Today’s hymn comes from the father of English Hymnody, Isaac Watts (1674–1748). To confess, when I first came across this hymn, I did not realise it was originally from Watts; I came it across the song on Psallos’ latest project “The New and Better Way: Hymns of Hebrews”. If you have not heard of Psallos, in their own words “we exist to tell edifying stories through adventurous, artistic music that is rich in biblical theology. In our lyrics, we aim to communicate scriptural truth in a manner that is clear and builds up our listeners…We want the words that we sing to be distinctively Christian, saturated with Scripture, with depth that invites repeated listens. We recognize the benefit of presenting biblical passages in larger contexts to better understand the author’s intent and design¹“, and so they are “focused primarily in our goal to set all 21 New Testament epistles to music¹.” This rendition from Psallos comes from their project that is aimed at congregational singing. I’m sure you’ll be blessed by this one; enjoy!

Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offered his blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside.
His pow’rful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.

To this dear Surety’s hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfills
His Father’s broken laws.
Behold my soul at freedom set;
My Saviour paid the dreadful debt.

My Advocate appears
For my defense on high;
The Father bows his ears
And lays his thunder by.
Not all that hell or sin can say
Shall turn his heart, his love, away.

Should all the hosts of death
And pow’rs of hell unknown
Put forth their dreadful best
And lure my heart to roam,
I shall be safe, for Christ displays
His conqu’ring pow’r and guardian grace.

¹psallos.com/mission

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Hello friends, old and new. Apologies for the quiteness over here on the blog for the last few weeks. Home life has rightly, and delightfully, taken up much of my time which has not left much margin for much else – but Christ is still on His throne whether or not I post! And this takes away any guilt I feel. But from next week, you can expect me to get back to my regular weekly posts.

I wanted to share this hymn with you from Indelible Grace’s new album. If you’re not aware of who they are, they really are one of the leading voices in popularising hymns to a new generation of Christians through retuning popular hymns, and bringing to light those that are not as well-known. I do owe my gratitude to them for introducing me to some of my now favourite hymns! This one was originally written by Benjamin Boddome (1717-1795), a Baptist minister in England. He sought to  write a hymn week­ly to be used af­ter his Sun­day morn­ing ser­mon; a few of these were published during his lifetime, but in 1817, a post­hu­mous col­lect­ion of his hymns was pub­lished con­tain­ing 830 piec­es¹. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one!

If Christ is mine, then all is mine
And more than angels know;
Both present things and things to come
And grace and glory, too.
If He is mine, then, though He frown
He never will forsake;
His reprimands all work for good
And of His love bespeak.

Refrain
He is mine. I am His and He is mine

If He is mine, I need not fear
The rage of earth and hell;
He will support my feeble frame
And all their power repel.
If He is mine, let friends forsake
And earthly comforts flee;
He, the Dispenser of all good
Is more than these to me.

Refrain

If He is mine, I’ll fearless pass
Through death’s tremendous vale;
He’ll be my comfort and my stay
When heart and flesh shall fail.
Let Jesus tell me He is mine
I nothing want beside:
My soul shall at the Fountain live
When all the streams are dried.

Refrain

¹http://hymnbook.igracemusic.com/people/benjamin-beddome

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s modern hymn comes from Hymnicity, a music ministry with the vision “to see hymns become a vital part of the Christian life.” Writing about this hymn, they say “in his letter to the church [in] Colossae, the Apostle Paul rejoiced to see how the gospel bore fruit among the Colossian believers. He longed for them to see the preeminence of Christ in all things—particularly in their salvation and future hope.In Christ, God has made us alive, forgiven our sins, and triumphed over our demonic enemies. In Christ, God has freed us from the tyranny of man-made religion and given us a glorious future hope. Our old, sinful self has died, Paul writes, “and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” This guarantees a glorious future—”When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory.” O Christ, My Life celebrates this truth—that our life and hope is Christ himself. He reigns victorious in heaven, out of reach of every enemy that haunts our souls in this world. Our treasure can never fade and never fail—for Christ lives forever, and we live in him. What a joy to have a hiding place in Christ!¹” Enjoy!

My treasure lies in heaven, beyond this mortal veil,
Where death can never ruin, where foes cannot assail;
Secured through all the ages by a covenant of love,
A fount of endless riches awaiting me above.

My peace and consolation will carry through the night;
It rests on the foundation of a gracious sacrifice.
My once-forsaken Saviour has tasted every grief;
The One who knows my weakness now runs to my relief.

Refrain
O Christ, my life, my joy, my prize,
My soul will hide in you, O Christ, my life.

My shield and my defender from all that haunts my soul
Has faced my condemnation and paid my debt in full.
Though death and hell assailed him they could not overcome
So when my strength shall fail me the vict’ry will be won.

My pardon, my salvation, my righteousness, my life,
My hope of resurrection, is found alone in Christ.
No power can condemn me for he was crucified;
Since I have died with Jesus with him I shall arise!

¹hymni.city/hymns/o-christ-my-life

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s hymn is a translation of the 6th century Latin hymn, “Christ­us Re­demp­tor Om­ni­um” written by St. Columba (521-597). He was born in Ireland and as a young man he took Holy Orders. In 563, travelling to Iona which is off the coast of Scotland, with 12 companions he converted the northern Picts to Christianity and established the Iona Abbey, a monastery that became a focal point of spirituality and learning¹. The below version is a modern rendition of the hymn by one of my new favourite groups; enjoy!

Meter: 7.6.7.6 D

Christ is the world’s redeemer,
the lover of the pure,
the fount of heavenly wisdom,
our trust and hope secure,
the armour of his soldiers,
the lord of earth and sky,
our health while we are living,
our life when we shall die.

Christ has our host surrounded
with clouds of martyrs bright
who wave their palms in triumph
and fire us for the fight.
For Christ the cross ascended
to save a world undone
and, suffering for the sinful,
our full redemption won.

Down in the realm of darkness
he lay a captive bound,
but at the hour appointed
he rose, a victor crowned,
and now, to heaven ascended,
he sits upon the throne
in glorious dominion,
his Father’s and his own.

Glory to God the Father,
the unbegotten One;
all honour be to Jesus,
his sole-begotten Son;
and to the Holy Spirit —
the perfect Trinity.
Let all the worlds give answer:
‘Amen, so let it be’.

☕Buy me a coffee☕

¹kpshaw.blogspot.com/2013/11/p389.html

We can often question whether God sees or cares about what we are going through here on earth. Today’s hymn was written to combat that. The hymn writer Frank E. Graeff (1860-1919) was a minister in the Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a prolific writer of hymns, stories, poems and articles. I hope this hymn can counsel your soul that Jesus does care; enjoy!

Meter: 9.7.10.8 with refrain

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song;
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the way grows weary and long?

Refrain
O yes, He cares- I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.

Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear?
As the daylight fades into deep night shades,
Does He care enough to be near? [Refrain]

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed
To resist some temptation strong;
When for my deep grief I find no relief,
Though my tears flow all the night long? [Refrain]

Does Jesus care when I’ve said goodbye
To the dearest on earth to me,
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks—
Is it aught to Him? does He see? [Refrain]

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s hymn is written by Chris Anderson with music by Greg Habegger. Chris Anderson is author of “Theology That Sticks: The Life-Changing Power of Exceptional Hymns” and is one of the leading voices in a call to singing theologically rich songs, and the power of the old hymns. Of this hymn they hope it “beckons believers to drink deeply of Christ and find Him all-satisfying.” I hope you enjoy this one!

Nothing I’ve done could merit God’s grace;
Nothing I’ll do can take it away.
I have one hope, in life and death:
I have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

Nothing remains since Jesus has died;
Justice was paid; the Judge satisfied.
Great is my sin; greater His love;
I have been cleansed with Calvary’s blood!

Refrain:
Christ is sufficient! His work is finished! 
He is my faith’s Author and End; 
Christ is enough—my Saviour and Friend!

Nothing I’ve sought on earth satisfies;
I was designed to thirst after Christ.
Beckoned by Him, “Drink and be filled.”
I am content, yet yearn for Him still. [Refrain]

Nothing but Christ can undo the Fall.
He will return to reign over all.
Come to us, Lord; right ev’ry wrong;
Soon the redeemed will join heaven’s song. [Refrain]

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s hymn comes the father of hymnody, Charles Wesley. This hymn describes the joy he felt on receiving Christ and becoming a Christian. I hope this is a joy you too felt, and still do! Enjoy!

O how hap­py are they
Who the Sav­iour ob­ey,
And have laid up their trea­sure above!
Tongue can­not ex­press
The sweet com­fort and peace
Of a soul in its ear­li­est love.

That com­fort was mine,
When the fa­vor di­vine
I first found in the blood of the Lamb;
When my heart it be­lieved,
What a joy it re­ceived,
What a hea­ven in Je­sus’ name!

Jesus all the day long
Was my joy and my song;
O that all His sal­va­tion may see!
He hath loved me, I cried,
He hath suf­fered, and died,
To re­deem such a rebel as me.

O the rap­tur­ous height
Of the ho­ly de­light,
Which I felt in the life giv­ing blood!
Of my Sav­iour pos­sessed
I was per­fect­ly blest,
As if filled with the full­ness of God.

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s hymn comes from John Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918). Chapman entered full-time evangelistic work, preaching with Dwight L. Moody and also conducting many of his own revivals. This hymn was written in 1910 when Chapman preached that Jesus was a friend to the greatest sinner. He used Luke 7:34 as his inspiration, “A friend of tax collectors and sinners¹.” Enjoy the version below by Matthew Smith.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Saviour, makes me whole.
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my vict’ry wins.
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
storms about me, night o’ertakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
more than all in Him I find;
He hath granted me forgiveness;
I am His, and He is mine!
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving;
He is with me to the end.

¹eu.goupstate.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2016/09/29/8216jesus-what-friend-for-sinners8217/25298604007/#

☕Buy me a coffee☕

Today’s hymn comes from James Montgomery (1771-1854). Enjoy!

Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
Your chosen pilgrim flock
With manna in the wilderness,
With water from the rock.

We would not live by bread alone,
But by your word of grace,
In strength of which we travel on
To our abiding place.

Be known to us in breaking bread,
But do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
Your table in our heart.

Lord, sup with us in love divine;
Your body and your blood,
That living bread, that heav’nly wine,
Be our immortal food

☕Buy me a coffee☕