Your Hand, O God, Has Guided

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Edward Plumptre (1821-1891) is the writer of today’s hymn on Christian unity. He was an eminent classical and biblical scholar who gained prominence in both church and university. Educated at King’s College, London, and University College, Oxford, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1846. Plumptre served as a preacher at Oxford and a professor of pastoral theology at King’s College, and held a number of other prestigious positions. His writings translations from Greek and Latin classics, poetry and hymns. He was also a member of the committee that produced the Revised Version of the Bible1. Enjoy!

Your hand, O God, has guided
your flock from age to age;
your faithfulness is written
on history’s open page.
Our fathers owned your goodness,
and we their deeds record;
and both to this bear witness:
one church, one faith, one Lord!

Your heralds brought the gospel
to greatest and the least;
they summoned men and women
to share the great King’s feast.
And this was all their teaching
in ev’ry deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming:
one church, one faith, one Lord!

Your mercy will not fail us
nor leave your work undone;
with your right hand to help us
the vict’ry shall be won.
And then by earth and heaven
your name shall be adored;
and this shall be our anthem:
one church, one faith, one Lord!

1hymnary.org/person/Plumptre_EH

Christ For The World We Sing

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Today’s hymn is written by Samuel Walcott in 1869 during Y.M.C.A. convention held in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 7, 1869, where the theme was “Christ for the world, and the world for Christ.” Evergreen branches spelled out these words on the stage above the speaker’s podium. Samuel Wolcott, pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in Cleveland, returned to the parsonage after reflecting on the theme and wrote this text. It was paired to ITALIAN HYMN (associated with “Come, Thou Almighty King”) by noted gospel song composer William H. Doane (1832-1915)1. Enjoy!

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with loving zeal:
the poor and them that mourn, 
the faint and overborne, 
sin-sick and sorrow-worn, 
for Christ doth heal. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with fervent pray’r: 
the wayward and the lost, 
by restless passions tossed, 
redeemed at countless cost 
from dark despair. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with one accord:
with us the work to share, 
with us reproach to dare, 
with us the cross to bear, 
for Christ our Lord. 

Christ for the world we sing; 
the world to Christ we bring 
with joyful song:
the newborn souls whose days, 
reclaimed from error’s ways,
inspired with hope and praise, 
to Christ belong.


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1umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-christ-for-the-world-we-sing

Hast Thou Heard Him, Seen Him, Known Him?

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Today’s hymn comes from Ora Rowan (1834-1879). Here’s another hymn that I could not find much about the author, only that it can be sung to the tune of “Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus”. This hymn is centred around idolatry, and just being more beautiful than anything else in this world. I hope this is one you can resonate with. Enjoy!

Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him?
Is not thine a captured heart?
Chief among ten thousand own Him;
Joyful choose the better part.

Refrain
Captivated by His beauty,
Worthy tribute haste to bring;
Let His peerless worth constrain thee,
Crown Him now unrivaled King

Idols once they won thee, charmed thee,
Lovely things of time and sense;
Gilded thus does sin disarm thee,
Honeyed lest thou turn thee thence

What has stripped the seeming beauty
From the idols of the earth?
Not a sense of right or duty,
But the sight of peerless worth

Not the crushing of those idols,
With its bitter void and smart;
But the beaming of His beauty,
The unveiling of His heart

Who extinguishes their taper
Till they hail the rising sun?
Who discards the garb of winter
Till the summer has begun

’Tis that look that melted Peter,a
‘Tis that face that Stephen saw,
’Tis that heart that wept with Mary,
Can alone from idols draw

Draw and win and fill completely,
Till the cup o’erflow the brim;
What have we to do with idols
Who have companied with Him

Salvation By Grace

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Today’s hymn is another by Isaac Watts, but this time a song of confession. The words to this one our rich in biblical theology and would be an excellent addition to any church’s weekly song list. Enjoy this Bluesy Folk version by Sojourn.

Lord, we confess our num’rous faults,
How great our guilt has been,
How vain and foolish all our thoughts,
How deeply stained with sin.

But oh, my soul, forever praise,
Forever love, his name
Who turns your feet from dang’rous ways
Of folly, sin, and shame.

‘Tis not by works of righteousness
Which our own hands have done,
But we are saved by God’s free grace
Abounding through his Son.

‘Tis from the mercy of our God
That all our hopes begin;
‘Tis by the water and the blood
Our souls are saved from sin.

‘Tis through the purchase of his death
Who hung upon the tree
The Spirit is sent down to breathe
On such dry bones as we.

Raised from the dead, we live anew;
And, justified by grace,
We shall appear in glory, too,
And see our Father’s face.

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‘Tis finished! The Messiah Dies

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Today’s hymn is written by Charles Wesley. He was inspired to write the hymn after reading a short passage from the Gospel of John: “When Jesus had received the sour wine , he said ‘It is finished’; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) Of the thousands of hymn texts that Wesley wrote, this became one of his favourites. He revised the text numerous times, an unusual practice for Wesley, and upon his deathbed Wesley completed an eight-stanza version, which was published in several Methodist hymnbooks in Britain during the 19th century1. Enjoy!

‘Tis finished! The Messiah dies,
Cut off for sins, but not His own:
Accomplished is the sacrifice,
The great redeeming work is done!
’Tis finished! All the debt is paid;
Justice divine is satisfied;
The grand and full atonement made;
God for a guilty world hath died.

The veil is rent in Christ alone;
The living way to Heaven is seen;
The middle wall is broken down,
And all mankind may enter in.
The types and figures are fulfilled;
Exacted is the legal pain;
The precious promises are sealed;
The spotless Lamb of God is slain.

The reign of sin and death is o’er,
And all may live from sin set free;
Satan hath lost his mortal power;
’Tis swallowed up in victory!
Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Savior hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek, expiring Lamb!
’Tis finished! He expires for me.

Accepted in the Well-beloved,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed;
And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine!
Death, hell, and sin are now subdued;
All grace is now to sinners given;
And lo, I plead the atoning blood,
And in Thy right I claim Thy Heaven!

1umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-tis-finished-the-messiah-dies-1

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I Have A Shelter

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Today’s song comes from Sovereign Grace and was written in 2008. I love the melody of this one and sure you’ll be humming along too; Enjoy!

I have a shelter in the storm
When troubles pour upon me
Though fears are rising like a flood
My soul can rest securely
O Jesus, I will hide in You
My place of peace and solace
No trial is deeper than Your love
That comforts all my sorrows

I have a shelter in the storm
When all my sins accuse me
Though justice charges me with guilt
Your grace will not refuse me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
Who bore my condemnation
I find my refuge in Your wounds
For there I find salvation

I have a shelter in the storm
When constant winds would break me
For in my weakness, I have learned
Your strength will not forsake me
O Jesus, I will hide in You
The One who bears my burdens
With faithful hands that cannot fail
You’ll bring me home to heaven

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More Holiness Give Me

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Philip P. Bliss (1838-1876) was converted at a revival meeting at age twelve and became an itinerant music teacher. His first song was published in 1864, and in 1868 Dwight L. Moody advised him to become a singing evangelist. For the last two years of his life Bliss traveled with Major D. W. Whittle and led the music at revival meetings in the Midwest and Southern United States. Bliss and Ira D. Sankey published a popular series of hymn collections entitled Gospel Hymns. More Holiness Give Me” first appeared under the title “My Prayer” in the author’s second collection of hymns, Sunshine for the Sunday Schools, including one of my favourites “Hallelujah! What a Saviour,”.1 Enjoy and make this one your prayer today.

More holiness give me,
More strivings within,
More patience in suff’ring,
More sorrow for sin,
More faith in my Savior,
More sense of his care,
More joy in his service,
More purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me,
More trust in the Lord,
More pride in his glory,
More hope in his word,
More tears for his sorrows,
More pain at his grief,
More meekness in trial,
More praise for relief.

More purity give me,
More strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains,
More longing for home.
More fit for the kingdom,
More used would I be,
More blessed and holy—
More, Saviour, like thee.

1https://hymnary.org/person/Bliss_Philip

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Jesus Is Mine

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Off the back of yesterday’s hymn, today’s hymn is rewrite of Bonar’s hymn, written by Matt Merker, Keith Getty and Jordan Kauflin. Enjoy!

Fade, fade each earthly joy;
Jesus is mine.
Stronger than fleeting hopes,
Jesus is mine.
Dark is the wilderness,
Earth has no resting place,
Jesus alone can bless;
Jesus is mine.

In days of fragile peace,
Jesus is mine.
Through tearful nights of grief,
Jesus is mine.
His voice commands the storm
His presence stills my soul,
He will sustain my hope
Jesus is mine.

Refrain
Jesus is mine,
Jesus is mine,
When all else fails, He still remains;
Jesus is mine.

When on that final day,
Jesus is mine.
Before His radiant face,
Jesus is mine.
Safe in His arms I’ll cling,
Praising my Saviour King,
Forevermore I’ll sing:
”Jesus is mine.”

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Fade, Fade, Each Earthly Joy

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Today’s words come from Jane Catherine Bonar, the wife of famous Scottish clergyman and hymn writer Horatius Bonar. Enjoy!

Fade, fade, each earthly joy; 
Jesus is mine.
Break every tender tie; 
Jesus is mine.
Dark is the wilderness, 
Earth has no resting-place,
Jesus alone can bless; 
Jesus is mine.

Tempt not my soul away; 
Jesus is mine.
Here would I ever stay; 
Jesus is mine.
Perishing things of clay, 
Born but for one brief day,
Pass from my heart away; 
Jesus is mine.

Farewell, ye dreams of night; 
Jesus is mine.
Lost, in this dawning bright, 
Jesus is mine.
All that my soul has tried 
Left but a dismal void;
Jesus has satisfied; 
Jesus is mine.

Farewell, mortality; 
Jesus is mine.
Welcome, eternity;
Jesus is mine.
Welcome, O loved and blest, 
Welcome, sweet scenes of rest,
Welcome, my Saviour’s breast;
Jesus is mine.

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All I Ever Need Is Found In Thee

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For today’s hymn, I could not find much information about it, not even who wrote it! All the information I could find is that it’s a Russian Hymn, sung by the persecuted Church in the Soviet Union. Perhaps that says everything we need to know about it right? Below is the tune which is quite easy to catch. Enjoy!

Not in words of prayer do I rely;
Nor in songs to be my soul’s supply;
Song of Songs, Thou art to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Song of Songs, Thou art to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee.

Not for selfish gain do I seek peace;
Nor for earthly pleasures to increase;
Thou, O Christ, art all to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Thou, O Christ, art all to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee.

I need Thy peace and holiness within;
I’ll hide in Thee, O keep me from all sin.
Help me more Thy cross to see;
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Help me more Thy cross to see;
All I ever need is found in Thee.

Christ revealed His eternal love;
Can there yet be greater joys above?
This my soul delights to see;
All I ever need is found in Thee.
This my soul delights to see;
All I ever need is found in Thee.

Thou my Shade in a dry and weary land;
I’ll rest beneath Thy strong and mighty hand;
Living Waters be to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Living Waters be to me;
All I ever need is found in Thee

When oppressed by fears on every side;
In Thy strength alone may I abide;
Thou wilt give the victory,
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Thou wilt give the victory,
All I ever need is found in Thee.

Thou my Strength, my Fortress, and my Shield,
To Thee, Saviour, help me ever yield,
Thou art All in All to me,
All I ever need is found in Thee.
Thou art All in All to me,
All I ever need is found in Thee.

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