Monthly Archives: Feb 2024

All That I Was, My Sin, My Guilt

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Today’s hymn comes from Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) the beloved Scottish churchman and hymn writer. This hymn reminds me of the quote that is attributed to Jonathan Edwards: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” May this hymn lead you to rejoice in our great Saviour Jesus Christ!

All that I was, my sin, my guilt,
My death, was all my own;
All that I am I owe to Thee,
My gracious God, alone.

The evil of my former state
Was mine, and only mine;
The good in which I now rejoice
Is Thine, and only Thine.

The darkness of my former state,
The bondage, all was mine;
The light of life in which I walk,
The liberty, is Thine.

Thy Word first made me feel my sin,
It taught me to believe;
Then, in believing, peace I found,
And now I live, I live!

All that I am, e’en here on earth,
All that I hope to be,
When Jesus comes and glory dawns,
I owe it, Lord, to Thee.

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Psalm 145

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Over the last couple of days I have been meditating on Psalm 145 and so wanted to share it today, especially since the Psalms was Israel’s songbook. Do you have a song version of Psalm 145 you like? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. 
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. 
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. 
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. 
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 
The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man yourmighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.[The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]
The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. 
The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

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Zeal That Is Pure and Heavenly Flame

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Today’s hymn comes from John Newton, one of the best hymn writers in history. I love how he paints such clear images with his poems; I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one!

Zeal is that pure and heav’nly flame,
The fire of love supplies;
While that which often bears the name,
Is self in a disguise.

True zeal is merciful and mild,
Can pity and forbear;
The false is headstrong, fierce and wild,
And breathes revenge and war.

While zeal for truth the Christian warms,
He knows the worth of peace;
But self contends for names and forms,
Its party to increase.

Zeal has attain’d its highest aim,
Its end is satisfy’d;
If sinners love the Saviour’s name,
Nor seeks it ought beside.

But self however well employ’d,
Has its own ends in view;
And says as boasting Jehu cry’d,
“Come see what I can do.”

Self may its poor reward obtain,
And be applauded here;
But zeal the best applause will gain,
When Jesus shall appear.

Dear Lord, the idol self dethrone,
And from our hearts remove;
And let no zeal by us be shown,
But that which springs from love.

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O My Sins, My Sins

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Today’s hymn comes from Frances R. Havergal (1836-1879), daughter of a minister. Frances was affectionately devoted to both her family and her church. She loved her middle name, Ridley, that of the martyr Nicholas Ridley. The effect of her steady meditation on Scripture was that biblical ideas and phrases would come naturally to her speech and to her pen, when writing these poems that were later used as hymns, one being the popular ‘Take My Life and Let It Be”1. Enjoy this one!

I bring my sins to thee,
The sins I cannot count,
That I may cleansed be
In thy once opened fount.
I bring them, Saviour, all to thee;
The burden is too great for me.

My heart to thee I bring,
The heart I cannot read;
A faithless, wandering thing,
An evil heart indeed.
I bring it, Saviour, now to thee
That fixed and faithful it may be.

To thee I bring my care,
The care I cannot flee;
Thou wilt not only share,
But bear it all for me.
O loving Saviour, now to thee
I bring the load that wearies me.

I bring my grief to thee,
The grief I cannot tell;
No words shall needed be,
Thou knowest all so well.
I bring the sorrow laid on me,
O suffering Saviour, now to thee.

My joys to thee I bring,
The joys thy love has given,
That each may be a wing
To lift me nearer Heaven.
I bring them, Saviour, all to thee;
For thou hast purchased all for me.

My life I bring to thee,
I would not be my own;
O Saviour, let me be
Thine ever, thine alone.
My heart, my life, my all I bring
To thee, my Saviour and my King.

1banneroftruth.org/uk/resources/articles/2005/the-life-of-francis-ridley-havergal-1836-1879/

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I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath

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Today’s hymn comes from Isaac Watts (1674-1748). This hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 146 and it was originally called “Praise to God for his Goodness and Truth”. It was published in his collection Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament (1719)1. This hymn was also adapted by Charles Wesley which helped preserve it to this day. I hope above all today you can give praise to your Maker; enjoy!

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.

How happy they whose hopes rely
On Israel’s God who made the sky,
And earth and seas with all their train;
Whose truth for ever stands secure,
Who saves the oppressed and feeds the poor,
And none shall find God’s promise vain.

The Lord pours eyesight on the blind;
The Lord supports the fainting mind
And send the laboring sonscience peace.
God helps the stranger in distress,
The widowed and the parentless,
And grants the prisoner sweet release.

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past
While life and thought and being last,
Or immortality endures.

1umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-watts-praise-my-maker-among-wesleys-favorites

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Do Thou Direct Thy Chariot, Lord

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Today’s hymn comes from Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli. Known primarily (and rightly so) as the main driving force of the Reformation in Switzerland, Zwingli was also an avid musician; his Roman Catholic foes used to sneer at him as “the guitar-player” and the “evangelist-on-the-flute”1. Some believe that the occasion for writing this particular hymn was the First War of Kap­pel2, an armed conflict in 1529 between the Protestant and the Catholic cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy during the Reformation in Switzerland. Enjoy!

Do Thou direct Thy chariot, Lord,
And guide us at Thy will;
Without Thy aid our strength is vain,
And useless all our skill.
Look down upon Thy saints below
When prostrate laid beneath the foe.

Beloved Shepherd, who hast saved
Our souls from death and sin,
Uplift Thy voice, awake Thy sheep,
That slumbering lie within
Thy fold; and curb, with Thy right hand,
The rage of Satan’s furious band.

Send down Thy peace and banish strife,
Let bitterness depart;
Revive the spirit of Thy grace
In each true Christian’s heart;
Then shall Thy church forever sing
The praises of her heavenly King.

1Needham, Nick, “2000 years of Christ’s Power Volume 3: Renaissance and Reformation”, page 152
2http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/d/t/d/i/dtdirect.htm

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In Heavenly Love Abiding

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Today’s hymn is a suggested hymn from a subscriber. The hymn comes from Anna Letitia Waring (1823-1910) who was a Quaker and then became a member of the Church of England. She had a particular concern for the welfare and rehabilitation of prisoners and she learned Hebrew in order to be able to read the Old Testament in the original. She published a number of books of her own hymns as well as writings on moral and religious themes; this particular hymn has been described as a ‘beautiful variation’ of Psalm 23. Julian’s Dictionary of Hymnology noted that her hymns were ‘marked by great simplicity, concentration of thought, and elegance of diction’1. I do love reading and researching the hymns subscribers suggest to me, so please do send any suggestions through the form! Enjoy!

In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim,
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.

Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

1music.churchofscotland.org.uk/hymn/551-in-heavenly-love-abiding

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O Spirit, Lift Our Eyes to Jesus

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Today’s song is a collaboration between pastor writer Trevin Wax and Matt Boswell. Telling the story in 2017 of this hymn Trevin writes “Right now, I serve as the primary teaching pastor at my church. Every week, I pray that the Spirit would move among us—showing us the glory of Jesus through his Word, through our worship, and in our church’s service to the community. I wanted to put those prayers to music, so that our congregation could sing/pray together. That’s how the title came about: “O Spirit, Lift Our Eyes to Jesus.” Once we had the title, Matt got to work on the melody, and I worked on the words1.” I hope God answers this prayer for you today; enjoy!

O Spirit, lift our eyes to Jesus,
help us see Him in Your word.
The Hero of our great redemption,
suffering Saviour, risen Lord.
Over clouds of sin and sorrow,
raise us up to see our King.
O make our hearts to burn within us,
open eyes, and we will sing.

O Spirit, lift our hearts to Jesus,
make His love our sole delight,
with ever-living bread from heaven,
hungry beggars, satisfy.
Overwhelm cold hearts with kindness,
wake us with good news of grace.
O lift us up to taste His goodness,
come and set our souls ablaze.

O Spirit, lift our hands to Jesus,
give us strength to do His will.
With open arms and true compassion,
His commands we would fulfil.
Overcome our hearts’ resistance
with the beauty of His scars.
O, set us free for love and service,
make His hands and heart be ours.

1thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/the-story-behind-a-hymn-i-wrote-with-matt-boswell-o-spirit-lift-our-eyes-to-jesus/?amp

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Nothing Know We of the Season

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Today’s hymn comes from Irishman Thomas Kelly (1769-1855). He trained to become a barrister and entered the Bar, but after a spiritual experience became a preacher instead in 1782. His hymns, 765 in all, were composed and published over a period of 51 years. This hymn is based on 1 Thess 5:1-11, which Paul says we should encourage each other with. I hope these words are an encouragement to you!

Nothing know we of the season
When the world shall pass away;
But we know, the saints have reason
To expect a glorious day;
When the Saviour shall return,
And His people cease to mourn.

While a careless world is sleeping,
Then it is the day will come;
Mirth will then be turned to weeping,
Sinners then must meet their doom;
But the people of the Lord
Shall obtain their bright reward.

O what sacred joys await them!
They shall see the Saviour then;
Those who now oppose and hate them
Never can oppose again;
Brethren, let us think of this:
All is ours, if we are His.

Waiting for the Lord’s returning,
Be it ours His word to keep;
Let our lamps be always burning;
Let us watch while others sleep;
We’re no longer of the night;
We are children of the light.

Being of the favoured number
Whom the Saviour calls His own,
’Tis not meet that we should slumber,
Nothing should be left undone:
This should be His people’s aim,
Still to glorify His name!

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