgressions,
And remember them no more,
And remember them no more.

Music

The Irish Sing “Remember, Lord, Our Mortal State”

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“547 Granville” from The Tenth Ireland Sacred Harp Convention in 2020

For St. Patrick’s Day, give a listen to this Sacred Harp convention in Cork, Ireland, singing an Isaac Watts text listed as 547 Granville. Sacred Harp music began in London but flourish in America. It found a path to Ireland in 2009 via University College Cork.

The singers above begin by singing the shapes to get the music down before singing the lyric.

Remember, Lord, our mortal state;
How frail our lives! how short the date!
Where is the man that draws his breath,
Safe from disease, secure from death?

Lord, while we see whole nations die,
Our flesh and sense repine and cry;
Must death forever rage and reign?
Or hast Thou made mankind in vain?

Music

Sunday Singing: No, Not Despairingly Come I to Thee

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“No, Not Despairingly Come I to Thee” performed on piano by Andrew Remillard

Today’s hymn of hopeful repentance comes from a Scottish author and hymnist who may not have the name recognition of Wesley and Watts but deserves to be widely known for his rich theological hymns. Honatius Bonar (1808-1889) published this hymn in 1866.

1 No, not despairingly come I to thee;
no, not distrustingly bend I the knee:
sin hath gone over me, yet is this still my plea,
Jesus hath died.

2 Ah! mine iniquity crimson has been,
infinite, infinite, sin upon sin;
sin of not loving thee, sin of not trusting thee,
infinite sin.

3 Lord, I confess to thee sadly my sin;
all I am tell I thee, all I have been:
purge thou my sin away, wash thou my soul this day;
Lord, make me clean.

4 Faithful and just art thou, forgiving all;
loving and kind art thou when poor ones call:
Lord, let the cleansing blood, blood of the Lamb of God,
pass o’er my soul.

5 Then all is peace and light this soul within;
thus shall I walk with thee, the loved Unseen;
leaning on thee, my God, guided along the road,
nothing between.

Music

Sunday Singing: From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee

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“From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee” sung by Kayla and Naomi of Trinity Reformed Church of Martinsburg, WV

For the next four weeks preceding Palm Sunday and Easter, I want to feature hymns related to salvation. “From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee” is an English translation by Richard Massie of Martin Luther’s German hymn based on Psalm 130. Massie’s first translation was published in Martin Luther’s Spiritual Songs in 1854. I believe the text was altered last century, as hymn publishers will do, but the tune sung above is Luther’s 1524 original.

1 From depths of woe I raise to thee
the voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
and hear my supplication:
if thou iniquities dost mark,
our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before thee?

2 To wash away the crimson stain,
grace, grace alone, availeth;
our works, alas! are all in vain;
in much the best life faileth:
no man can glory in thy sight,
all must alike confess thy might,
and live alone by mercy.

3 Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
and not in mine own merit;
on him my soul shall rest, his Word
upholds my fainting spirit:
his promised mercy is my fort,
my comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.

4 What though I wait the live-long night,
and ’til the dawn appeareth,
my heart still trusteth in his might;
it doubteth not nor feareth:
do thus, O ye of Israel’s seed,
ye of the Spirit born indeed;
and wait ’til God appeareth.

5 Though great our sins and sore our woes,
his grace much more aboundeth;
his helping love no limit knows,
our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is he,
who will at last his Israel free
from all their sin and sorrow.

As a bonus, let me share Michael O’Brien’s arrangement with you as well.

Music

Sunday Singing: Join All the Glorious Names

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“Join All the Glorious Names” sung by the congregation of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California

With today’s hymn, we have the opportunity to note a common habit in hymn singing among earlier generations. Hymn texts were separated from their melodies, and congregations would sing words to melodies they already knew. At least for a portion of history, believers would learn several common tunes that they would use to sing many more hymn lyrics.

“Join All the Glorious Names” was written in 1707 by the great Englishman Isaac Watts (1674-1748). The tune is the same one used by our hymn two weeks ago, “Rejoice, the Lord is King!” English poet John Darwall (1731-1789) wrote the tune in 1770. In the Trinity Hymnal, five hymns are set to it, including “We Come, O Christ, to You” and “Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ” (which we may return to next month).

1 Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and pow’r,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too poor to speak his worth,
too poor to set my Savior forth.

2 Great Prophet of my God,
my tongue would bless thy name:
by thee the joyful news
of our salvation came,
the joyful news of sins forgiv’n,
of hell subdued and peace with heav’n.

3 Jesus, my great High Priest,
offered his blood and died;
my guilty conscience seeks
no sacrifice beside:
his pow’rful blood did once atone
and now it pleads before the throne.

4 Thou art my Counselor,
my pattern, and my Guide,
and thou my Shepherd art;
O keep me near thy side;
nor let my feet e’er turn astray
to wander in the crooked way.

5 My Savior and my Lord,
my Conqu’ror and my King,
thy scepter and thy sword,
thy reigning grace, I sing:
thine is the pow’r; behold I sit
in willing bonds beneath thy feet.