Todays hymn was written by Ray Palmer in 1830. Palmer is often considered to be one of America’s best nineteenth-century hymn writers. After completing grammar school he worked in a Boston dry goods store, but his conversion prodded him to study for the ministry. He attended Yale College (supporting himself by teaching) and was ordained in 1835. This hymn was written as a personal response to the realisation of what Christ meant to him. It is a prayer, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the only source of forgiveness, love, comfort, and salvation¹. Enjoy!

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away;
O let me from this day
be wholly Thine.

May Thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as Thou hast died for me,
O may my love to Thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire.

While life’s dark maze I tread,
and griefs around me spread,
be Thou my Guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold, sullen stream
shall o’er me roll,
blest Saviour, then in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul.

¹hymnary.org/text/my_faith_looks_up_to_thee

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Today’s hymn is written by John Newton. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones famously said in his book Spiritual Depression: “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.” Use this hymn today to talk to yourself this morning if unbelief comes knocking on the door of your thoughts. Enjoy!

Begone, unbelief,
My Saviour is near,
And for my relief
Will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle,
And he will perform;
With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.

Though dark be my way,
Since he is my guide,
‘Tis mine to obey,
‘Tis his to provide;
Though cisterns be broken
And creatures all fail,
The word he has spoken
Will surely prevail.

His love in time past
Forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last
In trouble to sink;
Each sweet Ebenezer
I have in review
Confirms his good pleasure
To help me quite through.

Since all that I meet
Shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet,
The medicine food;
Though painful at present,
‘Twill cease before long,
And then O how pleasant
The conqueror’s song!

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Today’s song is written by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell and performed by The Trails Church. They write “‘Our God Will Go Before Us’ echoes a common theme throughout scripture — the nearness of God. As you listen, we hope you’ll be reminded that it is the Lord who leads the way, guides our steps, and brings us safely to our eternal home with him”¹. Enjoy!

Our God will go before us
And guide us by His presence
What confidence this promise is
We will never walk alone

Through unknown paths through shadows
Our hearts fear not tomorrow
For every step His faithfulness
Is the truth that lights our way

Refrain
Our God will go before us
The Lord of Hosts is with us
O praise the One who leads us on
For His grace will bring us home

Though evil forms against us
All heaven will defend us
The gates of hell shall not prevail
For the battle is the Lord’s

Refrain

Now send us with Your presence
And lead us on to heaven
Where songs of sorrow strain no more
And our every breath is praise

Refrain

¹gettymusic.com/ourgodwillgobeforeus

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Today’s hymn by Anglican churchman William Whiting was popularised by the Royal Navy and the United States Navy in the late 19th century, and variations of it were soon adopted by many branches of the armed services in the United Kingdom and the United States. Whiting grew up near the ocean on the coasts of England and at the age of thirty-five had felt his life spared by God when a violent storm nearly claimed the ship he was travelling on, instilling a belief in God’s command over the rage and calm of the sea. In 1860, as headmaster of the Winchester College Choristers’ School some years later, he was approached by a student about to travel to the United States, who confided in Whiting an overwhelming fear of the ocean voyage. Whiting shared his experiences of the ocean and wrote the hymn to “anchor his faith”. In writing it, Whiting is generally thought to have been inspired by Psalm 107, which describes the power and fury of the seas in great detail¹. Enjoy!

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee 
For those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walked upon the foaming deep,
And calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee 
For those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who did brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
And give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee 
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and pow’r,
Your children shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire, and foe,
Protect them where-so-e’er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

¹wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Father,_Strong_to_Save

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The original writer of this hymn was Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), a famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns who studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin. He was deposed of office in 1666 because he refused to subscribe to certain edicts trying to unite Lutheran and Evangelical churches. After being banished and wanting to comfort his wife, he read Psalm 37 to her. This made a great impression on both their hearts, and he spent time in meditation and prayer, and from that this hymn was born¹. This translation was written by Herman H. Brueckner, however the most famous translation probably comes from John Wesley. Enjoy!

Commit thou all that grieves thee
Into the faithful hands
Of Him Who never leaves thee,
Who heaven and earth commands;
For He, the clouds’ Director,
Whom winds and seas obey,
Will be thy king Protector
And will prepare thy way.

2 Rely on God, thy Savior,
So shalt thou safe go on;
Build on His grace and favor,
So shall thy work be done.
Thou canst make no advances
By self-consuming care;
But He His help dispenses,
When called upon by prayer.

3 My soul, then, with assurance
Hope still, be not dismayed;
He will from each encumbrance
Again lift up thy head;
Beyond thy wish extended
His goodness will appear,
When He hath fully ended
What caused thy needless fear.

¹youtube.com/watch?v=YOu7ZynXBYg&t=33s

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Karolina “Lina” Sandell was born on October 3, 1832 in a small town in Sweden. Her father was a Lutheran pastor sympathetic to the growing pietist movement and raised Lina in a faith that emphasised the grace and warmth of God. Throughout her life, she wrote over 2000 hymn texts and poems (earning her the title the “Fanny Crosby of Sweden”) and worked as an editor at the Evangelical National Foundation, a mission organisation within the Lutheran Church of Sweden. This hymn was written quite early in her life, perhaps as young as 17. An old tradition relates that she wrote the hymn while seated on the branch of a large ash tree that stood in the parsonage yard. From that spot on warm summer evenings she could listen to the content twitter of the birds as they hid in their nests among the green leaves, and from there she could watch the stars as they began to appear. Her impressions fortified the biblical concepts of the security of God’s children.

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers,
Your Protector never slumbers;
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender.

Though He giveth or he taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

¹umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-children-of-the-heavenly-father-bjorlin

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This is another modern hymn taken from the Rise and Worship: New Reformation Hymns album, and is sung by Nathan Clark George, and written by Douglas Bond. Surely this hymn must be based on Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Enjoy!

Our God in all things works for good;
His sovereign, gracious will has stood
And will through endless ages stand,
Sustained and ordered by his hand.
 
In goodness God stretched out the sky,
The sun and moon and stars that cry,
“Almighty God has made all things!”—
Creation groans yet shouts and sings.
 
From heaven’s bounty God gives food
To saint and rebel, bad and good;
Our God in all things meets men’s needs
And just and unjust kindly feeds.
 
When clouds descend and troubles rise,
Despair and darkness, tears and sighs,
Yet God is good in grief and loss,
And bears his own who bear their cross.
 
Redemption, purchased and applied
To favoured ones for whom Christ died;
His lambs he grants repentance free
And eyes of faith his cross to see.
 
All praise to God who works for good!
Whose loving kindness firm has stood
And will through endless ages stand,

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Another hymn written by Welshman William Williams in 1745, the text to Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah refers to many of the difficulties and hardships he experienced as a traveling minister along with imagery from the books of Exodus and Joshua, in the Old Testament¹. The rendition below is from the congregation of Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Church in Cardiff, UK, who sound like a professional choir!

Guide me O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of might;
Thou hast saved and freed helpless sinners,
“It is finished” ends our night:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.

Thinking on my Glorious Saviour,
Thinking on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with hungry longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!

¹dianaleaghmatthews.com/guide-me-o-thou-great-jehovah/#.ZEZt0OzMIbk

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This hymn was written by Lutheran an famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), and was later translated by John Wesley. Gerhardt’s hymn is a Lutheran acrostic, and Wesley makes no attempt to follow that (the omission of stanzas, and the change of language, would have made it impossible). The translation was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739, with the title ‘Trust in Providence. From the German.’ Gerhardt experienced much suffering in his life;­ he and his parishioners lived in the era of the Thirty Years’ War, and his family experi­enced incredible tragedy: four of his five children died young, and his wife died after a prolonged illness. In the history of hymnody Gerhardt is considered a transitional figure-he wrote at a time when hymns were changing from a more objective, confes­sional, and corporate focus to a pietistic, devotional, and personal one¹. 

Commit thou all thy griefs
And ways into His hands,
To His sure truth and tender care,
Who earth and heaven commands.

Who points the clouds their course,
Whom winds and seas obey,
He shall direct thy wandering feet,
He shall prepare thy way.

Thou on the Lord rely,
So safe, shalt thou go on;
Fix on His work thy steadfast eye,
So shall thy work be done.

No profit canst thou gain
By self-consuming care;
To Him commend thy cause, His ear
Attends the softest prayer.

Thy everlasting truth,
Father, Thy ceaseless love,
Sees all Thy children’s wants, and knows
What best for each will prove.

Thou everywhere hast sway,
And all things serve Thy might,
Thy every at pure blessing is,
Thy path unsullied light.

¹hymnary.org/text/commit_thou_all_thy_griefs

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By 1870, Horatio Spafford was a successful Chicago lawyer with every reason to be thankful and faithful to God. A supporter of preachers Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey, prominent Christian evangelists formed part his circle of friends. In 1871, his four year old son died. While struggling with this personal tragedy, the Great Chicago Fire of the same year reduced the family’s property investments and financial security to ashes. To give the family time and space to recover, Horatio made plans for him, his wife and four daughters to join and encourage Moody and Sankey on one of their European preaching tours. On boarding the ship, a business emergency forced Horatio to remain in Chicago while the family went on ahead. But in mid Atlantic, the ship had collided with another ship, sinking in 12 minutes with the loss of 226 of the 307 passengers. Several days later Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales, Anna: “Saved Alone”; all four of their daughters were lost. Horatio immediately set off for Wales to bring his wife home. On the crossing to Wales, the ship’s captain summoned Horatio to the bridge informing him that they believe they were now passing the place where the ship was wrecked. Spafford returned to his cabin and that night wrote the words which became the hymn¹.

When peace, like a river,
Attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot,
Thou has taught me to say,

Refrain
It is well, with my soul.
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet,
Though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded
My helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss
Of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross,
And I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day
When my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound,
And the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

¹eden.co.uk/blog/it-is-well-with-my-soul-story-behind-the-hymn-p11427

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