Monthly Archives: Oct 2024

Through All the Changing Scenes of Life

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Today’s beautiful hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 34 by Nahum Tate (1652–1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659–1726) for the New Version of the Psalms (1696). The words to this one are a lovely meditation to start the week with and I’m particularly fond of the last stanza; enjoy!

Meter: 8.6.8.6

Through all the changing scenes of life,
in trouble and in joy,
the praises of my God shall still
my heart and tongue employ.

Of his deliv’rance I will boast,
till all that are distressed,
from my example comfort take
and lay their griefs to rest.

O magnify the LORD with me,
exalt his holy name;
when in distress to him I called,
he to my rescue came.

The hosts of God encamp around
the dwellings of the just;
deliv’rance he affords to all
who in his promise trust.

O taste and see that he is good;
experience will decide
how blest are they, and only they
who in the LORD confide.

Fear him, you saints, and you will then
have nothing else to fear;
make serving him your sole delight,
your wants shall be his care.

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Hymn of the Day / Youtube / Logos of Grace Prints

They Lack No Friends Who Have Thy Love

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This week’s hymn comes from Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter (1615-1691). It’s both a hymn of thankfulness for and encouragement of Christian fellowship – thoughts that are very fitting to have after the Lord’s Day. I hope this hymn stirs in you a desire to build relationships with and pour into other Christians as your fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord, giving thanks to God for bringing you into his family; enjoy!

Meter: 8.8.8.8

They lack not friends who have thy love,
and may converse and walk with thee,
and with thy saints here and above,
with whom for ever I must be.

In the blest fellowship of saints
is wisdom, safety, and delight;
and when my heart declines and faints,
it’s raisèd by their heat and light.

As for my friends, they are not lost;
the several vessels of thy fleet,
though parted now, by tempests tossed,
shall safely in the haven meet.

Still we are centred all in thee,
members, though distant, of one Head;
in the same family we be,
by the same faith and spirit led.

Before thy throne we daily meet
as joint-petitioners to thee;
in spirit we each other greet,
and shall again each other see.

The heavenly hosts, world without end,
shall be my company above;
and thou, my best and surest Friend,
who shall divide me from thy love?

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Update and Unlimited Grace

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Hi friends, a little update with the blog. I’m so glad that many of you comment and message me to say how helpful and encouraging these hymns are to you! However at the moment there is a lot going on in my home life, as well as the fact that I’m trying to use my spare time to complete a theological course my church offers. This means it’s been difficult for me to have these posts ready each day. Therefore at the moment, I’m switching to providing a hymn for the week, and will post/email out every Monday to help you start the week with biblical encouragement.

This week’s song comes from Grace Worship, the worship ministry of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Peoria, Illinois. The song is written by the worship leader Kevin King with Bryan Chappell, former pastor and President of Covenant Theological Seminary, based upon the book Bryan wrote called Unlimted Grace: The Heart Chemistry That Frees from Sin and Fuels the Christian Life. I hope you enjoy this one!

From glory unbounded
Beyond time and space
The angels adored Him
With infinite praise
Yet He who formed heaven
Faced hell for our sakes
His cross was the call of
Unlimited grace

Refrain
Glory glory Hallelujah
Jesus Christ has saved my soul
Though I once stood as a sinner
For me blood was shed
Yes His love has bled
Now I stand in unlimited grace

The will of the Father
Cupped death for Christ’s taste
A grave hewn from stone
Buried sin in His place
The Spirit unvanquished
Crushed hell in that space
His cross was the cost of
Unlimited grace [Refrain]

My life though unworthy
Brings joy to His face
And gifts that He’s given
I offer in praise
For all my transgressions
His suffering laid waste
His cross now my cause of
Unlimited Grace [Refrain]

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Jesus With Your Church Abide

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Today’s hymn comes from Thomas Benson Pollock (1836-1896), a curate in the Anglican Church. He was most successful as a writer of metrical litanies, which we have today. I’ve included a version by my favourite music group, Emu Music. Enjoy!

Jesus, with thy church abide;
be her Saviour, Lord, and Guide,
while on earth her faith is tried:
we beseech thee, hear us.

Keep her life and doctrine pure;
grant her patience to endure,
trusting in thy promise sure:
we beseech thee, hear us.

May she one in doctrine be,
one in truth and charity,
winning all to faith in thee:
we beseech thee, hear us.

May she guide the poor and blind,
seek the lost until she find,
and the broken-hearted bind:
we beseech thee, hear us.

Judge her not for work undone,
judge her not for fields unwon,
bless her work in thee begun:
we beseech thee, hear us.

Save her love from growing cold,
make her watchmen strong and bold,
fence her round, thy peaceful fold:
we beseech thee, hear us.

May her lamp of truth be bright,
bid her bear aloft its light
through the realms of heathen night:
we beseech thee, hear us.

Arm her soldiers with the cross,
brave to suffer toil or loss,
counting earthly gain but dross:
we beseech thee, hear us.

May she holy triumphs win,
overthrow the hosts of sin,
gather all the nations in:
we beseech thee, hear us.

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One There Is Above All Others

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Today’s hymn comes from my favourite hymn writer, John Newton. This one tells of the value and blessing of calling Jesus our friend, a friend like no other. I hope you can call yourself a friend of Jesus today; enjoy!

Meter: 8.7.8.7.7.7

One there is, above all others,
well deserves the name of Friend;
His is love beyond a brother’s,
costly, free, and knows no end;
they who once His kindness prove,
find it everlasting love!

Which of all our friends to save us,
could or would have shed their blood?
But our Jesus died to have us
reconciled in Him to God;
this was boundless love indeed!
Jesus is a Friend in need.

Men, when raised to lofty stations,
often know their friends no more;
slight and scorn their poor relations
though they valued them before.
But our Savior always owns
those whom He redeemed with groans.

When He lived on earth abased,
Friend of sinners was His name;
now, above all glory raised,
He rejoices in the same;
still He calls them brethren, friends,
and to all their wants attends.

Could we bear from one another,
what He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious Friend and Brother
loves us though we treat Him thus;
though for good we render ill,
He accounts us brethren still.

O for grace our hearts to soften!
Teach us, Lord, at length to love;
we, alas! forget too often
what a Friend we have above;
but when home our souls are brought,
we will love Thee as we ought.

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What God Ordains Is Always Good

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Today’a hymn comes from Samuel Rodigast, a German philosophy teacher at the University of Jena in the late 1600s. Originally written in German, many of us will recognise the song translated by Catherine Winkworth as “Whatever My God Ordains Is Right”, however the 1941 Lutheran Hymnal has the alternative translation below; slightly different words and yet still a great reminder. Enjoy!

What God ordains is always good;
His will is just and holy.
As He directs my life for me,
I follow meek and lowly.
My God indeed in ev’ry need
knows well how He will shield me;
to Him, then, I will yield me.

What God ordains is always good; 
He never will deceive me.
He leads me in His righteous way,
and never will He leave me.
I take, content, what He has sent;
His hand that sends me sadness
will turn my tears to gladness.

What God ordains is always good;
His loving thought attends me;
no poison can be in the cup
that my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morning new
I trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

What God ordains is always good; 
He is my Friend and Father.
He suffers naught to do me harm
tho’ many storms may gather.
Now I may know both joy and woe;
some day I shall see clearly
that He has loved me dearly.

What God ordains is always good; 
tho’ I the cup am drinking
which savors now of bitterness,
I take it without shrinking.
For after grief God gives relief,
my heart with comfort filling
and all my sorrow stilling.

What God ordains is always good; 
this truth remains unshaken.
Tho’ sorrow, need, or death be mine,
I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm, for with His arm
He shall embrace and shield me;
so to my God I yield me.

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How Glorious the Thought

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Today’s song comes from a NCC Collective, a music ministry of Northwest Community Church in Arizona. Regarding their music philosophy, they write: God-centered, Christ-exalting music plays a necessary part in corporate worship. Songs that rehearse the character of God and His gracious redemptive acts inform our minds, stir our hearts, and provide a platform for us to lift our voices in engaging worship. Congregational singing includes two parts. First, we obey God when we worship Him through song (Psalm 149:1). Singing the Lord’s praise is a command for believers to obey with joy! Second, we serve the Lord and one another through singing (Colossians 3:16-17). Congregational singing does not entertain; it provides an opportunity for the saints to glorify God in gratitude and encourage one another in truth1.” Yes and amen! I hope you enjoy this one!

Oh how many years their hearts
Had wandered near and far
Forgetting what their fathers’ God had done
But they were not left in darkness
Only by the kindness
Of their covenant-keeping God
So they waited for His provision
The Son of David their deliverance

How glorious the thought
That the Holy Yahweh, God
Would keep His age-old promise to His chosen ones
That the Lord would bless the nations
Make a way for their salvation
How the prophets longed to see when hope would dawn!
Oh how very glorious the thought!

Oh to have been among the lowly
Shepherds when the holy
Hosts of angels filled the sky
Oh to have heard their voices saying
All those years of waiting
Were over for a child was born that night
Peace on earth, goodwill to all men
For God’s Messiah He had come to them

And how glorious the thought
That the only Son of God
Would put on flesh to live among such fallen ones
That this child would heal the nations
Be the way of their salvation
How with gentleness the hope of all had dawned!
Oh how very glorious the thought!

We rejoice in our Redeemer
Our faith’s perfect keeper
He alone has saved us from our sin
And with boldness we proclaim
That Jesus is His name
That ev’ry sinning soul might yield to Him
Let us press on with great endurance
Until the Lord comes in His radiance

How glorious the thought
That the world will worship God
The day that He returns for all His Faithful Ones
Ev’ry tribe and ev’ry nation
Will declare the Lord’s salvation
How the gates of Hell will quake when that day dawns!

And how glorious the thought
That the Church will dwell with God
He will finish what He’s started in His Chosen Ones
There will be no tears or night
God Himself will be our light
And that Son will never set once it has dawned
Oh how very glorious the thought

1https://nccphx.org/ministries/music/

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Break Forth, O Joyful Heart

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Today’s hymn comes from Fanny Crosby, writer of around 8000-9000 under different pseudonyms. Today’s hymn is an encouragement to praise God for all he has done for us; I hope today you can break forth in glorious praise to your Saviour; enjoy!

Meter:

Break forth, break forth, O joyful heart,
And make His goodness known,
Who all thy life, though undeserved,
Such love to thee has shown.

Refrain
Break forth, break forth, O joyful heart,
Break forth, no longer silent be;
Break forth, break forth in grateful praise
To Him who came to ransom Thee.

’Twas Jesus sought my wand’ring soul,
And with a shepherd’s care
He brought me kindly to His fold,
And still protects me there. [Refrain]

He is my advocate with God,
My Savior and my friend,
His mercies new with every morn
Like balmy showers descend. [Refrain]

My soul shall magnify the Lord,
My voice His love proclaim,
And every power within me join
To bless and praise His name. [Refrain]

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Does Jesus Care?

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We can often question whether God sees or cares about what we are going through here on earth. Today’s hymn was written to combat that. The hymn writer Frank E. Graeff (1860-1919) was a minister in the Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a prolific writer of hymns, stories, poems and articles. I hope this hymn can counsel your soul that Jesus does care; enjoy!

Meter: 9.7.10.8 with refrain

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

Refrain
O yes, He cares- I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near? [Refrain]

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief I find no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long? [Refrain]

Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks—
Is it aught to Him? does He see? [Refrain]

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Christ Is Sufficient

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Today’s hymn is written by Chris Anderson with music by Greg Habegger. Chris Anderson is author of “Theology That Sticks: The Life-Changing Power of Exceptional Hymns” and is one of the leading voices in a call to singing theologically rich songs, and the power of the old hymns. Of this hymn they hope it “beckons believers to drink deeply of Christ and find Him all-satisfying.” I hope you enjoy this one!

Nothing I’ve done could merit God’s grace;
Nothing I’ll do can take it away.
I have one hope, in life and death:
I have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

Nothing remains since Jesus has died;
Justice was paid; the Judge satisfied.
Great is my sin; greater His love;
I have been cleansed with Calvary’s blood!

Refrain:
Christ is sufficient! His work is finished! 
He is my faith’s Author and End; 
Christ is enough—my Saviour and Friend!

Nothing I’ve sought on earth satisfies;
I was designed to thirst after Christ.
Beckoned by Him, “Drink and be filled.”
I am content, yet yearn for Him still. [Refrain]

Nothing but Christ can undo the Fall.
He will return to reign over all.
Come to us, Lord; right ev’ry wrong;
Soon the redeemed will join heaven’s song. [Refrain]

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