Author Archives: hymnoftheday

The Power of the Cross

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Stuart Townend wrote this song with Keith Getty, and it’s one of a number of story songs they have written together. Stuart feels it’s important we understand that our faith is not merely a philosophy, a series of transcendent thoughts about what God might be like, or even a collection of fables and allegories – our faith is rooted in history, in things that have actually happened on this planet, and are backed up by evidence. We have a true story to tell. The song paints the picture of that Good Friday when Christ was tried, beaten, nailed to a cross, suffered and died, and the chorus tries to explain the significance of it all. Then the last verse effectively paints us into that picture, for it is our name written in His wounds.1

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the power of the cross:
Christ became sin for us,
Took the blame, bore the wrath:
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin;
Every bitter thought,
Every evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees,
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
‘Finished!’ the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death,
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross:
Son of God, slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

1stuarttownend.co.uk/song/the-power-of-the-cross/

My Faith Has Found A Resting Place

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The author of the hymn is often listed as Lidie H. Edmunds, the pen name for Eliza Edmunds Hewitt. Hewitt was born on June 28, 1851 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation she became a teacher, but shortly thereafter suffered a serious spinal problem when a student struck her with a heavy slate. She was an invalid for the remainder of her life, even though she was able to partially recover. She continued to live in Philadelphia and turned to hymn writing. She was a regular contributor to various Sunday School publications. She also served as Sunday School superintendent for a church and home for orphaned children. One can only imagine how her own experiences inspired the faith and lyrics for this song.1

My faith has found a resting place,
from guilt my soul is freed;
I trust the ever-living One,
his wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
it is enough that Jesus died,
and that he died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
this ends my fear and doubt;
a sinful soul, I come to him,
he’ll never cast me out.

Refrain

My heart is leaning on the Word,
the written Word of God,
salvation by my Saviour’s name,
salvation thro’ his blood.

Refrain

My great Physician heals the sick,
the lost he came to save;
for me his precious blood he shed,
for me his life he gave.

Refrain

1http://dianaleaghmatthews.com/my-faith-found-resting-place/#.Y3Kw6OzP3u5

Whatever My God Ordains Is Right

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Samuel Rodigast was a German philosophy teacher at the University of Jena in the late 1600s. While the circumstances that led him to write this hymn are not certain, it may be that a sick friend of his asked him to write a song for his funeral. Catherine Winkworth then went on to translate this hymn from German to English in the mid-1800s1. I often have to remind myself that “whatever my God ordains is right” whenever I meet trials or face anxious situations.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still, whate’er He doth,
And follow where He guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall,
And so to Him I leave it all

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path;
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, I’m drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew,
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet am I not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.

1https://medium.com/@jamespoteetii/hymn-exegesis-whateer-my-god-ordains-is-right-b2f19f706c51

Jesus Paid It All

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On a hot summer Sunday morning in 1865, Mrs. Elvina Hall (1820-1889) was found in her accustomed place in the church choir loft. But as the minister Reverend Schrick’s prayer continued, her thoughts drifted to other things. She pondered the meaning of the cross, and wrote the first lines in the back of her hymnal. Afterward, she presented the pastor with some simple lines of poetry which reminded the pastor that the church organist, John Grape (1835-1915) had composed a new hymn tune, with no words in mind. Stepping into his study, the pastor laid Mrs. Hall’s poem next to the lines of music. In surprise, he saw they fit one another like hand in glove. “Indeed, God works in mysterious ways!” he thought. The words and tune have been partners ever since, in the hymn, “Jesus Paid It All.”1

I hear the Saviour say,
“Thy strength indeed is small,
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow’r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Refrain

For nothing good have I
Where-by Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

Refrain

And when, before the throne,
I stand in Him complete,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
My lips shall still repeat.

Refrain

1independentbaptist.com/jesus-paid-it-all1/

Abide With Me

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The author of the hymn, Henry Francis Lyte, was an Anglican minister. He was a curate in County Wexford from 1815 to 1818. For most of his life Lyte suffered from poor health, and he would regularly travel abroad for relief, as was customary at that time. The belief is that when Lyte felt his own end approaching at the age of 54, as he developed tuberculosis, he recalled the lines to a hymn he had written so many years before in County Wexford when visiting a friend. The Biblical link for the hymn is Luke 24:29 in which the disciples asked Jesus to abide with them “for it is toward evening and the day is spent”. Using his friend’s more personal phrasing “Abide with Me”, Lyte composed the hymn1. Below are the full words, but most hymnals and songs omit most of the verses.

Abide with me;
fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens;
Lord with me abide.
When other helpers,
fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless,
abide with me.

Swift to its close,
ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim;
its glories pass away;
Change and decay in,
all around I see;
O Thou who changest not,
abide with me.

Not a brief glance I beg,
a passing word,
But as Thou dwell’st
with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending,
patient, free.
Come not to sojourn,
but abide with me.

Come not in terrors,
as the King of kings,
But kind and good,
with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes,
a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners,
thus abide with me.

Thou on my head,
in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious,
and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me,
though I oft left Thee,
On to the close Lord,
abide with me.

I need Thy presence,
every passing hour.
What but Thy grace,
can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself,
my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine,
abide with me.

I fear no foe,
with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight,
tears lose their bitterness
Where is thy sting death?
Where grave thy victory?
I triumph still,
abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross,
before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom,
and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks,
and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death,
Lord, abide with me.

1wikipedia.org/wiki/Abide_with_Me

See The Destined Day Arise

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[I’m aware of a formatting issue when reading the posts via email. This is a bug on WordPress’ end and we’re working to get this fixed. Hopefully it doesn’t stop you enjoying these wonderful hymns!]


I discovered this hymn through Sovereign Grace’s recording during the T4G conference. The original hymn was written by Venantius Fortunatus, who in 599, became the bishop of Abbey of St. Croix in Poitiers, France. It was then paraphrased by Anglican minister Richard Mant in 1837, then updated and popularised by modern hymn writer Matt Merker in 2014.

See the destined day arise!
See a willing sacrifice!
Jesus, to redeem our loss,
Hangs upon the shameful cross;
Jesus, who but You could bear
Wrath so great and justice fair?
Every pang and bitter throe,
Finishing Your life of woe?

Refrain
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Lamb of God for sinners slain!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Jesus Christ, we praise Your name!

Who but Christ had dared to drain,
Steeped in gall, the cup of pain
And with tender body bear
Thorns and nails and piercing spear?
Slain for us, the water flowed,
Mingled from Your side with blood;
Sign to all attesting eyes
Of the finished sacrifice.

Refrain

Holy Jesus, grant us grace
In that sacrifice to place
All our trust for life renewed,
Pardoned sin, and promised good.
Grant us grace to sing Your praise
‘Round Your throne through endless days,
Ever with the sons of light:
“Blessing, honour, glory, might!”

Refrain

Rejoice, the Lord Is King!

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The opening stanza of this well-known hymn by Charles Wesley (1707–1788) is one of unbridled exuberance. The six-line stanza contains at least seven imperative exhortations: “Rejoice,” “give thanks,” “sing,” “Lift up your heart,” “Lift up your voice,” “Rejoice, again,” “rejoice”1. The hymn is based on Philippians 4:4. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” The early Methodists experienced much persecution and hardship and Charles wrote this hymn, based on Paul’s words penned while to prison, to encourage them2.

Rejoice the Lord is King,
Your Lord and King adore.
Mortals give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.

Refrain
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice, rejoice
Again I say, rejoice!

Jesus the Saviour reigns, 
The God of truth and love.
When he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above.

Refrain

His Kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heaven.
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus given.

Refrain

He sits at God’s right hand,
Till all His foes submit.
And bow to his command
And fall beneath his feet.

Refrain

Rejoice in glorious hope,
Jesus the judge shall come.
And take his servants up
To their eternal home.

We soon shall hear
the archangel’s voice,
The trump of God
shall sound, rejoice!

1umcdiscipleship.org/articles/history-of-hymns-rejoice-the-lord-is-king
2hymnswelove.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-story-behind-rejoice-lord-is-king.html

We Long For That Day

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Does your theology have room for lament? If not, our lives and the Scriptures show us that we should. This song was written by Sol Fenne, Music Coordinator at 20schemes. He based it on a book written by the pastor of the church’s music ministry1. Mez McConnell’s book “The Creaking on the Stairs: Finding Faith in God Through Childhood Abuse” uses his own story of childhood abuse to tell us about a God who is just, sovereign and loving. A good Father who knows the pain of rejection and abuse, who hates evil, who can bring hope even in the darkest place2. I hope this hymn can be used in your times of suffering and sorrow.

God will judge this world so full of evil
And bring each work of darkness into light;
On that day His enemies will tremble
When the King returns in glorious might

Finally oppression will be over
Secret acts of cruelty made known;
Nowhere left to hide for the abuser
Every deed laid bare before the throne.

Refrain
We long for that day when Jesus comes again
When sorrow and pain will all come to an end;
When justice is done and evil cast away;
Oh may we all be found in Christ that day.

On that day we’ll stand before our Maker
To face our debt of sin which must be paid;
There is no-one righteous, none can measure
the perfect standard Christ alone displayed.

But there is hope for all who trust in Jesus
For all who know forgiveness in His name;
He faced the wrath deserved by ruined sinners
To save us from our anger, fear and shame.

Then as the light descended into darkness
The Son of God forsaken on a tree
In agony our Saviour died abandoned
The innocent was crushed to set us free

But on the third day Jesus rose in glory
And now He reigns in heaven from His throne
Praise the King for such an act of mercy
One day He will come to take us home

Refrain

120schemesequip.com/we-long-for-that-day/
210ofthose.com/uk/20schemes-titles

O God, Our Help in Ages Past

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Another hymn by Isaac Watts, this one is a paraphrase of Psalm 90 for his 1719 collection: “Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament”. At the time of writing, the Church of England was persecuting non-conformist Christians like Watts who worshipped in congregations outside the state-owned church. It is thought these events influenced these words. Psalm 90 and this hymn asks us to behold the God who is timeless, the One whose days and years are the same. It promises that the same God who has worked in the past, and will work in the future, is at work right now. This hymn has often been sung in times of great significance; the BBC in the UK aired it on the radio when Britain entered WW2, and again at the funeral of Winston Churchill1.

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne,
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone.
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
soon bears us all away;
we fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the op’ning day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guide while troubles last,
And our eternal home!

1page 164 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church

Praise to the Lord, The Almighty

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“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” was written as a loose summary of Psalms 103 and 150 by Joachim Neander in 1680. He became the first significant hymn-writer in the German Reformed Church, writing 60 hymns. Most of his hymns were written during his time as a hermit living in the Neander Valley. “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” was published the same year in which he died of tuberculosis at the young age of 301. This hymn is one I often find myself humming and is one of my favourites.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation;
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation.
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord,
Who o’er all things
So wondrously reigneth;
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen,
How thy desires have been,
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper
Thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy
Here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew,
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him;
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him

1christcovenant.church/thecovenanterblog/2019/3/11/praise-to-the-lord-the-almighty