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Hymns

Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Words: Ignaz Franz (b. Oct. 12, 1719; d. Aug. 19, 1790)
Music:  Grosser Gott (composer unknown)

Note: The English translation from the original German was done by Clarence Alphonsus Walworth (1820-1900), except stanza CH-7, written by Hugh Thomas Henry (1862-1946). The tune first appeared in Katholisches Gesangbuch, around 1774. A modified version of the tune (called Hursley) is used with the hymn Sun of My Soul.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Here is another hymn that, at least in my own circles, is used far less than it should be. Though of Roman Catholic origin, it is an expression of worship directed to the Trinity, an area of doctrine on which evangelical Protestants have some common ground with Rome. Though many hymn books only use the first four stanzas (1 through 4), I’ll make a brief comment on all seven.

Some reservation is needed with regard to one line in (1). Mr. Franz says, “All on earth Thy sceptre claim.” If by that he means that all human beings recognize and submit to the Lord’s rule over their lives, then the statement is demonstrably false. But if we take it to mean that the Almighty is sovereign Lord of all, and that His purposes will ultimately be accomplished in believers and unbelievers alike, then that is true (Ps. 135:6; Dan. 4:35). He is “Lord of all,” and as Franz tells us, His domain is infinite and His reign everlasting.

(2), with its reference to angelic choirs praising God “in unceasing chorus”, is reminiscent of the seraphim crying, “Holy, holy, holy!” before the throne of God (Isa. 6:1-3). The cherubim do the same (Rev. 4:8; cf. Ezek. 1:5; 10:20). (3) reminds us that, in our praise of God, we are part of a long procession that began, no doubt, in Eden, and includes prophets and apostles. It even involves white-robed martyrs, because we must not forget the “whole family [of God] in heaven and earth” (Eph. 3:15). The lines” “And from morn to set of sun, / Through the church the song goes on,” call to mind John Ellerton’s majestic and beautiful hymn, The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended.

(4) contains a strong Trinitarian statement.

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.

This is followed by two stanzas expressing a strong Christology. In (5) He is both “King of glory” (cf. Ps. 24:7-10, a messianic psalm) and “Son of God, yet born of Mary” (Lk. 1:30-35). And, “First to break the bars of death, / Thou has opened heaven to faith” (Jn. 11:25-26; I Cor. 15:20-22). In (6) we have, “From Thy high celestial home, / Judge of all, again returning.” Once more, this is precisely what God’s Word declares (Ps. 98:9; Jn. 5:22; Acts 17:30-31).

In (7), the saints are described as servants of God who, “By Thy precious blood out-poured, / Thou has saved from Satan’s scheming” (cf. Acts 26:17-18; Col. 1:13; Heb. 2:14-15). CH-8 provides an earnest prayer for daily help from the Lord, dramatically changing from plural pronouns to singular ones in the last lines.

Lo, I put my trust in Thee;
Never, Lord, abandon me.

Questions:

  1. What does it mean to you, in praising God, that you are joining with a worshiping chorus of millions of believers, both living and with the Lord, as well as hosts of angels?
  2. What will be different about a praise-filled life, a life lived consciously for the glory of God?

Links:

Holy Ghost, with Light Divine

Words: Andrew Reed (b. Nov. 27, 1787; d. Feb. 25, 1862)
Music: Mercy, by Louis Moreau Gottschalk (b. May 8, 1829; d. Dec. 18, 1869)
           Arranged by Edwin Pond Parker (b. Jan. 13, 1836; d. May 28, 1925)

Note: The tune, Mercy, was arranged by Edwin Parker from Gottschalk’s piece for piano called “The Last Hope.”

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The use of the term “Holy Ghost” for the third Person of the Trinity has fallen into disuse in many circles today. Most Christians speak of the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit. In fact, the two words, ghost and spirit, have exchanged meanings, since the King James (Authorized) Version was produced in 1611.

In referring to the virgin birth of Christ, the angel Gabriel said to Mary, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee” (Lk. 1:35, KJV). Later, when the resurrected Christ came to His disciples, we read, “They were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit” (Lk. 24:37, KJV). Newer translations, such as the New International Version, and the New Living Translation, read “Holy Spirit” in Luke 1:35, and “ghost” in Luke 24:37.

With this change in terminology in view, the title and first stanza of Reed’s hymn are sometimes revised to read “Holy Spirit, Light Divine,” and (3) and (4) begin, respectively, “Holy Spirit, Power divine,” and “Holy Spirit, Joy divine.”

Andrew Reed’s hymn is a prayer requesting the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his life. The Bible does not tell us to direct our prayers to Him. We are to pray to our heavenly Father, on the authority of our relationship with Christ, enabled by the Spirit of God. “For through Him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18; cf. Matt. 6:9; Jn. 14:13; 16:24). Since the Holy Spirit is Himself God, it is not heresy to pray to Him; it is simply not the pattern the Scriptures have given to us.

Leaving that aside, let’s consider this hymn. In the four stanzas commonly used today, there is a noticeable progression.

In (1), the author asks for the illumination of the Spirit. It is the work of the Spirit of God to reveal the Person of Christ to us, in order to bring glory to Him (Jn. 16:14). Also part of His ministry is the opening of our understanding to grasp the spiritual truths of God’s Word (I Cor. 2:9-10, 12). This is further explained in Reed’s seldom used second stanza.

Let me see my Saviour’s face,
Let me all His beauties trace;
Show those glorious truths to me
Which are only known to Thee.

As we come to a deeper understanding of these things, we become more and more aware of how far short we come of God’s holy standard (Rom. 3:23). With that in mind, Andrew Reed prays for the Spirit to cleanse him (3), and bring a renewal of the joy of his salvation (4) (cf. Ps. 51:7, 12).

We might challenge the plea in CH-5 for the Holy Spirit to “dwell within this heart of mine.” There is ample Scripture to show that the Spirit of God indwells each Christian heart (Rom. 5:5; I Cor. 6:19-20; II Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5) . “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His [he is not a Christian at all]” (Rom. 8:9).

But without reading too much into Reed’s words, there is perhaps a parallel to Paul’s prayer (to Christians) “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Eph. 3:17). Christians without Christ? Impossible. But the word dwell can have the sense of settle down and be at home in. The NLT correctly paraphrases the text, “I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts.”

That would certainly fit Reed’s lines. And the rest of the fifth stanza, as well as the seldom used sixth stanza, show that his intended desire is that the Lord reigns supreme within him.

Holy Spirit, all divine,
Dwell within this heart of mine;
Cast down every idol throne,
Reign supreme, and reign alone.

See, to Thee I yield my heart,
Shed Thy life through every part;
A pure temple I would be,
Wholly dedicate to Thee.

Questions:

  1. In First Corinthians 3:16 asks, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God?” The Greek word translated “you” is plural. The text means that all who make up the body of Christ are, corporately, a spiritual temple of the Spirit of God (cf. Eph. 2:22). What does this imply about the priorities and work of the local church (see I Cor. 3:16-17)?
  2. The Bible also speaks of each individual Christian as a “temple” of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19-20) What does this suggest about Him? And about how we should act?

Links:

Trust and Obey

Words: John Henry Sammis (b. July 6, 1846; d. June 12, 1919)
Music: Daniel Brink Towner (b. Apr. 5, 1850; d. Oct. 3, 1919)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This hymn is one of those simple songs that draws attention to a big truth. Trust and obey, faith and obedience, faith in God that produces obedience–those are surely the essentials of the Christian walk. “We walk by faith, not by sight” (II Cor. 5:7). “He who says he abides in Him [Christ] ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (I Jn. 2:6). And trust and obedience is not a new thing. It’s been characteristic of the life of the saints since the beginning. Of Abraham we read, “By faith Abraham obeyed” (Heb. 11:8; cf. Ps. 4:5; 143:8, 10).

The two belong together. They are inseparable, two sides of a coin. You cannot say, “I have faith in God and His Word,” and not obey Him. As James reminds us, faith without works is a dead kind of faith, not true biblical faith (Jas. 2:26). Nor will we do much in the way of obedience if we don’t trust what God has said. There would be few martyrs in church history, if those courageous Christians didn’t have confidence in the Scriptures.

The Christian life involves daily faith and obedience, exercised in many different situations. But there is an underlying commitment that provides a foundation for this. The Apostle Paul talks about it in Romans 12:1.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [because of all that God has done for you], that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

The Greek verb tense for “present” indicates it’s to be a once-for-all action. We are to yield ourselves to God as “living sacrifices,” forever and for all. That is what Pastor Sammis is referring to in (4) of our hymn, when he says, “We never can prove the delights of His love / Until all on the altar we lay.” Then, hundreds of daily acts of faith and obedience grow out of that, as described in (5).

When believers falter and fail, we don’t need to re-present ourselves to God. We simply need to confess our sin (I Jn. 1:9), and go back to acting as the living sacrifices we’ve committed ourselves to be. And the walk of faith and obedience is richly rewarding–not only in heaven, but here and now (3).

There is one stanza of this hymn, however, with which I differ somewhat. In (2) John Sammis says:

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Is it true that there can be no doubts, no fears, no sighs, no tears, in the life of the one who is walking with the Lord? No. That’s nonsense. It fails to reckon with the complexity of human existence, and the many fears and tears suffered by godly men and women, down the years.

The Apostle Paul speaks of “what comes upon me daily: my deep concern [anxious care] for all the churches” (II Cor. 11:28). He also speaks of the “great sorrow and continual grief in [his] heart” regarding the Jews (Rom. 9:1-3; cf. 10:1-2). And he tells the Corinthian believers that he visited them “in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (I Cor. 2:3).

Beyond that, what of the Lord Jesus, “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3)? When He walked the earth, Christ experienced a range of human emotions, including anger, sorrow, dread, and more. And we can hardly say that at such times He was not living in a way that pleased His Father. There is relief from our burdens, and comfort in our trials, in fellowship with the Lord, precisely because He can sympathize with our condition (Heb. 4:15-16). But instant and total deliverance from all our painful struggles? No.

Questions:

  1. Clearly, there was a failure to obey God, when Adam and Eve sinned (Gen. 2:17; 3:6). But explain how a failure to trust God was involved as well.
  2. How is a life of faith and obedience toward God illustrated by the physical act of walking?

Links:

O Happy Day

Words: Philip Doddridge (b. June 26, 1702; d. Oct. 26, 1751)
Music: Happy Day, by Edward Francis Rimbault (b. June 13, 1816; d. Sept. 26, 1876)

Note: Some resources suggest that the tune Happy Day came from Dr. Rimbault. He did write the music for the refrain. But the origin of the rest is obscure. It was adapted for use with John Cennick’s 1743 hymn Jesus, My All to Heaven Is Gone, and later for use with Doddridge’s hymn.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

We tend to think of happiness as arising from happenings–that is, from our circumstances, what has happened to us. While a sense of joy and blessedness may arise from such things, it may be rooted deeper in our awareness that God is at work, even when our present situation is difficult. The word “happy” has several shades of meaning in English. It can mean cheerful, delighted or enthusiastic. It can also mean satisfied and content (as in “I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished”), or blessed and highly favoured.

Blessed and highly favoured is closest to how the Bible uses the word. When Psalm 1 begins, “Blessed is the man…” it means he is enriched, contented, and fulfilled. And that is likely what Doddridge meant: “O what a blessed day that fixed [fastened or secured] my choice on Thee!” (1). “Happy [enriched, contented and fulfilled] are the people whose God is the Lord!” (Ps. 144:15).

And the response to God’s wonderful salvation will be twofold, as (1) indicates, rejoicing within that is aimed Godward, and that causes us to tell abroad to others what the Lord has done for us.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.”

Isa. 61:10

Conversion certainly involves a personal choice or a vow to trust Christ as Saviour ((1) and (2)). But since the sin nature is spiritually dead, “there is none who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:11). We were only able to seek God after He sought us, and enabled us to turn to Him, by His Spirit. “We love Him because He first loved us” (I Jn. 4:19). In the words of Doddridge, “He drew me, and I followed on” (3). The sovereign action of God in the work of salvation is described by the Lord Jesus in this way:

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out….No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him….No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (Jn. 6:37, 44, 65).

Conversion can also be described as a “rest” (4), in which faith rests itself in the finished work of Christ. “We who have believed do enter that rest” (Heb. 4:3). When the Lord God finished the work of creation, He rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:1-2). That rest from work is used by the writer of Hebrews as a picture of the rest of saving faith. We trust only in the Saviour, not our own works, to gain God’s acceptance. “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Heb. 4:10; cf. Rom. 4:4-5).

The fifth stanza of Philip Doddridge’s hymn is often omitted from our hymnals. In it, the author makes a lifelong commitment to continue following the Lord.

High heaven, that heard the solemn vow,
That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till in life’s latest hour I bow
And bless in death a bond so dear.

Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day
Happy day, happy day,
When Jesus washed my sins away.

Questions:

  1. What are some of the blessings of God’s wonderful salvation?
  2. Why would any born again Christian fail to respond with joyful enthusiasm to what God has done for him?

Links:

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

Words: John Newton (b. July 24, 1725; d. Dec. 21, 1807)
Music: St. Peter, by Alexander Robert Reinagle (b. Aug. 21, 1799; d. Apr. 6, 1877)

Note: The word “Husband” in (5) is often changed to “Brother,” today. However, Newton, a seaman, may have intended the imagery, in the nautical sense of the day, to refer to the man in charge of a ship’s provisions. He was spoken of as the ship’s husband. The tune St. Peter is sometimes called Reinagle, after its composer.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

When it comes to romantic love between a man and a woman, the name of the loved one has a special significance, a unique beauty. In the 1961 musical West Side Story, Tony meets Maria and falls in love. He sings of her:

“The most beautiful sound I ever heard,
All the beautiful sounds of the world
In a single word – Maria.”

In ancient poetry, the Shulamite maiden with whom King Solomon had fallen in love is praised by his attendants, who sing, “Your name is ointment poured forth” (S.S. 1:3). Like the fragrant aroma of a treasured perfume was the sound of her name to her beloved. In Ecclesiastes 7:1, Solomon says in a similar vein, “A good name [reputation] is better than precious ointment” (Ecc. 7:1).

It was the text from the Song of Solomon that inspired John Newton to create a lovely seven-stanza hymn about the name of Jesus. He exclaims, “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear!” (1). Then, he proceeds to describe some of the reasons why the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is so precious to him, sometimes heaping names and titles, one on another, to indicate the many-faceted perfections of his Subject. It is a kind of sacred version of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem, which begins: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Since the names of the Lord present who He is, and what He is like, and what He has done, to revel in His name is to delight in His Person. David exclaims, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name [Your reputation for being who and what You are] in all the earth!” (Ps. 8:9).

In the One represented by the name “Jesus,” there is soothing for sorrows, healing for wounded hearts, and settled assurance and peace in place of fear (1). In Him there is spiritual health and wholeness, and nourishment for the soul (2). He is our Rock, our Shield, our Hiding Place, and a Treasury of “boundless stores of grace” (3). He is our Shepherd, Husband [Provider], and Friend, fulfilling the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King (5).

The third line of the fifth stanza is worthy of special note. John Newton describes Jesus as “My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End.” As believers, we affirm that the Lord is both the source of our lives, the sustainer and guide of our lives, and the ultimate goal of our lives. It can hardly be said more simply or more profoundly!

In a stanza sometimes omitted today, Newton adds:

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

In spite of all this eloquent outpouring, the hymn writer is conscious of the inadequacy of his words to express what’s in his heart. But he is encouraged with the thought that in our resurrection bodies we’ll have both purified hearts and more eloquent tongues to praise the Lord (6):

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

This stanza expresses a similar thought to that of Newton’s close friend and associate, poet William Cowper, who says in his hymn, There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood:

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy power to save.

Questions:

  1. So many times our prayers tend to be filled with requests for this or that. Nothing wrong with bringing our requests to the Lord (Phil. 4:6; I Pet. 5:7). But there also needs to be worship and praise. What are some things you can praise the Lord for today?
  2. What would cause a name to be like a revolting stink? Why is the name of the Lord Jesus so different to the believer?

Links:

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Words: Henry Jackson van Dyke (b. Nov. 10, 1852; d. Apr. 10, 1933)
Music: From the 9th Symphony, by Ludwig van Beethoven (b. Dec. 16, 1770; d. March 26, 1827)
Adapted by Edward Hodges (b. July 20, 1796; d. Sept. 1, 1867)

Note: The first stanza, in the original version, personifies the Sun, making it a picture of the Lord. The symbolism is followed through the hymn.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,
Praising Thee, their Sun above.

Henry Jackson van Dyke

The opening words (which also give us the title) suit the theme well. Christian joy is mentioned in each of the four stanzas. There are more solemn hymns of contemplation, appropriate in their place. But this one simply seems to explode with joyful exuberance and praise to God. It is reminiscent of the mood of some of the psalms.

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; should joyfully before the Lord, the King” (Ps. 98:4-6; cf. Ps. 71:22-24; 150:1-6).

The Lord’s people have great cause for rejoicing. He has blessed us in so many ways. Yet it is possible to rejoice, in faith, even when trouble seems to surround us. The prophet Habakkuk is determined to do that. He says,

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls–yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation”

Hab. 3:17-18

Confidence in the delivering power of God, and in His just resolution of all things, can give us joy in difficult times. We read of the Lord Jesus that He, “for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2). Counting on the Lord to use painful experiences for a good purpose, as the Bible promises He will (Rom. 8:28), can also give joy at such times. “All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You” (Ps. 145:10).

In stanza (2), van Dyke describes all nature uniting in praise to God. This is similar to what we have in Psalm 148. The psalmist calls upon sun, moon, and stars, the waters of the earth and the creatures they contain, the fruitful land, and the animals on it, and more, to praise their Creator. It is a poetic device, of course. The praise of all things involves their being and doing what God intended. In that way they testify to the wisdom and power of the One who made them.

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

For the believer, expressions of joyful praise are more reasoned and specific. God is both “giving and forgiving,” and “ever blessing” us (3). God in “love is reigning o’er us,” and we are “victors in the midst of strife” (4). “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57). And, “Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (II Cor. 2:14).

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sunward in the triumph song of life.

Questions:

  1. Why are Christians able to find joy in times of suffering?
  2. What do you think will be different about our praise of God on earth, and our praise of God in heaven?

Links:

A New Language

My son and his wife are serving the Lord as missionaries in Mexico. This has required learning Spanish, in order to communicate with the people there, and share the gospel. It hasn’t been easy. But the discipline and effort required have extended their ministry and enriched their lives in wonderful ways.

I thought about that this morning, with regard to the “old-fashioned” hymns so many of us hold dear. No, they are not usually couched in contemporary language–nor could they be. The vernacular changes so rapidly, these days, it’s almost impossible to keep up. It used to be a “crash” was a loud noise. Then it became sleeping overnight in someone’s “pad.” Today, the first thing many would think of is a disastrous computer malfunction.

But suppose, just for a moment, that we think of the language of our English hymns as another language entirely. It isn’t, of course. Even the words of Watts and Wesley, from two or three centuries ago, usually are within reach of the average reader today, their sometimes quaint expressions notwithstanding. But, just suppose. Is there not value in the discipline of learning the language of our hymns?

For about three hundred years, the King James (Authorized) Version of the Bible was the standard in all Protestant churches and homes. Then, a trickle of modern versions began to appear–a trickle that has turned into a deluge. (I must have about fifty in my library at the moment.) I have nothing against modern versions per se, as long as they accurately reflect the original languages of the Bible. But we all know there are both advantages and disadvantages to this literary explosion.

In any Sunday morning service, half a dozen different Bible versions may be represented. So how can the congregation act like the commendable Bereans (Acts 17:11), and test the exposition of the Word of God from the pulpit? What they have in front of them may look quite different. This circumstance also limits the unison or responsive reading of the Scriptures. And it makes it more difficult for a Sunday School teacher to assign memory verses that all can recite together, later.

There is another problem, too. Yes, I’m happy that a modern version says, “My heart was grieved” (NIV) instead of “I was pricked in my reins” (Ps. 73:21, KJV). But the elegant and exalted cadences of the 1611 translation, in passage after passage, are gone. It seems to me we have lost a great deal by allowing each generation to become less and less familiar with the language of great literature, the KJV included. Do they still teach Dickens, and Austen, and Shakespeare in schools today? I must admit I’ve lost touch, since we have no school-age children at home.

If we’re unable to read with pleasure the masters of the language from times gone by, we’re impoverished as a result. If we’re thrown by phrases from the Bible that our great hymn writers used, then our spiritual wealth is diminished too. Perhaps we need to discipline ourselves to look up those words that are unfamiliar. Learning a “new” language will pay big dividends in our knowledge of the ways of God, and in the deepening of our spiritual lives.

There is hardly a novelist of note who does not make some allusion to a Scripture passage, or quote from it–usually using the King James Version. The works of Shakespeare are liberally sprinkled with Bible quotations. Naturally, given their subject, our hymn writers do this constantly. So, are we able to check the source in the Word of God, when Isaac Watts writes the following?

Blest is the man who shuns the place
Where sinners love to meet;
Who fears to tread their wicked ways,
And hates the scoffer’s seat.

That should immediately bring Psalm 1:1 to mind. But it may not if you think of The Message as your regular Bible. There we find, “How well God must like you–you don’t hang out at Sin Saloon, you don’t slink along Dead-End Road, you don’t go to Smart-Mouth College.” That may gratify those who want to be contemporary, but is it truly the Word of God? No! It is an inaccurate and misleading rendering of the original.

To conclude, I exhort you not to abandon the hymn book, just because it doesn’t reflect the street language of the moment. Commit yourself to learning the meaning of those words that are unfamiliar. One way to do this, is to read through the hymn book in your daily devotions. (And look up words you’re uncertain of–maybe even jot a definition in the margin of your hymn book.) Immerse yourself in the language that is foreign to you, until you’re conversant with it. The effort will greatly bless you in the end.

Take the Name of Jesus with You

Words: Lydia Odell Baxter (b. Sept. 8, 1809; d. June 22, 1874)
Music: William Howard Doane (b. Feb. 3, 1832; d. Dec. 23, 1915)

Note: The first line of this hymn is usually used as the title. But the older name for it (that I like), is Precious Name. The precise date of Mrs. Baxter’s birth seems uncertain. The year was 1809, and the month was September, but various sources give the day as the 2nd, 8th, or 9th.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This beautiful hymn is one of my (many!) favourites. “Jesus” is actually quite a popular name for boys among Spanish-speaking people ( who pronounce it Hay-soos‘). And each child may well be precious to his family. But only one Jesus is precious to believers the world over, the Lord Jesus Christ. “To you who believe, He is precious,” says Peter (I Pet. 2:7)–meaning highly valued, One to be revered and honoured. And why is He so precious to us? First, because of what He is, in Himself. As God the Son, He is worthy of all reverence and worship. And then for what He has done for the saints, in saving us, and keeping us, and providing a glorious and eternal future for us.

Not all have honoured the name of the Lord of course. Pharaoh of old said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?…I do not know the Lord” (Exod. 2). And those who hated the Lord Jesus gathered at Calvary to mock Him, crying with a sneer, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe” (Mk. 15:31-32). Later, the followers of Christ in the early church were commanded “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). But, praise the Lord, they boldly continued to do so.

The name “Jesus” means, literally, Jehovah [is] salvation. Thus, He is God who is our salvation. Before His virgin birth, Joseph was told that Jesus would be “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), and that He was to be called Jesus because “He will save His people from their sins” (vs. 21). The name Jesus is used of Him about 940 times in the New Testament. He is also called “the Lord,” emphasizing His deity (e.g. Mk. 16:19; Lk. 7:13), and often the two names are used in combination; He is the Lord Jesus (e.g. Acts 7:59; 9:17; 8:16; 19:5, 17; Heb. 13:20). Another common multiple makes use of the term “Christ,” meaning Messiah. He is Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:36; 16:18), and 82 times the Lord Jesus Christ (e.g. II Jn. 1:3; Rev. 22:21).

The Scriptures teach that the names and titles of Christ are closely associated with who He is. His names represent His Person, His nature, His holy character, and His divine authority. So, when Paul (then called Saul) speaks of persecuting Christians, and doing “many things contrary to the name of Jesus” (Acts 26:9), he means things against His Person. And when Peter says, “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), he means no other Person. To “take the name of Jesus” with us, and commit ourselves to that name, as Lydia Baxter means it, is to fellowship with Him, to obey Him, and put our trust in Him.

For those who are discouraged or sorrowing, Jesus brings joy and comfort (1). And when we are faced with temptation, He can provide “a shield from every snare” (2). He is a compassionate Friend, and a thrilling subject of our praise (3). Finally, we have the prospect of eternal worship at His feet in the heavenly kingdom (4).

In the latter regard, I’ve often been struck by a particular phrase in the refrain. The Lord Jesus is our “hope of earth and joy of heav’n.” Meditate on that for a while. Hope may be defined as: the joyful certainty of future blessing. Christians have a living relationship with the “God of hope” (Rom. 15:13), and with “the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope” (I Tim. 1:1). He is within us “the hope of glory” to come (Col. 1:27), and His return is our “blessed hope (Tit. 2:13). He is our hope now, and we look forward to rejoicing in His presence very soon (I Pet. 4:13; Jude 1:24; Rev. 19:7).

Questions:

  1. All too many individuals use the “precious name” of Jesus as a swear word. What does it tell us about their attitude toward Christ? What does it tell us about them personally?
  2. What will help us to value the name of Jesus more than we do now?

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And Can It Be?

Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. March 29, 1788)
Music: Sagina, by Thomas Campbell (b. July 27, 1777; d. June 15, 1844)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

In the hymn And Can It Be? Charles Wesley, like Isaac Watts with his superb hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (written about three decades before), gazes in wonder at the suffering Saviour. Could it be, can it be, that Christ would die for me? (1). Yes, it can! Isaiah, seeing something of the cross with prophetic vision, wrote, “By His stripes we are healed”–healed spiritually, receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life (cf. I Pet. 2:24).

But wait a moment. Who inflicted those stripes? Who caused His suffering? In a very real sense, we all did! It was our sin that required the sacrifice of Calvary. That prompts the question Wesley asks, “Died he for me who caused His pain–for me, who Him to death pursued?” Overcome with wonder and worship, he exclaims, “Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”

But that is not the only question raised by the cross. If Christ is Himself deity, the second Person of the triune Godhead, how can He die? “‘Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies” (2). Even the angels are unable to fathom it, yet we know it’s true. The One who was both with God from all eternity, and who was Himself God (Jn. 1:1), “became flesh and dwelt among us” (vs. 14), here to die as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (vs. 29). “God…purchased [us] with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

In (3) Charles Wesley describes us as “Adam’s helpless race”–again, a biblical truth. Racism often speaks of different races, but God knows only one, the human race. “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). And all in the human race are sinners, helpless to save themselves. But “when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6; cf. Eph. 2:1-5).

The one point in (3) where I believe Wesley steps beyond biblical bounds is in saying that Christ, in His incarnation, “emptied Himself of all but love.” If what is meant by that is that God the Son ceased to be God, when He took on our humanity, then it is wrong. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase is frequently (and outrageously!) off, but in this case he gets it right with, “He set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave.” God cannot cease to be God. “God was manifested in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16). He is ever “our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13). For further thoughts on this, see the second Wordwise Hymns link provided.

I’ve always believed that stanza (4) provides one of the most compelling images of the work of salvation in all our English hymnody. Delivered from spiritual bondage to freedom in Christ, from spiritual darkness to eternal light, the saints proclaim, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13; cf. Acts 26:18). In Wesley’s words, “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.” Hallelujah!

Few hymnals include Wesley’s fifth stanza. It also pushes the subjective experience of the convert too far. “I feel the life His wounds impart; I feel the Saviour in my heart.” No you don’t. We do not feel the new birth, or the Lord’s indwelling, in any common meaning of that term. These are spiritual realities, not perceived by the physical senses. We may experience the impact of God’s salvation on our lives, in various ways. But if we look for some “feeling” to assure us of the work of God we will be constantly frustrated and in doubt.

Stanza (6) concludes the hymn with a powerful statement of the believer’s confidence in Christ. And we have this assurance not because of some physical sensation or feeling, but simply because God says it’s so. “This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (I Jn. 5:11). God says it. That settles it!

Question:

  1. Wesley uses the powerful imagery (4) of deliverance from prison, to picture God’s salvation. What other images can you think of that help us to understand what the Lord did in saving us?
  2. How should we, as Christians, deal with the more difficult and seemingly unexplainable aspects of the saving work of God?

Links:

Nothing Between

Words: Charles Albert Tindley (b. July 7, 1851; d. July 26, 1933)
Music: Charles Albert Tindley

Note: The story of Charles Tindley’s life is a remarkable one. To read more about him, check out the Wordwise link below.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Words such as united and together, versus divided and separated, describe two very distinct conditions. Two people cannot usually be both to each other at the same time. The institution of marriage provides an illustration. In marriage, couples are brought together and united. In divorce, they are torn apart and legally separated from one another.

In the Bible, we learn of the blessing of a spiritual union between the individual and God, made possible by the saving work of Christ. But to be united to God will mean we ought to be separated from some other things–things that are displeasing to Him (Amos 3:3). In practical terms, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). The Lord’s desire is that we be united to Him, both as to our legal standing, and as to our daily fellowship. It is the latter that Charles Tindley’s fine gospel song addresses.

When a person becomes a Christian, through personal faith in Christ, the Spirit of God comes to permanently indwell him (Rom. 8:9), and the Spirit binds him to the Lord in an active fellowship (I Jn. 1:3). However, it is possible for sin, or worldly values to hinder that fellowship. Sin in the Christian life does not cancel sonship. (A disobedient child is still a child of his parents.) But it does create a barrier to fellowship (Ps. 66:18; Isa. 59:2) that robs us of the joy of the Lord, and spiritual fruitfulness.

Pastor Tindley’s hymn expresses the determination to let nothing come between him and the Lord. The stanzas of the song address various possibilities that concern him. In (1), it is first of all “this world’s delusive dream.” The unfounded expectations and false hopes held out by the alluring promises of this sinful world. Promises of security or “sinful pleasure” that can only disappoint in the end (I Jn. 2:17). What a tragedy if we allow the pursuit of such things to come between us and God!

Another possible barrier is “habits of life, though harmless they seem” (2). Interesting. Not all habits or pursuits are sinful in themselves. But if they begin to consume our time and control our lives, they can in effect become idolatrous. To take one example, there’s nothing wrong with fresh air and exercise. But if we become fanatical about it, and it takes over our lives, it may have turned into a “god.” And the Almighty is a jealous God (Exod. 34:14); He will brook no rivals.

In (3), Pastor Tindley first deals with “pride or station.” Working hard, with a desire to do our best is one thing, but a lust for power, and for social standing, can motivate a selfish pursuit that virtually shuts God out. As Jeremiah warned his servant, “Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them” (Jer. 45:5).

And what about the “friends” we make, and those with whom we regularly spend our time. Good friends can be a blessing and, if our friends share our godly goals, we can encourage and support one another. But what if our friends regularly engage in activities that are contrary to God’s Word? What if their values are worldly? That may eventually draw us away from our walk with the Lord. “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits” (I Cor. 15:33).

Finally, in (4), the author recognizes that it costs something to be a Christian, that those determined to live godly lives will suffer opposition and persecution from the world (II Tim. 3:12). What then? By the grace of God we can stand firm. Even if “the whole world against [us] convene,” we can pray for daily grace to live lives that are pleasing to God. By His enablement we can determine to “let nothing between.”

Questions:

  1. Allowing something to come between us and God is seldom a sudden and one-time decision. It involves a process. Do you agree or disagree? (Explain your response.)
  2. How can we protect ourselves from allowing something to hinder our fellowship with the Lord?

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