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P9. Reflections: Apr.19

How Blest a Home

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Janetta (Janette) Mary Wilbraham Taylor Trench (b. Jan. 31, 1843; d. June 14, 1925)
Music: Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes, an old English air by John Wall Callcott (b. Nov. 20, 1766; d. May 15, 1821)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Just from the title, some may think this is a hymn about the Christian home, but this is not that. It’s an exalted look at another home. It’s unfortunate Mrs. Trench’s song isn’t better known. Service leader, if the pastor is going to preach about heaven, why not include this hymn. It would also be an encouragement if sung at a funeral or memorial service. For my defense of using the tune of a secular ballad for this hymn, see the Wordwise Hymns link.

Comment is made below of the version of Home on the Range sung by baritone John Charles Thomas. In my view, there just isn’t any better singing than this. You can check it out on YouTube, here. Mr. Thomas was the son of a clergyman, and grew up with a great love for our hymns. He had a radio program on which he sang them, and a number of recordings are available of hymns from there.

Some of us have developed a great affection for our home. Not only for those we live with, but perhaps the house we live in, and perhaps the whole area around. That happened to Brewster Martin Higley (1823-1911).

In 1871, Dr. Higley (an ear, nose, and throat specialist) moved to Kansas, under the Homestead Act and, with a growing appreciation for the beauty of his surroundings, he was inspired to write a poem. His poem, My Western Home, was later adapted and set to music, becoming the classic ballad, Home on the Range. The lyrics begin:

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.

The musical tribute came to be thought of as the unofficial anthem of the American West, and it was adopted as the official state song of Kansas.

Over time, Home on the Range has been recorded by many artists, Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, Burl Ives, and more. But the version by famed opera baritone John Charles Thomas stands out above the rest. His glorious voice, and the passionate, tender feeling with which he sings, give the song an almost hymn-like quality that seems to come close to what Dr. Higley must have felt.

Not all of us can write poetry like Brewster Higley did, or sing with the golden tones of John Charles Thomas. But we still may have a great depth of feeling about our home. That is also true of Christians who ponder their future home.

Heaven is where the throne of God is (Ps. 123:1; Rev. 4:1-2), and the holy angels. Sometimes the word Paradise is used of it, a Persian word referring to a lovely park or garden (Lk. 23:43). It’s also a city, and the destination of the children of God (Heb. 12:22-23). We’re told our heavenly home is being prepared for us by the Lord Jesus, and He looks forward to having us there (Jn. 14:2-3). Believers are pilgrims here on earth, but “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20).

Absent will be many things that distress and give us pain now.

“God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

The heavenly city will be a place of worship, joy, rest, and of service and reward. Of it Scripture says, “There shall be no night there: they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they [the saints] shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).

In contemplating his eternal future, the Apostle Paul said, “to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21), and he expressed “a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:23). What a glorious home it will be! And in 1881 Janette Trench published a beautiful hymn about heaven fitting this exalted feeling.

CH-1) How blest a home! The Father’s house!
There love divine doth rest;
What else could satisfy the hearts
Of those in Jesus blest?
His home made ours–His Father’s love
Our heart’s full portion given,
The portion of the Firstborn Son,
The full delight of heav’n.

CH-3) Oh, what a home! There fullest love
Flows through its courts of light;
The Son’s divine affections flow
Throughout its depth and height.
And full response the Father gives,
To fill with joy the heart–
No cloud is there to dim the scene,
Or shadow to impart.

CH-4) Oh, what a home! But such His love
That He must bring us there,
To fill that home, to be with Him,
And all His glory share.
The Father’s house, the Father’s heart,
All that the Son is given
Made ours–the objects of His love
And He, our joy in heav’n.

Questions:
1) Mrs. Trench says, in the last stanza, “He must bring us there.” Why must He?

2) What is your favourite hymn about heaven?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Holy, Holy, Holy

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Reginald Heber (b. Apr. 21, 1783; d. Apr. 3, 1826)
Music: Nicaea, by John Bacchus Dykes (b. Mar. 10, 1823; d. Jan. 22, 1876)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: The tune Nicaea is appropriate for a Trinitarian hymn. It was at the first Council of Nicaea in AD 325 that the deity of Christ was affirmed, and the doctrine of the Trinity was ably defended by Athanasius (AD 296-373).

Repetition and review–teachers know the technique well. When I was in elementary school, we were drilled on our times tables, over and over, all the way from 1×1 to 12×12. (Do they still do that?) If something is to be learned so it can be used and applied in years to come, most of us need to have it repeated many times, before it becomes part of our mental furniture.

Orators use repetition as well. Listen to Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. In a couple of minutes he uses those words eight times, making clear to all his hope for the future. Similarly, he repeats, ten times, “Let freedom ring,” a phrase from the American national hymn, My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.

God has used repetition in the Bible too. For example, in Psalm 135, the phrase, “His mercy endures forever” is found twenty-six times. Likely, the psalm was sung antiphonally, with one group echoing that refrain, and another group singing what was in between. The emphasis impresses those who read or sing it with the eternal goodness and loving kindness of the Lord.

Some form of the word “holy” is repeated in Scripture over 600 times, including other terms, such as sacred and hallowed, translating the same Hebrew and Greek words. Holy means set apart or separated. Most often this has to do with God being utterly separated from sin and corruption. And this is urged as a standard for His children as well. “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (I Pet. 1:15).

The prophet Isaiah refers to the holiness of God in describing an awe inspiring vision He had of God’s throne.

“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up….Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isa. 6:1-4).

We’re not told how many seraphs there were (seraphim is a Hebrew plural). But the angelic beings cried out, back and forth to one another, about the holiness of God. The three-fold repetition of the word is for emphasis. It calls attention to the absolute and eternal separateness of God from sin, or anything that corrupts or defiles. This truth not only strikes the prophet powerfully, it causes him to realize the sinful uncleanness of himself and his people (vs. 5).

In the New Testament, when John was privileged to be caught up into heaven, he witnessed a similar scene around the throne of God (Rev. 4:6-11). There “four living creatures” (likely angels, again) around the throne, “do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (vs. 8).

It’s the latter scene that inspired one of our greatest hymns. Written by Church of England clergyman Reginald Heber, it was published after his death, and has since been included in over fourteen hundred hymnals. The majesty of the Triune Godhead is powerfully presented.

CH-1) Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

CH-2) Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who wert and art, and evermore shall be.

CH-3) Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Questions:
1) What does having holy conduct mean to you, practically, day be day?

2) What was wrong with the Pharisees’ claim to holy conduct?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

He Leadeth Me

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Joseph Henry Gilmore (b. Apr. 29, 1834; d. July 23, 1918)
Music: William Batchelder Bradbury (b. Oct. 6, 1816; d. Jan. 7, 1868)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Joseph H. Gilmore was an American pastor, and a university professor. The amazing story of how his poem came to be written, and was later turned into a hymn is found in the first Wordwise Hymns link above. The general affection for the song is suggested by its use in over a thousand hymnals.

William Bradbury wrote the music for many familiar hymns and gospel songs (e.g. Just As I Am; The Solid Rock (“My hope is built on nothing less…”); Sweet Hour of Prayer; Even Me (“Lord, I hear of showers of blessing…”); Jesus Loves Me; Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us). An extensive biographical note about Bradbury is found on the Cyber Hymnal here.

What’s better than getting advice on how to repair a car? Perhaps it’s having a friend right next door who’s an expert mechanic, and is willing to work on the car. What’s better than being given directions to someplace we’ve never been? It’s having someone in the car who has, and knows the way.

I thought of these things as I revisited Psalm 23, the “Shepherd Psalm,” quite possibly the most beloved chapter in the Bible. The author of the psalm is David, a shepherd in his younger years, and later the king of Israel (II Sam. 7:8).

Shepherds are talked about in God’s Word nearly a hundred times–many more if we include other translations of the Hebrew and Greek words (herdsmen, pastors, and so on). Sometimes the words refer to those tending actual sheep; other times the words are used in a symbolic sense, with people portrayed as the sheep (e.g. Acts 20:28). In the psalm, David uses his experience with the flock of his father, Jesse, to draw a picture of the Lord as our Shepherd.

Before we look at other things in the psalm, we need to focus on the first five words:

“The Lord is my shepherd.”

Can that be said of you and me? It’s not automatic. It means there’s a personal commitment on our part of ongoing trust in the Lord, and obedience to Him. It means we have an intimate relationship with the Lord. In New Testament terms, this involves faith in Christ as our Saviour, and continuing recognition of Him as Lord of our lives.

If the Lord is indeed our Shepherd, we can have confidence that all our needs will be met (Ps. 23:1; cf. Phil. 4:19, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”). He will lead us and guide us, day by day, by His Spirit (vs. 2a; cf. Rom. 8:14). And the Lord will provide our necessary spiritual food, through His Word (vs. 2b; cf. II Tim. 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.”).

Just as the shepherd must constantly be concerned for the health of his sheep and treat physical problems (vs. 3a, 5b), so our Shepherd is concerned for our spiritual health. “Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3; 5:2).

The Lord is also ready to protect us from spiritual danger from our enemy the devil, providing a banquet of blessings, even in times of trial and difficulty (vs. 4a, 5a). We have the comfort and reassurance of the armour He provides (Eph. 6:10-17), and His loving discipline that often draws us back from a dangerous path (Heb. 12:5-11). Nor is His loving care limited to the span of our mortal lives; it will continue on through eternity (vs. 6; cf. Rev. 7:17).

Finally, in the psalm, overriding all the wonderful things the shepherd does for the sheep, is His reassuring presence. “You are with me” is almost at the precise centre of the psalm ( with 62 words before, and 56 words after, in the NKJV)–and it’s surely a central concept. A shepherd cannot care for the immediate needs of the sheep from some remote location. This is not work that can be mailed in. He has to be near at hand, and that’s just what the Lord is (Matt. 28:20).

In 1862, after preaching on Psalm 23, American pastor Joseph Henry Gilmore wrote a warmly devotional hymn about our ever-present Shepherd’s tender care. His meditation of the psalm focused on three words in verse 2 (KJV), “He leadeth me…”

CH-1) He leadeth me, O blessèd thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

CH-3) Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

Questions:
1) What recent experiences do you have of the leading of the Lord?

2) Why is it sometimes difficult to discover God’s will in making a decision?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

He Giveth More Grace

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Annie Johnson Flint (b. Dec. 24, 1866; d. Sept. 8, 1932)
Music: Blacklands, by Ray Steadman-Allen (b. Sept. 18, 1922; d. Dec. 15, 2014)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: The arrangement of this song I’m more familiar with uses the third stanza in the Cyber Hymnal as the refrain for the other two stanzas. The composer is Hubert Mitchell (1907-?), a missionary to India who was much comforted by Miss Flint’s poem, and wrote his own tune for it. Hymnary.org lists many books that include the hymn in this latter format, including The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration, and The Celebration Hymnal.

The saying, “You get what you pay for,” has been around for about five centuries. Most often it’s related to the quality of purchased goods or of workmanship. Yes, there are sometimes true bargains to be had. But often what is less expensive will not be of the quality of what costs more.

The adage also can be turned around. We should pay for what we get. Most of us understand that. But shoplifters try to escape without doing so. It can happen in a restaurant too. However, what’s called colloquially “dine and dash,” is a form of theft. Something similar happens with those who fill up at a gas pump, then drive away without paying. They’re committing a crime, and defrauding the owner of the station. This has led many companies to insist on customers pre-paying for gas.

And there’s another application of the principle. We speak of a lawbreaker paying for his crime. To quote a saying from the 1960’s, “Don’t do the crime of you can’t pay the time.” And the payment exacted is usually more severe for a more serious offense. That legal balancing act is expressed in Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1885 operetta, The Mikado, when the title character sings:

“My object all sublime I shall achieve in time–
To let the punishment fit the crime,
The punishment fit the crime.”

The same principle was laid down by the Lord in the Law of Israel (Exod. 21:22-25). It’s briefly summarized as, “An eye for an eye.” In other words, the punishment should fairly represent, but not exceed, the nature of the offense.

But far more serious is the way this relates to our eternal destiny. God warned our first parents that disobedience to Him would bring death (Gen. 2:17). “The wages if sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). In human experience, this involves not only the terminus of physical death, but a future eternal separation from God, what the Bible calls “the second death” (Rev. 21:8; cf. II Thess. 1:7-9).

That’s the bad news. But there’s some overwhelmingly good news. To quote Romans 6:23 in full:

“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

Notice particularly the word “gift” in Romans 6:23. That’s what God’s grace is all about. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve and could never earn. “By grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8). “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Rom. 5:20).

And grace, God’s free giving, doesn’t stop when we trust Christ as Saviour. The Bible speaks of “this grace in which we stand” (Rom. 5:2), and which the Lord will continue to pour into our lives for all eternity (Eph. 2:7). Indeed, He invites us to come boldly before His throne, and pray for more and more “grace [divine assistance] to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).

For whatever we may face in life, “He gives more grace” (Jas. 4:6). That’s the basis for a lovely hymn by accomplished devotional poet, Annie Johnson Flint. (And see note above for a tune that makes the third stanza a repeated refrain.)

CH-1) He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labours increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

CH-2) When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

CH-3) His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Questions:
1) What does it mean to you that God’s throne is described as “the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16)?

2) What does it mean when it says Christians can approach the throne “boldly”?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. Mar. 29, 1788)
Music: Mendelssohn, by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (b. Feb. 3, 1809; d. Nov. 4, 1847); arranged by William Hayman Cummings (b. Aug. 22, 1831; d. June 10, 1915)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (William Cummings) (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Both by the quantity of his hymns, and the high quality of many, Charles Wesley ranks as one of our greatest hymn writers. Also, in the first Wordwise Hymns link, there’s an interesting note regarding the tune by Mendelssohn, and Cummings later arrangement of it.

The Internet can be a useful tool for many kinds of research. But it can also be a purveyor of error and deceit. Strange conspiracy theories, quack cures for various diseases, unproven and scandalous biographical details about famous individuals, are all given a place. Great caution is needed in sifting out the false from the true.

This mixture of Internet fact and fiction applies to the subject of angels. Some people claim they’ve met one, but give no definite proof. There are even reputed photographs of angels, either far away, or blurred so they could be anything, like those supposed pictures of Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness monster. Some are given names, and specific roles, based upon nothing but tradition or somebody’s imagination. It’s wise to be skeptical.

But in the Bible, the Word of God, Christians have a reliable source from which to learn about angels. As the Lord Jesus said, in prayer to His heavenly Father, “Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine [or teaching]” (II Tim. 3:16). And there, angels are spoken of hundreds of times.

They are supernatural spirit beings, created by God (Neh. 9:6; Col. 1:16). Angel (angelos in Greek) means messenger, or envoy, one sent on a particular mission. They are called “ministering spirits,” engaged in the service of the Lord (Heb. 1:14). There is an “innumerable company of angels” in heaven (Heb. 12:22).

Though angels, as spirits, are invisible to us, they have the power to take on a visible form, when they need to be seen (Matt. 28:2-6). Sometimes they have appeared as men (Heb. 13:2) but, contrary to what some think, people who die do not become angels. The latter are an entirely separate class of beings.

And though angels have great power, they are not God, and should not be worshiped (Rev. 19:10). Nor are we to pray to angels. The Lord Jesus is the one and only Mediator between us and God (I Tim. 2:5), and we’re to pray on His authority, to our heavenly Father, by the agency of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18).

Only two angels are clearly given names in Scripture: Gabriel, who serves as a special messenger of God (Lk. 1:26, 30-31), and Michael, the Bible’s only archangel (or chief angel), who oversees and protects the nation of Israel (Dan. 12:1; Jude 1:9). Two classes of angels are identified: cherubim (Gen. 3:24), and seraphim (Isa. 6:1-3)–with the “im” at the end of each word signifying plurality in Hebrew. “Principalities and powers” (Eph. 3:10) may be other categories of them.

As to what angels do, they worship and praise the Lord (Rev. 7:11). And, as was noted, they can also serve as messengers on God’s behalf. Further, they are our helpers and protectors (Ps. 91:11-12; Heb. 1:14). Some believe each of us has a specific guardian angel. It’s possible, but the biblical evidence is limited (cf. Matt. 18:10).

Angelic activity was especially prominent is during events surrounding the birth of Christ. In Matthew chapters 1 and 2, and Luke chapters 1 and 2, they’re mentioned nineteen times. And many of our carols talk about the angelic choir announcing the Saviour’s birth.

“Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” (Lk. 2:13-14).

As to whether those angels sang or not, it’s certainly possible. We know angels sang at the dawn of creation (Job 38:4, 7). In the Hebrew poetry of verse 7, the two clauses are parallel. Both “the morning stars,” and “the sons of God” refer to angelic beings. Hymn writer James Montgomery (1771-1854) uses this information in the first stanza of his great Christmas carol:

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

As well, “praising God,” in Luke 2:13, also could be accurately paraphrased, “singing God’s praises, and saying, in their song, ‘Glory to God…’”

In Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, Charles Wesley gave us one of our finest carols–though, ironically, he is not the origin of the singing angels line. His first line was, “Hark, how all the welkin [sky] rings.” It was changed by a later editor.

CH-1) Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

CH-3) Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris’n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die.
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Questions:
1) What is your favourite thing about the Christmas season?

2) What is your favourite Christmas carol?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (William Cummings) (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Great God of Wonders

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Samuel Davies (b. Nov. 3, 1723; d. Feb. 4, 1761)
Music: Wonders (or Sovereignty), by John Newton (not the same man as the hymn writer who wrote Amazing Grace) (b. ___, 1802; d. ___, 1886)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Davies was an evangelist associated with the Presbyterian Church. He traveled on horseback around the American colonies, preaching the gospel. By the invitation of King George II, he also preached before the king. He became president of the College of New Jersey (which later became Princeton University), but died only a year and a half into his tenure.

The longest word in the English language is reputedly a forty-five letter monster labeling a lung disease contracted by inhaling volcanic dust:

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

But words don’t have to be long to be significant. Take the words yes, and no. Lives have been dramatically changed, and wars have been started–or ended–by the utterance of one or the other. Then, there’s the word but, which signals a change in direction. It can be a small thing. Mom says, “We planned a picnic for today, but it’s raining.” Or, it might be something much bigger. Wealthy Jacob Astor was traveling to America on the Titanic, but he was drowned when it sank.

The little word if marks some kind of conditional action which, again, can involve something important, or less so. Dad says, “We’ll have the picnic next Saturday, if the weather’s good.” Or a nurse assures the family, “He’ll get better if he takes the medicine the doctor prescribed.” Or, take this sad and cruel corruption of true love: “I’ll love you if you please me, and do as I say.”

In court, the difference between the words guilty and innocent can bring years in prison, or glorious freedom. And what about the words life and death? Or darkness and light? Words. American poetess Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) wrote:

“I know of nothing in the world that has as much power as a word.”

How much more is this so if it refers to the words of Almighty God? The Bible itself is God’s written Word. Though human authors were involved, their work was superintended by the Spirit of God, so that what we have is God’s true and trustworthy message to us (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20-21). Along with phrases such as “the word of God,” or “the word of the Lord,” He speaks directly to human beings hundreds of times in the Book.

Holy Scripture, the Bible, is true and trustworthy precisely because it comes to us from a God of truth (Deut. 32:4), who cannot lie (Tit. 1:2).

“O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven…. The entirety of Your word is truth” (Ps. 119:89, 160).

The Lord Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matt. 24:35).

And we need to pause a moment and note that Christ Himself is spoken of as “the Word” (Jn. 1:1, 14). In Him, deity and humanity have been combined. “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). By His incarnation He has, in effect, translated the infinite and invisible God into a humanity we can more fully know and understand.

There are many powerful words in Scripture–heaven, holy, forgive, love, mercy, eternal, sin, hell, cross, bless, save, to name a few. But one of the most significant and powerful words to lost sinners is the word grace. Found dozens of times from Genesis to Revelation, it refers to the unearned and undeserved favour and blessing of God.

A gracious God does not treat us as we deserve, but provides a way for condemned sinners to be saved eternally. What is called “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) is that, through faith in Christ, we can be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life (Jn. 3:16). Writing to Christians, Paul says:

“By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Converted slave trader John Newton marveled in the “amazing grace” of God. So did eighteenth century evangelist to the American colonies, Samuel Davies. A hymn he wrote speaks glowingly of the grace of God.

CH-1) Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, Godlike and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More godlike and unrivaled shine,
More godlike and unrivaled shine.

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
Or who has grace so rich and free?

CH-4) In wonder lost, with trembling joy,
We take the pardon of our God:
Pardon for crimes of deepest dye,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood,
A pardon bought with Jesus’ blood.

CH-5) O may this strange, this matchless grace,
This godlike miracle of love,
Fill the whole earth with grateful praise,
And all th’angelic choirs above,
And all th’angelic choirs above.

Questions:
1) Why do you think Samuel Davies thought so highly of the grace of God?

2) Why should our churches regularly sing and preach about God’s grace?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Thomas Obediah Chisholm (b. July 29, 1866; d. Feb. 29, 1960)
Music: Faithfulness (or Runyan) William Marion Runyan (b. Jan. 21, 1870; d. July 29, 1957)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Over the years, Mr. Chisholm was a newspaper editor, a preacher, and an insurance salesman. But it’s as a writer of hundreds of gospel songs that he’s had his widest impact. (He also gave us O to Be Like Thee, Trust in the Lord, and Living for Jesus (“a life that is true”).

It began with an orchestra playing the exciting overture from Rossini’s opera, William Tell. Then, over the music, we heard a galloping horse, and a shout of, “Hi-yo, Silver!” and an announcer informing us we’d “return to those thrilling days of yesteryear,” as “the Lone Ranger rides again.” The western was one of the most popular programs on early radio. From 1933 onward nearly 3,000 shows were broadcast. It moved on to television in 1949, and continued there, weekly, for eight years.

Early on, a Native American named Tonto was introduced in the radio series, for a practical reason. The Lone Ranger needed someone to talk to, in order to describe the action, or explain what he was going to do. His “faithful Indian companion,” was played later in every television episode by Mohawk actor Jay Silverheels. He, in turn, referred to the Lone Ranger as Kemosabe (Ke-mo SAH-bee), which has been explained to mean trusty scout, or faithful friend.

It’s great to have someone you can rely on, especially in difficult times. We truly appreciate those we can describe as faithful friends, those who are, loyal, trustworthy, and dependable. Countless amazing stories illustrate how the word has also been applied to dogs. Some even come to be thought of as family members. Many seem to have a genuine affection and empathy for their owners, a strong sense of loyalty, and the instinct to protect them.

In the Bible, some form of the word “faithful” is used over a hundred times. Often the Lord is described that way.

“Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations” (Ps. 119:89-90).

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Cor. 1:9).

As we look to Him in faith, He is faithful to protect us from the attacks of the devil (II Thess. 3:3), faithful to give us the means to deal with temptation (I Cor. 10:13), and faithful to forgive us, when we confess our sins to Him (I Jn. 1:9).

Again and again we’re assured of God’s faithfulness to His Word. When God says it, we can count on it. “He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1:15). And Christ Himself is “called Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11), and described as, “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Rev. 1:5).

That’s surely one aspect of the likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27) we’re are intended to reflect. It’s a quality the Spirit of God wants to build into our character (Gal. 5:22-23). Paul speaks of Timothy as, “my beloved and faithful son in the Lord” (I Cor. 4:17). Peter refers to, “Silvanus, our faithful brother” (I Pet. 5:12). When believers stand before the Lord, we all hope to hear the words of commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23).

When the people of Israel turned away from God and began worshiping idols, He called them back to Himself through His prophets. But when they refused to repent, He disciplined them severely. Many were carried into captivity in Babylon, and their temple and the holy city of Jerusalem were looted and destroyed.

In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah voices grief and sorrow over what had happened in Jerusalem, but he also sees restoration and brighter days ahead for Israel.

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22-23).

In 1923, hymn writer Thomas Obediah Chisholm created a beautiful hymn, based on those words of Jeremiah.

CH-1) Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

CH-3) Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Questions:
1) Have you ever been blessed to have a faithful friend? (In what ways has he/she shown faithfulness?)

2) How has God shown His faithfulness to you?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: William Cowper (pronounced Cooper) (b. Nov. 15, 1731; d. April 25, 1800)
Music: Belmont, by William Gardiner (b. Mar. 15, 1770; d. Nov. 16, 1853)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: William Cooper was one of England’s most celebrated poets. He was also a Christian, and a friend of John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace. Together, they produced a hymnal called Olney Hymns, which contains many songs by both of them.

It happens once in awhile, in a mystery story. Perhaps the master of the house is bending over the dead body of his wife, his hands stained with blood. And he doesn’t realize that someone is watching. Or an old miser has lifted a floor board and withdrawn his secret store of gold from its hiding place, but someone sees it through the keyhole, and has learned his secret.

Remember those old keyholes that required a hole right through the door that you could put your eye to, and peer into the room beyond? But what was briefly glimpsed by stealth does not necessarily give the whole story. Possibly for that very reason, the keyhole works so well as a fictional plot device that it’s been used over and again.

But, as such stories unfold, we learn that things may not be quite as they seemed. There are a couple of problems with that stolen peep through a keyhole. One is it gives only a momentary look at what’s happening, a kind of snapshot. Maybe things went on before and after that seriously affect the meaning of what was observed. The other problem is that the keyhole view is quite narrow. It doesn’t take in the rest of the room. And again, if there were a broader view, it could yield a different understanding of what was seen.

This can be a helpful illustration of our viewpoint when it comes to the workings of Almighty God. Human limitations obscure our perceptions of an infinite God. A snapshot in time can’t explain His eternal program fully. It’s one reason the word “why” is used over four hundred times in the Bible. The question is asked twenty-two times in Job, as that good man tries to understand the cause of his terrible suffering.

The Bible can certainly help us in this regard, but even there we’re merely peering through a kind of keyhole at what the Lord is doing, seeing what Job calls “the mere edges of His ways” (Job 26:14). As Elihu says later, “God is greater than man” (Job 33:12). Though that may seem obvious, it’s important. The bright side is that what we can see of God’s handiwork can lay a firm foundation for trusting Him with other things beyond our understanding.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).

“I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure’” (Isa. 46:9-10).

This involves the sovereign providence of God. A hint of the meaning of the word “providence” can be seen from its Latin roots pro and video, before-seeing. The omniscient God is able to see before what will be needed to fulfil His purposes, and act sovereignly toward that end. This includes not only His use of the pleasant things that happen to us, but the painful trials we face too. It’s why Paul can say with confidence,

“We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

William Cowper has given us our finest hymn about the need to trust in divine providence, even when we don’t fully understand what the Lord is doing.

CH-1) God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

CH-3) Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

CH-4) Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

CH-6) Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Questions:
1) Can you look back on something you fretted about at the time, in which, now, you can see the hand of God at work for good?

2) Is there some challenge or difficulty you’re going through presently that you don’t understand? (Why do you feel confident in trusting God to lead the way through it?)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

God Understands

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Oswald Jeffrey Smith (b. Nov. 8, 1889; d. Jan. 25, 1986)
Music: Bentley DeForest Ackley (b. Sept. 27, 1872; d. Sept. 3, 1958)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal (Oswald Smith)
Hymnary.org

Note: In 1935, following a sudden family tragedy, Toronto pastor and hymn writer Oswald Smith produced a hymn about the Lord’s compassionate understanding. Smith’s sister Ruth and her husband had just finished their first term as missionaries in Peru. But before the boat sailed, Ruth’s husband Clifford was killed in a car accident, leaving her a widow, with two small boys, at the age of twenty-six. Her brother’s song brought comfort to her, and it has been used many times at memorial services, since then.

To “understand” something is not only to know facts, but to grasp their significance, and to realize how they fit together with other things. The word comes from an old English word, oferstandan, which seems to mean standing in the midst of. It speaks of an awareness, not from a distance, but from intimate experience,.

Sometimes a person will say, “I understand,” when they really don’t. This is particularly true when it comes to human suffering, which is a very subjective thing. What may be extremely painful and stressful to one isn’t, to the same degree, with another.

We may think, for example, that we’ve had headaches, so we can say to a person who has one, “I understand what you’re going through.” But that could be far from the truth. Not only so. To equate our experience with his or hers may seem as though we’re minimizing their pain, and suggesting it’s nothing to fret about.

Some form of the word “understand” is used in Scripture hundreds of times, from Genesis to Revelation. When it comes to God, we read, “His understanding is infinite” (Ps. 147:5), it’s far beyond any boundary or measure. This includes an understanding of our hidden thoughts and feelings. “For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (I Chron. 28:9). David confesses, “You understand my thought [or motivation] afar off” (Ps. 139:2).

This is brought into sharp focus with the incarnation of the Son of God. We see His perception of what people are thinking (Matt. 12:25; Lk. 6:8), and more than a dozen times the Gospels speak of Christ’s compassion, a deep concern that comes from His divine awareness of human need. Understanding and compassion united in Him. We read, “When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).

Even today, seated in heavenly glory at the right hand of the Father, His intimate understanding is recognized, and it becomes a motivation for prayer.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).

There we see that old meaning of understanding lived out. He stood in the midst of us, and went through the various trials and testings of our humanity.

“The Word [Christ] became made flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). And in doing so, He willingly entered into our human experience: our weariness (Jn. 4:6), hunger (Matt. 4:2) and thirst (Jn. 19:28), and a deep human sorrow (Matt. 26:38; Jn. 12:27). And in Gethsemane, facing the cross–an experience more dreadful for Him than we could ever imagine–the Lord Jesus was “troubled and deeply distressed” (Mk. 14:33, and “in agony” (Lk. 22:44).

1) God understands your sorrow,
He sees the falling tear,
And whispers, ‘I am with thee,’
Then falter not, nor fear.

He understands your longing,
Your deepest grief He shares;
Then let Him bear your burden,
He understands and cares.

3) God understands your weakness,
He knows the tempter’s pow’r;
And He will walk beside you,
However dark the hour.

Our understanding of others’ trials is significantly limited in many cases. But that does not mean we should do nothing. We’re to pass on “the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (II Cor. 1:4). And this should include pointing the sufferer to the greatest Burden-bearer of all, the Lord Himself.

Questions:
1) For what particular trial have you experienced the Lord’s understanding and comfort in recent times?

2) How have you shown understanding and compassion to another person recently?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal (Oswald Smith)
Hymnary.org