Author Archives: hymnoftheday

Lord, It Belongs Not To My Care

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This hymn I came across during my daily devotional as I was reading an old hymnal a friend lent to me. This hymn was written by well known Puritan pastor Richard Baxter in 1681. This hymn expresses the reliance and confidence believers place in Christ for their earthly and spiritual lives. Its simple but eloquent verses remind us of God’s love and provision for His children, the joy of living under His lordship, and the expectation of eternal happiness in Christ1. Enjoy reading the words to this hymn as a prayer today.

Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live:
To love and serve thee is my share,
And this thy grace must give.

Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than he went through before;
He that into God’s kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.

Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet
Thy blessed face to see;
For if thy work on earth be sweet,
What will thy glory be!

Then shall I end my sad complaints
And weary, sinful days,
And join with the triumphant saints
That sing my Saviour’s praise.

My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But ’tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.

1engagemagazine.net/starting-blog/entertainment/rediscovering-lord-it-belongs-not-to-my-care/

Every Promise

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Songs are a great way of remembering and meditating on the great truths of the faith during the 6 days and 22 hours of the week when we are not at church. This song, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, reminds us that when we fall into sin, when we are faced with difficult decisions, we can rely on God’s promises to forgive, to guide, to strengthen us just when we need it. Jesus Himself said we are to live not by bread alone, but by the word of God – perhaps songs like this can help us to do that!1

From the breaking of the dawn
To the setting of the sun,
I will stand on every promise of Your word.
Words of power, strong to save,
That will never pass away,
I will stand on every promise of Your word.
For Your covenant is sure,
And on this I am secure,
I can stand on every promise of Your word.

When I stumble and I sin,
Condemnation pressing in,
I will stand on every promise of Your word.
You are faithful to forgive,
That in freedom I might live,
So I stand on every promise of Your word.
Guilt to innocence restored:
You remember sins no more!
So I’ll stand on every promise of Your word.

When I’m faced with anguished choice,
I will listen for Your voice,
And I’ll stand on every promise of Your word.
Through this dark and troubled land
You will guide me with your hand
As I stand on every promise of Your word.
And you’ve promised to complete
Every work begun in me,
So I’ll stand on every promise of Your word.

Hope that lifts me from despair,
Love that casts out every fear,
As I stand on every promise of Your word.
Not forsaken, not alone,
For the Comforter has come,
And I stand on every promise of Your word.
Grace sufficient, grace for me,
Grace for all who will believe,
We will stand on every promise of Your word.

1stuarttownend.co.uk/song/every-promise/

Drawn To The Cross, Which Thou Hast Blest

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Genevieve Mary Irons, daughter of Dr. W. J. Irons, and granddaughter of J. Irons, was born at Brompton, Dec. 28, 1855. This hymn, “Drawn to the Cross which Thou hast blessed” (Consecration of Self to Christ) was written in 1880, and printed the same year in the Sunday Magazine. It was afterwards included in her Corpus Christi, 1884. Alluding to this hymn (which was included in the Primitive Methodist Hymnal, 1881) after converting to Catholicism, Miss Irons has written “I always feel that hymn is part of me … I am interested and gratified in knowing that the hymn speaks to the hearts of many who would probably differ from me on most points of doctrine.”1 Enjoy the words as a prayer below, and a piano piece to accompany 🙂

Drawn to the Cross which Thou hast blest,
With healing gifts for souls distressed,
To find in Thee my Life, my Rest,
Christ crucified, I come.

Stained with the sins which I have wrought
In word and deed and secret thought;
For pardon which Thy Blood hath bought,
Christ crucified, I come.

Weary of selfishness and pride,
False pleasures gone, vain hopes denied,
Deep in Thy wounds my shame to hide,
Christ crucified, I come.

Thou knowest all my griefs and fears,
Thy grace abused, my misspent years;
Yet now to Thee, for cleansing tears,
Christ crucified, I come.

I would not, if I could, conceal
The ills which only Thou canst heal;
So to the Cross, where sinners kneel,
Christ crucified, I come.

Wash me, and take away each stain,
Let nothing of my sin remain;
For cleansing, though it be through pain,
Christ crucified, I come.

To share with Thee Thy life divine,
Thy very likeness to be mine,
Since Thou hast made my nature Thine,
Christ crucified, I come.

To be what Thou wouldst have me be,
Accepted, sanctified in Thee,
Through what Thy grace shall work in me,
Christ crucified, I come.

1hymnary.org/text/drawn_to_the_cross_which_thou_hast_blest

Take Me To That Ancient Hill

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“ …and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them” – John 19:17-18. The classic hymn ‘There is a green hill far away’ takes us in our mind’s eye to Golgotha, the hill where Jesus died. Taking up the theme, this song expresses our daily need to be taken to the cross as the place where our guilt and shame are taken away, and our enemy, Satan, is defeated: “But there my wounded victor stood and crushed the serpent’s head that day”1. I hope you enjoy this hymn by Joyful Noise UK 🙂

Take me to that ancient hill
For towering waves of guilt engulf;
But there your steadfast mercy still
Is certain as your wounds of love.

Take me to that sacred tree,
For weary loads of shame oppress’
But there you bore it all for me,
And gave me life and joy and rest.

Refrain
There I stand in awe
At your love for me.
Give my life and all
At the cross of Calvary.

Take me to that splintered wood,
For still the Tempter leads astray;
But there my wounded victor stood
And crushed the serpent’s head that day.

Refrain

Take me to that ancient hill
And stay there all my earthly days.
Rejoicing in your love until
I join with heaven’s eternal praise.

Refrain

1youtube.com/watch?v=ZlSHDRVzsGA

Give to Our God Immortal Praise

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What better way to start the year than with a hymn of praise? The text, based on Psalm 136, was written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). It is thought to be the best of his three paraphrases of the Psalm published in his 1719 work The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament. Many tunes have been used with it, notably one (Warrington) by Ralph Harrison that in our books is most commonly associated with Henry F. Lyte’s “Sweet Is the Solemn Voice That Calls.” Another one that fits well with it was composed by Herbert Sidney Oakeley, who was born on July 22, 1830, at Ealing in Middlesex, near London, England, the son of a Anglican minister named Herbert Oakeley1.

Give to our God immortal praise;
mercy and truth are all his ways:
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.

Give to the Lord of lords renown;
the King of kings with glory crown:
his mercies ever shall endure,
when lords and kings are known no more.

He built the earth, he spread the sky,
and fixed the starry lights on high:
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.

He fills the sun with morning light;
he bids the moon direct the night:
his mercies ever shall endure,
when suns and moons shall shine no more.

He sent his Son with pow’r to save
from guilt and darkness and the grave:
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.

Through this vain world he guides our feet,
and leads us to his heav’nly seat:
his mercies ever shall endure,
when this vain world shall be no more.

1https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/25/quotgive-to-our-god-immortal-praisequot/

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

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The prolific hymn writer Charles Wesley first wrote these lyrics in 1739, a year after his conversion. It was first published in Sacred Hymns and Poems – Charles’ first joint hymnal with his brother John, and was under the title “Hymn for Christmas-Day”. The original first line written by Charles was “Hark how all the welkin rings” but was later changed (with some other adjustments throughout the hymn) to what we know it now by George Whitefield, a friend of John and Charles Wesley, when he published this song in his Hymns for Social Worship in 17531. For me, this is my favourite Christmas Carol, which is why I have left until last. I have you have enjoyed these Advent/Christmas songs through December, and have a blessed New Year 🙂

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the Virgin’s womb:

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

Refrain

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth,
Born to give us second birth.

Refrain

Angels We Have Heard on High

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French legend indicates that in medieval times on Christmas Eve, the shepherds would sing and call to one another from one hillside to another.  “They would call “Gloria in excelsis Deo” which means “glory to God in the highest” in Latin. It was how they would spread their holiday message and cheer from points far away to one another. Angels We Have Heard on High is of French origin and originally titled “Les anges dans nos campagnes“.  The original author of the song is unknown, but believed to be from Languedoc, France. In 1862, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, northeast England, James Chadwick translated the song into English. The English version was published that years in the Crown of Jesus Music1.

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

Refrain
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song?

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Refrain

1dianaleaghmatthews.com/angels-we-have-heard-on-high/#.Y6tbA-zP0bk

O Little Town of Bethlehem

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In 1865, the year the Civil War in America ended and President Lincoln was assassinated, themes of peace and quiet would probably have been welcome to Americans. In that year, the Rev. Phillips Brooks took a trip to Israel and saw Bethlehem and it’s surrounding fields on Christmas Eve, which eventually inspired him to write this Christmas hymn. In contrast to some other Christmas hymns that emphasise the glory of God as seen in the grand chorus of angels, Brooks focuses on the quietness of Christ’s birth, and how little the larger world paid attention. The final stanza is a prayer that Christ would come and be present with us1.

O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary,
and, gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King
and peace to all the earth.

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!

1hymnary.org/text/o_little_town_of_bethlehem

Come Adore The Humble King

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This modern Christmas song by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa has become one of my favourites since my church sung it for our Christmas celebration service. It tells of the lowliness and humility of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is worthy of all our adoration and praise as the King above all kings.

Come adore the humble King
Lowly in the manger
Fall before His majesty
Hail the little Savior
Hope what hope no tongue could tell
God has come with us to dwell
His name is Emmanuel
O praise the humble King

Come adore in humble state
He the song of angels
Join the wise who call His name
And with all creation
Who oh who would condescend
God unknown now calls us friend
Love that none could comprehend
O praise the humble King

Come adore the King who came
To our world to save us
Born to heal our prideful race
Crown us with forgiveness
Fall oh fall before the one
Who in mercy left His throne
Christ the Lord God’s only Son
His glories now we sing
O praise the humble King

Come adore come adore
Come adore the King
Bow before come adore the
Name above all names

O Holy Night

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‘O Holy Night’ had its origins in the mid-1800s in France. But the song stirred a lot of controversy in the church, to the point where it was banned. When asked to pen a poem for his parish’s Mass that Christmas, composer Placide Cappeau thought about the birth of Jesus, as cataloged in the Gospel of Luke, as he wrote the lyrics. He enlisted the help of his Jewish friend Adolphe Charles Adams to aid in the composition of the music. The song was initially titled, “Cantique de Noel.” Although the church in France initially accepted the carol, Cappeau was later swayed by socialist propaganda and walked away from his faith. The church in France condemned the work due to this. Nevertheless, the lyrics and music made its ways to America through abolitionist John Sullivan Dwight. Thanks to Dwight and the covert efforts of the lyrics being sung during Christmas in Europe, the song’s notoriety spread worldwide, rumoured to have been even sung on Christmas Eve during the Franco-Prussian War1. Here is a beautiful choral version I think you’ll enjoy 🙂

O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the Wise Men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend.
He knows our need— to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

1christianity.com/wiki/holidays/what-is-the-meaning-and-story-behind-o-holy-night.html