Monthly Archives: Oct 2023

I Run to Christ

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Today’s hymn is modern one written by Chris Anderson. Chris served as a church planter and pastor for 25 years before pivoting to full-time missions. Currently, Chris travels as Senior VP for Global Opportunities with Biblical Ministries Worldwide preaching, teaching, recruiting, and championing the cause of the Great Commission wherever and however he can. He’s written more than 30 hymns including “His Robes for Mine”. Chris is the lead editor and a contributing author of the Gospel Meditations devotional series, and he has recently published his third full-length book with Church Works Media, Theology That Sticks: The Life-Changing Power of Exceptional Hymns1. Enjoy!

I run to Christ when chased by fear
And find a refuge sure.
“Believe in me,” His voice I hear;
His words and wounds secure.

I run to Christ when torn by grief
And find abundant peace.
“I too had tears,” He gently speaks;
Thus joy and sorrow meet.

I run to Christ when worn by life
And find my soul refreshed.
“Come unto Me,” He calls through strife;
Fatigue gives way to rest.

I run to Christ when vexed by hell
And find a mighty arm.
“The Devil flees,” the Scriptures tell;
He roars, but cannot harm.

I run to Christ when stalked by sin
And find a sure escape.
“Deliver me,” I cry to Him;
Temptation yields to grace.

I run to Christ when plagued by shame
And find my one defense.
“I bore God’s wrath,” He pleads my case—
My Advocate and Friend.

1churchworksmedia.com/chris-anderson/

I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art

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Today’s hymn has been attributed to the Swiss Reformer John Calvin, however this may not be accurate. The translator of the hymn is mostly the work of Elizabeth L. Smith and published in 1869. Smith was the daughter of the theologian, college president, and hymn writer William Allen (who published his Psalms and Hymns in 1835). In 1843 she married Henry Boynton Smith, who served on the faculty of Union Theological Seminary in New York City (1850-1877). Well-versed in various languages, she traveled with her husband in Europe in 1869, where he sought to recuperate from physical and mental collapse. Writer of her husband’s memoirs, she also inherited an interest in hymnody from her father and translated hymns from German and French1. Enjoy!

I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art,
my only trust and Savior of my heart,
who pain didst undergo for my poor sake;
I pray Thee from our hearts all cares to take.

Thou art the King of mercy and of grace,
reigning omnipotent in every place:
so come, O King, and our whole being sway;
shine on us with the light of thy pure day.

Thou art the Life, by which alone we live,
and all our substance and our strength receive;
O comfort us in death’s approaching hour,
strong-hearted then to face it by Thy pow’r.

Thou hast the true and perfect gentleness,
no harshness hast Thou and no bitterness:
make us to taste the sweet grace found in Thee
and ever stay in Thy sweet unity.

Our hope is in no other save in Thee;
our faith is built upon Thy promise free;
O grant to us such stronger hope and sure
that we can boldly conquer and endure

1hymnary.org/text/i_greet_thee_who_my_sure_redeemer_art

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A Debtor to Mercy Alone

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Todays hymn is by Augustus Toplady (1740-1778), an Anglican clergyman and hymn writer who also wrote Rock of Ages. This hymn tell of the free forgiveness we have because of Christ’s blood, which has sealed for us an eternal inheritance and adoption into his family. Enj it this one this Lord’s Day.

A debtor to mercy alone,
of covenant mercy I sing;
nor fear, with Your righteousness on,
my person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
with me can have nothing to do;
my Savior’s obedience and blood
hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began,
the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen,
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below or above,
can make Him His purpose forgo,
or sever my soul from His love.

My name from the palms of His hands
eternity will not erase;
impressed on His heart it remains,
in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
as sure as the earnest is giv’n;
more happy, but not more secure,
the glorified spirits in heav’n.

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Hymn of the Day / Youtube / Logos of Grace Prints

All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

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Today’s hymn was written in 1875 by Fanny Crosby. In her autobiography, Crosby wrote that this was her first hymn to be set to music by Baptist Minister Robert Lowry. A frequently told story about this hymn is that it came to Fanny as a result of a prayer. Struggling financially, she desperately needed some money. As her usual custom, Fanny began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. Later recalling the incident, she said, “I have no way of accounting for this except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money.” The poem she wrote afterward became “All The Way My Saviour Leads Me” 1. Enjoy!

All the way my Saviour leads me–
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Saviour leads me–
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for ev’ry trial,
Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! a spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Saviour leads me–
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.

1/en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Way_My_Savior_Leads_Me

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Come, Sinners, To The Gospel Feast

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Today’s hymn comes from Charles Wesley. It first appeared in 24 stanzas in Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ (1747). Nine stanzas were later chosen for the Wesleys’ famous Collection of Hymns for the People Called Methodists (1780). This hymn tells of the call to all of mankind to repent and believe the gospel. Enjoy reading this one.

Come, sinners, to the gospel feast,
Let every soul be Jesus’ guest;
Ye need not one be left behind,
For God hath bidden all mankind.

Sent by my Lord, on you I call;
The invitation is to all:
Come, all the world; come, sinner, thou!
All things in Christ are ready now.

Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed,
Ye restless wanderers after rest,
Ye poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind,
In Christ a hearty welcome find.

His love is mighty to compel;
His conquering love consent to feel,
Yield to His love’s resistless power,
And fight against your God no more.

This is the time; no more delay!
This is the Lord’s accepted day;
Come in, this moment, at His call,
And live for Him who died for all

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Hymn of the Day / Youtube / Logos of Grace Prints

My God, How Wonderful Thou Art

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Today’s hymn is by Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863). Raised in the Church of England, Faber came from a Huguenot and strict Calvinistic family background. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and ordained in the Church of England in 1839 but later left to be a Roman Catholic in 1845. Because he believed that Roman Catholics should sing hymns like those written by John Newton, Charles Wesley, and William Cowper, Faber wrote 150 hymns himself. He published his hymns in various volumes and finally collected all of them in Hymns (1862). Enjoy this one!

My God, how wonderful Thou art,
Thy majesty how bright,
How beautiful Thy mercy seat,
in depths of burning light!

How dread are Thine eternal years,
O everlasting LORD;
by prostrate spirits, day and night,
incessantly adored.

How wonderful, how beautiful,
the sight of Thee must be,
Thine endless wisdom, boundless pow’r,
and awful purity.

O how I fear Thee, Living God,
with deepest, tend’rest fears,
and worship Thee with trembling hope,
and penitential tears.

Yet I may love Thee too, O LORD,
Almighty as Thou art;
for Thou hast stooped to ask of me
the love of my poor heart.

No earthly father loves like Thee,
no mother e’er so mild,
bears and forbears, as Thou hast done
with me, Thy sinful child.

Father of Jesus, love’s reward,
what rapture will it be,
prostrate before Thy throne to lie,
and ever gaze on Thee!

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The Sands of Time are Sinking

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“Immanuel’s Land” or “The Sands of Time Are Sinking,” was written by Anne Ross Cousin from Roxburghshire in Scotland and was first published in 1857 in The Christian Treasury. Mrs. Cousin was the wife of a pastor in the Free Church of Scotland. Her hymn is based on a collection of letters written by Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661), a Scottish pastor who was also from Roxburghshire and represented Scotland in the Westminster Assembly, helping to write the Westminster Confession of Faith. By 1630 the Church of Scotland had begun to decline in doctrine and was seeking to impose many Anglican traditions on the Reformed churches. Twice Rutherford was charged with treason due to his non-conformity to the Church of England. The second time was in 1660 with the death of Oliver Cromwell, the end of the Commonwealth, and the restoration of Charles II as king, and Rutherford was on his deathbed. It is recorded that his dying words were “Glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s Land.” It was this quote that stirred the heart of Anne Ross Cousin almost two hundred years later to set the words of Rutherford into a hymn1. Enjoy!

The sands of time are sinking;
the dawn of heaven breaks;
the summer morn I’ve sighed for,
the fair sweet morn awakes;
dark, dark has been the midnight,
but dayspring is at hand,
and glory, glory dwelleth
in Emmanuel’s land.

The King there in His beauty
without a veil is seen;
it were a well-spent journey,
though trials lay between:
the Lamb with His fair army
on Zion’s mountain stands,
and glory, glory dwelleth
in Emmanuel’s land.

O Christ, He is the fountain,
the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I’ve tasted;
more deep I’ll drink above:
there to an ocean fullness
His mercy doth expand,
and glory, glory dwelleth
in Emmanuel’s land.

The bride eyes not her garment,
but her dear bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory,
but on my King of grace;
not at the crown He giveth,
but on His piercéd hands;
the Lamb is all the glory
of Emmanuel’s land.

1founders.org/articles/the-sands-of-time-are-sinking/

Psalm 96

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As mentioned not too long ago, I appreciate people who try to add melodies to Psalms so we can sing the divinely inspired songs given to us in the Lord’s Word. Enjoy this one from Sons of Korah, an Australian group who are committed to giving a fresh voice to biblical Psalms.

Sing a new song sing, and praise to the LORD
Sing a new song

Praise Him all the earth sing a new song
Proclaim that He saves
Declare His glory to the world
And His marvellous ways

For great is the LORD worthy of praise
And to be feared over all other gods
The LORD made the heavens sing a new song
Splendour and majesty are before Him always
And strength and glory in His house
In His most holy place

Ascribe to the LORD (O families of earth)
Ascribe to the LORD (glory and strength)
Ascribe to the LORD (the glory due to His name)
And bring an offering into His courts
Worship the LORD in His holiness
Tremble before Him, all the earth

Say He reigns, tell the earth the LORD reigns
The world is set, it can never be moved
The LORD will judge with equity

Worship the LORD thou and tremble in awe now
Worship the LORD in the splendour
Of all of His holy reign
Let the nations all say The
LORD reigns He is great
And most worthy of praise

Worship the LORD bow and tremble in awe now
Worship the LORD in the splendour
Of all of His holy reign
Let the nations all say The
LORD reigns He is great
And most worthy of praise

Let the heavens rejoice
And let the earth be glad
Let the sea resound, and all that’s in them
Let the fields rejoice
The trees sing for joy
To the LORD they sing
He comes to judge the earth
And in righteousness and truth
He comes, He comes, He comes to us
He comes, He comes, He’s coming to us
(Sing a new song)

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Hymn of the Day / Youtube / Logos of Grace Prints

Thou Lovely Source of True Delight

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Today’s hymn is by Anne Steele. Born in 1716, she was the daughter of Mr. Wm. Steele, a timber merchant, and pastor, without salary, of the Baptist Church at Broughton, in Hampshire USA. At an early age she showed a taste for literature, but it was not until 1760 that she start to publish her work. In that year two volumes appeared under the title of Poems on Subjects chiefly Devotional under a pseudonym, as well as contributing to other collections. Among Baptist hymnwriters Miss Steele stands at the head, if we regard either the number of her hymns which have found a place in the hymnals of the last 120 years, or the frequency with which they have been sung1. Enjoy this one!

Thou lovely Source of true delight,
Whom I unseen adore!
Unvail thy beauties to my sight,
That I may love thee more.

Thy glory o’er creation shines;
But in thy sacred word,
I read, in fairer, brighter lines,
My bleeding, dying Lord.

‘Tis here, whene’er my comforts droop,
And sin and sorrow rise,
Thy love, with cheering beams of hope,
My fainting heart supplies.
But ah! too soon the pleasing scene
Is clouded o’er with pain;
My gloomy fears rise dark between,
And I again complain.

Jesus, my Lord, my life, my light!
Oh, come with blissful ray;
Break radiant through the shades of night,
And chase my fears away.

Then shall my soul with rapture trace
The wonders of thy love:
But the full glories of thy face
Are only known above.

1hymnary.org/person/Steele_A

Mourning Into Dancing (Psalm 30)

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I appreciate anyone who takes seriously the command to sing “Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” and take the book of Psalms and turn them into songs. I really enjoy this one by The Psalms Project. Enjoy!

I will extol You, O Lord
For You have lifted me
You haven’t let my enemies rejoice over me

O Lord my God, I cried to You, You healed me
You raised my life up from the grave
You have preserved my life
So I would not go down to the pit

All you saints, sing praises to the Lord
And to His holy name, give thanks
For His anger is only for a moment
His favor lasts a lifetime
Weeping may endure for the night
But joy comes with the morning light

When I was prospering,
I said, “I won’t be moved”
By Your steadfast love,
You made my mountain stand strong
When You hid Your face, I was dismayed
I cried out to You,
And to the Lord I plead for mercy
“What profit is there in my death,
If I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me
O Lord, be my helper”
Then You answered

You have turned my mourning into dancing
You took off my mourning clothes
And you clothed me with joy
So my glory may sing praise to You
And not be silent
Lord my God, I’ll thank you forever

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