Author Archives: hymnoftheday

Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

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Philip Bliss was born in 1838 to a father who loved both God and music. At the age of 22 he became an itinerant music teacher and travelled from community to community on horse back carrying a small accordion. When he was 29 he met evangelist D.L. Moody who encouraged him to become a music evangelist. He wrote dozens of hymns, including “It Is Well With My Soul”. Him and his wife tragically died when their train was crossing a bridge and collapsed, plunging the train into the river. Of this hymn, Iras Sankey, soloist of the Moody Crusades, wrote: “A few weeks before his death, Mr Bliss visited the Station prison in Michigan where after a very touching address on “The Man of Sorrows” he sung this hymn. Many prisoners dated their conversion to that day. Later, when Mr Moody and I were in Paris holding meetings, I frequently sang this hymn solo, asking the congregation to join in the single phrase “Hallelujah, what a Saviour” as “Hallelujah” is the same in all languages”1.

Man of sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned he stood
Sealed my pardon with his blood
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Guilty, helpless, lost were we
Blameless Lamb of God was he
Sacrificed to set us free
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

He was lifted up to die
“It is finished” was his cry
Now in heaven exalted high
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

When he comes, our glorious King
All his ransomed home to bring
Then anew this song we’ll sing
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah

1 page 70 – Leeman, D. and Leeman, B., 2022. Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs of the Church

There Is One Gospel

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This modern hymn is written by CityAlight, a music ministry from St Paul’s church in Sydney, Australia. They have come to be loved over the years for their vision – to write songs with biblically rich lyrics and simple melodies for Christian churches to sing1. This song taken from their latest album with the same name is one I’m sure you’ll be singing over and over.

There is one Gospel on which I stand
For all eternity
It is my story, my Father’s plan
The Son has rescued me
Oh what a Gospel, Oh what a peace
My highest joy and my deepest need
Now and forever He is my light
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There is one Gospel to which I cling
All else I count as loss
For there, where justice and mercy meet
He saved me on the cross
No more I boast in what I can bring
No more I carry the weight of sin
For He has brought me from death to life
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There is one Gospel where hope is found
The empty tomb still speaks
For death could not keep my Saviour down
He lives and I am free
Now on my Saviour, I fix my eyes
My life is His and His hope is mine!
For He has promised I, too, will rise
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

And in this Gospel the church is one
We do not walk alone
We have His Spirit as we press on
To lead us safely home
And when in glory still I will sing
Of this old story that rescued me
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

1cityalight.com/about/

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

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Originally published under the title “In Temptation,” this hymn has as its theme the sufficiency of Christ to give comfort, power, and grace in any circumstance. It is a plea that Jesus will provide sanctuary to the tempted (st. 1), because there is no other refuge (st. 2). Christ is declared to be the sole desire of the Christian, who is undeserving (st. 3), while Christ’s grace is declared sufficient to cleanse the Christian from all his vile sins (st. 4)1. There is no particular occasion linked to the writing of the hymn “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.” We know from the heading in its original publication (“In Temptation”) that it was apparently meant to be a help in fighting sin. Whether it was written during a time of temptation in Charles’ own life, though, we cannot say2.

Jesus, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high;
hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last!

Other refuge have I none;
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenseless head
with the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name,
Source of all true righteousness;
Thou art evermore the same,
Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound;
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art;
freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart,
rise to all eternity.

1hymnary.org/text/jesus_lover_of_my_soul_let_me_to_thy_bos
2https://www.challies.com/articles/hymn-stories-jesus-lover-of-my-soul/

Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!

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The text was written by William Chatterton Dix, who was born in Bristol, England, on June 14, 1837. Educated at the Bristol Grammar School, William entered the mercantile business and rose to become the manager of a marine insurance company in Glasgow, Scotland. Even though he possessed only a scanty academic training, he was an excellent student and produced a large number of hymns, over forty, some which are metrical renderings of English translations from the Greek. Perhaps Dix’s best-known songs generally are “What Child Is This?” and “As With Gladness Men of Old”1. This hymn was originally called “Redemption through the Precious Blood” and was inspired by Revelation 5:9, “And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy . . . for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood”2. Below is my favourite version of this hymn:

Alleluia! sing to Jesus! His the scepter, his the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph, his the vict’ry, his alone.
Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion thunder like a mighty flood.
Jesus out of every nation hath redeemed us by his blood.

Alleluia! not as orphans are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us, faith believes, nor questions how;

Though the cloud from sight received him when the forty days were o’er,
Shall our hearts forget his promise, ‘I am with you evermore’?
Alleluia! Hread of heaven, here on earth our food and stay!
Alleluia! Here the sinful flee to thee from day to day.

Intercessor, Friend of sinners, earth’s Redeemer, plead for me.
Where the songs of all the sinless sweep across the crystal sea.

Alleluia! King eternal, thee the Lord of lords we own;
Alleluia! Born of Mary, earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne.
Thou within the veil hast entered, robed in flesh, our great High Priest.
Thou on earth both Priest and Victim in the Eucharistic Feast.

Alleluia! sing to Jesus! His the scepter, his the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph, his the vict’ry, his alone.

1hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/quotalleluia-sing-to-jesusquot/
2tribuneonlineng.com/story-behind-the-hymn-alleluia-sing-to-jesus/

Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near

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The original version of this hymn was written by John Fawcett in 1782. An orphan at the age of twelve, he was converted by the preaching of George Whitefield at the age of sixteen and began preaching soon thereafter. In 1765 Fawcett was called to a small, poor, Baptist country church in Wainsgate, Yorkshire. Seven years later he received a call from the large and influential Carter’s Lane Church in London, England. The day of departure came, and his family’s belongings were loaded on carts, but the distraught congregation begged him to stay; Fawcett continued to serve in Wainsgate and in the nearby village of Hebden Bridge for the remainder of his active ministry1. Below includes a refrain and verse added by Connie Dever of Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

Afflicted saint, to Christ draw near,
Thy Saviour’s gracious promise hear;
His faithful word declares to thee,
That as thy day thy strength shall be.

Let not thy heart despond, and say,
“How shall I stand the trying day?”
He has engaged by firm decree,
That as thy day thy strength shall be.

Refrain
So, sing with joy, afflicted one;
The battle’s fierce, but the victory’s won!
God shall supply all that you need;
Yes, as your days your strength shall be.

Thy faith is weak, thy foes are strong,
And if the conflict should be long,
Thy Lord will make the tempter flee,
For as thy day thy strength shall be.

Should persecution rage and flame,
Still trust in thy Redeemer’s name;
In fiery trials thou shalt see
That as thy day thy strength shall be

Added Verse:
When called to bear your weighty cross
Or sore affliction, pain, or loss,
Or deep distress or poverty,
Still as your days your strength shall be.

1hymnary.org/text/afflicted_saint_to_christ_draw_near

Complete in Thee

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Aar­on R. Wolfe, 1851. Wolfe wrote this hymn just be­fore grad­u­at­ing from Un­ion Sem­in­a­ry. It was first pub­lished in the New York Ev­an­gel­ist in 1851, then in Church Me­lo­dies: A Col­lect­ion of Psalms & Hymns with Ap­pro­pri­ate Tunes, 1859, and below is my favourite version.

Complete in Thee! No work of mine
May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I am now complete in Thee!

Complete in Thee! No more shall sin,
Thy grace hath conquered, reign within;
Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand complete in Thee!

Refrain
Yea, justified! O blessed thought!
And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified, I too, shall be!

Complete in Thee! Each want supplied,
And no good thing to me denied;
Since Thou my portion, Lord, wilt be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee!

Refrain

Dear Saviour, when before Thy bar
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among Thy chosen will I be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee!

Refrain

Christ is Mine Forevermore

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The concept of the song is to explore what it means to be a Christian; it’s designed to acknowledge that it can be very difficult to be a Christian. It sings of the relentless fight against sin, a sorrow you cannot explain, and the persecution we endure. The second verse in particular was inspired by a Christian brother who they were praying for who was going through a very difficult time, yet they could not understand why. The “but’s” in each verse signifies the promises we can hold on to and give us hope1.

Mine are days that God has numbered
I was made to walk with Him
Yet I look for worldly treasure
And forsake the King of kings

But mine is hope in my Redeemer
Though I fall, His love is sure
For Christ has paid for every failing
I am His forevermore

Mine are tears in times of sorrow
Darkness not yet understood
Through the valley I must travel
Where I see no earthly good

But mine is peace that flows from heaven
And the strength in times of need
I know my pain will not be wasted
Christ completes His work in me

Mine are days here as a stranger
Pilgrim on a narrow way
One with Christ I will encounter
Harm and hatred for His name

But mine is armour for this battle
Strong enough to last the war
And He has said He will deliver
Safely to the golden shore

And mine are keys to Zion city
Where beside the King I walk
For there my heart has found its treasure
Christ is mine forevermore

Refrain
Come rejoice now, O my soul
For His love is my reward
Fear is gone and hope is sure
Christ is mine forevermore!

1youtube.com/watch?v=r7Kd2Gi4-jA

Psalm 30

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When I found The Corner Room’s music ministry I was so excited – they manage to put ESV word for word scripture to music in a way that works! This is one of my favourites; sing and learn this with other brothers and sisters as you sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart”.

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
By your favour, O Lord,
    you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cry,
    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 tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

All Must Be Well

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While today’s society tends to expect the “quick fix”, Mary Peters’ hymn acknowledges that Christians will have difficulties (“tribulation”) in life that can produce severe anxiety. She first paints a picture of God’s plan to insulate his people from devastating hopelessness. Through his Son, God has provided a constant, faithful protector whose blood heals and whose grace seals believers. And who is their guide? The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, leads them to spiritual maturity, to holiness of life1. The version I have included is by 20schemes; a music ministry which exists to plant and revitalise local churches in Scotland’s schemes/council estates. 1 or 2 words are slightly different to the words below, but this rendition is wonderful nonetheless.

Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well.
Free and changeless is his favour,
All is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.

Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All is well.
Happy, still in God confiding,
Fruitful, if in Christ abiding,
Holy, through the Spirit’s guiding,
All must be well.

We expect a bright tomorrow,
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
‘All is well.’
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying,
In our living, In our dying,
All must be well.

1http://www.hymnologyarchive.com/all-is-well