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Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. Mar. 29, 1788)
Music: Beecher, by John Zundel (b. Dec. 10, 1815; d. July _____, 1882)

Note: Zundel’s tune Beecher, written for this text, is frequently used with the hymn. In my view, Blaenwern, by William Rowlands, is superior to it. (Rowlands’ beautiful melody can also be used effectively with What a Friend We Have in Jesus). However, there is an interesting side note pertaining to Beecher.

In his 1870 book Heart Songs, which includes this tune, Zundel used a novel means to indicate the tempo he believed to be appropriate for each song. He noted the number of seconds it should take to sing one stanza. For Beecher, it was sixty-five seconds. If you try it, you may find that this seems quite a slow pace.

The decision regarding a hymn’s tempo is, of course, a somewhat relative matter. It depends in part on what a congregation is used to. However, there are also some practical considerations, and the message of a hymn can be enhanced or obscured if it is sung at an inappropriate speed. For some thoughts on this, see my article, The Tempo of Congregational Hymns.


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

This is a beautiful hymn, but it is not without a significant problem for some of us. It proclaims the Wesleyan doctrine of perfectionism, which I don’t believe is biblical. According to holiness teaching, the Christian is to seek a second blessing, also referred to as crisis sanctification. The idea is, as taught by some, that with this second blessing experience the sin nature is not only subdued but eradicated, and it becomes possible to live a sinless life.

This comes out in lines found particularly in (2) (as Wesley originally wrote them): “Let us find that second rest, [and] take away our power of sinning.” For one thing, does it not seem that if we had no power of sinning, we would have no ability to choose? If we cannot doubt and disobey God, then we are not freely believing and obeying Him, and become mere puppets in His hands.

Further, the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews 4:9 (which the holiness folks apply to their second blessing) refers to the normal Christian life. Verse 10 explains that it involves ceasing from our own works. In other words, fully depending on what Christ has done for us, and not trying to earn God’s acceptance by our own efforts.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”

Heb. 4:9-10

In (3) of the hymn we have: “Pure and sinless let us be.” However, this might be seen as an aspiration and a desire for holiness, without assuming that it can be attained in this life. Or, in the context of the rest of the stanza it might be looking forward to the eternal day when we are fully transformed into the likeness of Christ, in His presence (I Jn. 3:2).

To claim sinless perfection now, one must have a very limited and superficial definition of sin. When all possible sins of omission and commission are included, when we examine thoughts and heart attitudes, as well as overt acts, and we compare ourselves to the absolute perfection of Christ, the claim to perfection becomes tenuous indeed. Add to that all the passages that reveal the believer’s potential for sinning, and God’s provision for times when a Christian sins (e.g. Gal. 5:16-17; I Jn. 1:8-10; 2:1-2).

In order to make this hymn compatible with a non-perfectionist theology, various changes have been suggested over the years. Some helpful, and some not. Some books simply omit the third stanza, or make alterations in it. Other stanzas are also changed. For example, here is the beginning of Wesley’s fourth stanza, and an amended version found in The Believers Hymn Book.

(Wesley)
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;

(Amended to)
Firstfruits of Thy new creation,
Faithful, holy, may we be,
Joyful in Thy great salvation,
Daily more conformed to Thee.

Questions:

  1. If you are not one who accepts Wesley’s theology, would you still use this hymn? (Would you amend it in any way to do so?)
  2. What is the difference between a desire not to sin, and a claim to be free from sin?

Links:

According to Thy Gracious Word

Words: James Montgomery (b. Nov. 4, 1771; d. Apr. 30, 1854)
Music: Martyrdom (also called Avon), by Hugh Wilson (b. Dec. 2, 1766; d. Aug. 14, 1824)

Note: The Cyber Hymnal gives several possibilities for tunes that can be used with this hymn, with Martyrdom by Scottish musician Hugh Wilson listed first. I have also seen Manoah used. The latter melody is from a collection of church music published by Henry Greatorex, but the actual composer of the music is disputed.

James Montgomery, for thirty-two years the editor of a newspaper called The Sheffield Iris, was also a hymn writer of note. The Cyber Hymnal lists 180 of his hymns. Various ones will be familiar, depending on a local church’s traditional background and the hymnal used. Here are a few of Montgomery’s songs:

  • According to Thy Gracious Word
  • Angels from the Realms of Glory
  • Go to Dark Gethsemane
  • Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
  • In the Hour of Trial
  • Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire
  • The Lord Is My Shepherd
  • Stand Up and Bless the Lord
  • We Bid Thee Welcome in the Name

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

The present very fine Communion hymn, as published in 1825, had six stanzas. Some books use only four ((1), (2), (5), (6)), others include all six. The text is based on the words of the Lord Jesus at the Last Supper, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19). It’s a command, repeated in First Corinthians 11:25 that believers continue to memorialize what Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary, and that we continue to do so until He comes again (I Cor. 11:26).

We all struggle to remember–to call to mind all kinds of things. Sometimes, we sheepishly refer to our efficient “forgetteries,” or we’ll say, “I have a good memory; it’s just short!” The failure to bring certain things to mind can be a minor inconvenience, like going shopping and forgetting to take along our shopping list. Other forgotten things can be more significant.

I was on a long bus trip one time. The bus stopped for a break, and we all got out for ten or fifteen minutes. Then, we were on our way again. But for some reason, the one in charge forgot to take a count. Many miles down the road, someone said, “Where’s Jack?” It was assumed for awhile that he must be in the washroom at the back of the bus. But more time passed, and finally we came to the conclusion that he’d been left behind at our last stop. There was no other choice but to go back. It turned out that Jack had wandered off to make a phone call, and missed the bus’s departure. No real harm was done, and we had a good laugh at his expense.

A more serious incident is recorded in the book of Genesis, where Joseph, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wicked wife, was cast into prison. Pharaoh’s chief butler was in prison too and, when he was finally released, Joseph asked him to appeal to Pharaoh on his behalf (Gen. 40:14). But we read that “the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (vs. 23), and Joseph languished in prison for two more years (Gen. 41:1, 9).

Still greater would be the shame of one of God’s blood-bought children forgetting what Christ did to save him or her. Our present access to God and our eternal glory were purchased at dreadful cost by the sufferings of the Lamb of God. Not only that, but in neglecting the Lord’s Supper we are failing to obey the command of the Lord to do so until He returns.

There’s another failure involved too, a failure to witness to our faith in Christ. By participating at the Table of the Lord, we “proclaim the Lord’s death” (I Cor. 11:26). It means we preach and teach about Christ and the meaning of His death on the cross and its importance to us. (The same Greek word is used in Colossians 1:28, when Paul declares, “Him we preach.”)

Knowing the fallibility of our memories, and the importance of keeping Calvary before us, it is worthwhile to make the kind of sincere pledge that Montgomery does in his hymn.

(1) According to Thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee.

(2) Thy body, broken for my sake,
My bread from heav’n shall be;
The testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee.

Questions:

  1. What are some reasons why a person might grow neglectful of the Lord’s Supper?
  2. What are some practical values in consistently participating in this ceremony?

Links:

Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me

Words: Edward Hopper (b. Feb. 17, 1816; d. Apr. 23, 1888)
Music: Pilot, by John Edgar Gould (b. Apr. 9, 1821; March 4, 1875)

Note: There is a touching story on the Cyber Hymnal of how this beautiful song was used to bring a dying soldier to faith in Christ. Mr. Hopper wrote six stanzas, but only three of them are generally used for the hymn ((1), (5), and (6)). One of the others, however, is worthy of note. It makes the point that even when we have smooth sailing for a time, in life, we still need Christ, our Pilot. (“Halcyon,” pronounced HAL-see-un, means peaceful, quiet.)

(3) Though the sea be smooth and bright,
Sparkling with the stars of night,
And my ship’s path be ablaze
With the light of halcyon days,
Still I know my need of Thee;
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.

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

Well educated though he was, Dr. Hopper was a humble man, preferring to stay in the background. He felt the call of God to minister to sailors in New York City, where he had been born. There, he served as pastor of the Church of Sea and Land for eighteen years, preaching the gospel to the men who came and went in that busy sea port. His hymn was published anonymously in 1871. It wasn’t until years later that it came out that he’d written it.

Pastor Hopper’s preaching, like his hymn, was couched in language the sailors could understand. Every seasoned sailor knew what it was to face the peril of a storm and sea, and the hymn helped them to apply that imagery to their lives. The song is based on a couple of incidents recorded in the Gospels (Matt. 8:23-27; 14:22-33). The former passage says:

“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”

To this we can add the assurance of the Lord’s presence with His children now, in His final promise given in Matthew’s Gospel, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). That’s similar to the pledge made to the nation of Israel, centuries before.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Isa. 41:10

How wonderful to know that we have, in our ship of life, a Pilot who is sovereign over the tempests and well able to guide us safely to our final harbour!

(1) Jesus, Saviour, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee;
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.

Pastor Hopper suffered from heart trouble, and he died suddenly, while seated in his study, writing some lines about heaven. With that he reached the land of “peaceful rest” the last stanza of the present song speaks of. And the experience of John Gould, the composer of the hymn tune, provides an interesting parallel. He was about to embark on a voyage for his health’s sake. His wife said he sat at the piano and played his tune, Pilot, the evening before. He died in Africa shortly after.

(6) When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Questions:

  1. What parallels can you think of between a sea voyage and the voyage of life?
  2. What other hymns do you know that make effective use of the seagoing image? (If you need help, the Cyber Hymnal lists 173 of them in the Topical section, under “Nautical Hymns.”)

Links:

My Home, Sweet Home

Words: Napoleon Bonaparte “Jack” Vandall (b. Dec. 28, 1896; d. Aug. 24, 1970)
Music: Napoleon Bonaparte Vandall

Note: The Wordwise link below talks about this song, and provides a secondary link to Vandall’s other beautiful gospel song, After, and the story of its connection with his family life. Mr. Vandall, an evangelist with the Church of the Nazarene, went home to be with the Lord in 1970, at the age of seventy-four. His wife passed away three years later.

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

Now and then, the writing of a hymn is closely connected with a prior hymn or hymn writer. There’s an interesting connection, if a little more remote, in this case. Napoleon Vandall was saved in 1920 at the Christian camp at Sebring, Ohio. It was there that another hymn writer frequently ministered. Anne May Sebring Murphy, a member of the Sebring family that founded the town, wrote the gospel song Constantly Abiding, in 1908.

Though I can’t prove it, it’s almost certain that the two musicians knew one another. Anne Murphy wrote (in (3) of her song  Constantly Abiding) of the ongoing fellowship of the Lord Jesus “while here on His footstool I roam” (cf. Matt. 28:20). Because of this, even in times of suffering, she was able to say, “Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud, / I’ve a peace that has come here to stay!” (1).

But Anne Murphy also looked forward to an eternity with the Lord Jesus, saying. “He’s coming to take me, some glorious day, over there to my heavenly home” (3). When he too faced problems and difficulties, it was that prospect that especially cheered Napoleon Vandall.

(1) Walking along life’s road one day,
I heard a voice so sweetly say,
“A place up in heav’n I am building thee,
A beautiful, beautiful home.”

Home, sweet home, home, sweet home–
Where I’ll never roam!
I see the light of that city so bright–
My home, sweet home.

In his second stanza, Mr. Vandall notes two of the joys that await him in the heavenly city. First, he will be reunited with loved ones who have gone before (I Thess. 4:17; cf. 2:19). And second, he will participate with them in a ceremony of worship and praise described in the book of Revelation (Rev. 4:10-11).

The final stanza reflects upon the brevity of human life. That is certainly an important thing for the unsaved consider. This earthly life is over before we know it, while eternity is forever. It makes sense to do what we need to now to prepare for what’s ahead.

“‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you” (I Pet. 1:24-25).

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:1).


It is a warning. But the brevity of life can be a comfort to the believer. The trials we face, day by day, painful and difficult though they may be, will soon be behind us, lost in the glory of eternal day.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

II Cor. 4:16-18

(3) Life’s day is short–I soon shall go
To be with Him who loved me so;
I see in the distance that shining shore,
My beautiful, beautiful home.

Questions:

  1. This is a difficult question to answer, since we’re not as yet in our perfected eternal state, but how do you think you’ll feel when you first see the Lord Jesus Christ?
  2. Beyond meeting our Saviour, what is it about our heavenly home that most interests you?

Links:

I’ve Found a Friend

Words: James Gridlay Small (b. Feb. 6, 1817; d. Feb. 11, 1888)
Music: Friend, by George Coles Stebbins (b. Feb. 26, 1846; d. Oct. 6, 1945)

Note: There is another gospel song by John Prentice Schofield (1882-1972) that begins, “I’ve found a Friend who is all to me,” but its usual title is Saved, Saved. The song under discussion here was written nearly fifty years earlier.

James Small was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he attended university, studying theology under the learned and godly Dr. Thomas Chalmers. Small later served as pastor of a church, but it is said that certain peculiarities of speech and manner in the pulpit kept him from being a success there. However, he was a gentle and godly man. Other clergymen recognized his sincerity and ability, and he was made clerk of the presbytery. He also published two volumes of poetry.

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

It’s of interest to note that the word “friend” (at least as far as the biblical record goes) is only used of the Lord Jesus by His enemies, and then in a mocking and critical way.

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber [a drunkard], a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’”

Matt. 11:19

Christ’s friendship with tax collectors (despised because they worked for the hated Roman government), and “sinners.” irked the Jewish leaders. The latter term may, of course, have included genuine sinners, since we all are such (Rom. 3:23). However, to the self-righteous Pharisees, these were any whose lifestyle or labours made them ceremonially unclean, or they were individuals who did not keep all of the traditional rules that had been added to the Jewish Law. To be a “friend” of such, they thought, showed a lack of spiritual discernment, and it meant Jesus was contaminated by the association.

The Lord did, however, use that term of His followers (Lk. 12:4; Jn. 11:11). And if they were His friends, by implication He was theirs. They (and we) show “friendship” to the Lord Jesus Christ when we do His will (Jn. 15:14). And He shows friendship toward us in a couple of ways: by giving His life to save us (Jn. 15:13), and by sharing intimate spiritual secrets with us (vs. 15). These are conveyed to us, today, in the inspired Word of God.

James Small reminds us of an important truth: that before we loved Christ, He loved us. Before we even knew Him, or knew about Him, He loved us. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins….We love Him because He first loved us” (I Jn. 4:10, 19; cf. Eph. 2:4-5).

(1) I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend! He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love, and thus He bound me to Him;
And round my heart still closely twine those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine, forever and forever.

Another great truth is expressed in (2). “Not alone the gift of life, but His own self He gave me!” Eternal life is more than endless life, it is a life in fellowship with our Friend. The Lord told His followers that His purpose was to “come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:3). That same purpose was voiced in His high priestly prayer to His heavenly Father: “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with me where I am” (Jn. 17:24).

(2) I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend! He bled, He died to save me;
And not alone the gift of life, but His own self He gave me!
Naught that I have mine own I call, I’ll hold it for the Giver,
My heart, my strength, my life, my all are His, and His forever.

The hymn writer concludes with an exclamation that echoes that of Paul in Romans Chapter 8, to the effect that there is nothing that can separate us from our Friend.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Rom. 8:35, 38-39

And if we are joined to Him by a bond of eternal love, it stands to reason that the Lord will do everything necessary to guide and protect us, in order to deliver us safely into our eternal home.

(4) I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend! So kind and true and tender,
So wise a Counselor and Guide, so mighty a Defender!
From Him who loves me now so well what power my soul can sever?
Shall life or death, shall earth or hell? No! I am His forever.

Questions:

  1. What are the qualities of a true friend that you see reflected in the Lord’s friendship with believers?
  2. What are the qualities of Christ’s friendship with the outcasts of society, while He was on earth, that we can emulate today? (And how can we do so?)

Links:

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

Words: Henry Francis Lyte (b. June 1, 1793; d. Nov. 20, 1847)
Music: Lauda Anima, by John Goss (b. Dec. 27, 1800; d. May 10, 1880)

Note: The Cyber Hymnal lists several tunes for this hymn. The one by Sir John Goss (knighted in 1872) is, I believe the best. I appreciate its stately, reverent pace. It was written specifically for use with the hymn in 1869. Henry Smart’s tune Regent Square (also used with Angels from the Realms of Glory) works well too.

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

There have been a number of word changes over the years, and one of Henry Lyte’s original five stanzas (4) is usually dropped in the belief that the poetry is inferior. It does, however, express the imagery of Psalm 103:15-16 (the psalm on which the hymn is based).

Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
God endures unchanging on,
Praise Him, praise Him, hallelujah
Praise the high eternal One!

In (1), I prefer “Who, like me, His praise should sing” for line four, rather than the weaker or more general, “Evermore His praises sing.” The point made in Psalm 103 is that David sees many reasons why he, personally, should not forget to praise the Lord. He speaks to himself (“Bless the Lord, O my soul”), with the sense that if anyone has reason for gratitude to God, he surely does.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Ps. 103:2-5

(1) Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who, like me, His praise should sing?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Verses 13 and 14 of the psalm have meant a great deal to me personally, over the years. When we’re going through a rough time, and particularly when we are kicking ourselves around the block for some folly, it’s comforting to know “He remembers that we are dust.” Dust is pretty helpless stuff, after all. Except that, on one occasion, the animating breath of God gave it life (Gen. 2:7). Similarly, the equipping and energizing of the indwelling Spirit of God enables each believer, weak as we are, to live for God and serve Him.

(3) Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely as His mercy flows.

The concluding stanza makes reference to the angels of God (cf. Ps. 103:20-21). This is one place, however, where I tend to agree with the version found in the classic 1867 work, Hymns Ancient and Modern. Most hymn books I’ve seen begin with the line, “Angels, help us to adore Him.” But that’s not what the biblical text says. Nor are we instructed pray to the angels for their help. Rather, we should pray to God, in Jesus’ name, and He will send for angelic ministers to aid us, as needed (Heb. 1:14). As found in the volume mentioned, stanza five reads:

Angels in the height adore Him,
Ye behold Him face to face;
Saints triumphant, bow before Him,
Gathered in from every race.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace!

Questions:

  1. How might being “dust” be used as an excuse for wrong behaviour? In contrast, what is the proper response to Psalm 103:14?
  2. This great hymn contrasts sharply with the contemporary praise choruses of today–many of which say little or nothing. Check out the full version of the hymn on the Cyber Hymnal, and see if you can list a dozen or so things about God for which He is abundantly worthy of praise.

Links:

My Anchor Holds

Words: William Clark Martin (b. Dec. 25, 1864; d. Aug. 30, 1914)
Music: Daniel Brink Towner (b. Apr. 5:1850; d. Oct. 3, 1919)

Note: William Martin was a Baptist pastor who served at least five different churches in New England, Indiana and Florida. He was also a hymn writer. The Cyber Hymnal lists fifty five of his songs, among them: My Father Watches Over Me, The Name of Jesus Is So Sweet, and Still Sweeter Every Day. My Anchor Holds was written in 1902. Pastor Martin died at the relatively young age of fifty.

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

On October 15th, 1954, Hurricane Hazel struck Southern Ontario, where I lived with my parents. It was by far the most devastating storm to hit the area in recorded history. Eighty-one lives were lost, and four thousand left homeless. Many bridges and roads were washed out. Raw sewage backed up into our basement. Four feet of it!

At one point in the long night, I decided to go outside to see what a hurricane felt like. (Boys will be boys!) I remember the difficulty standing–even close to the house, and the rain stinging my face like hundreds of tiny bullets. It was a relief to get back into our solidly built brick home.

It has reminded me many times of our spiritual need for a safe refuge and secure anchor. (And, yes, some of the stormy situations we face because of our own choices, as mine was in the hurricane.) Many hymn writers, before the days of air travel particularly, used the turbulent sea to depict the turmoil and conflict in our lives, and to describe how Christ is the answer for the safety and security of our souls.

(1) Though the angry surges roll
On my tempest driven soul,
I am peaceful, for I know,
Wildly though the winds may blow,
I’ve an anchor safe and sure,
That can evermore endure.

And it holds, my anchor holds:
Blow your wildest, then, O gale,
On my bark so small and frail;
By His grace I shall not fail,
For my anchor holds, my anchor holds.

Our hope in Christ is described as providing an eternal anchor in Hebrews:

“[We] have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Heb. 6:18-20

How wonderful that we have a spiritual haven provided by our Saviour! The children of God are contrasted with the unsaved in this way: They are “without Christ…having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). Rather than children of God, they are “children of wrath” those fitted by nature for eternal condemnation (Eph. 2:1-3). We are sheltered in Christ through faith in His atoning sacrifice. And the absolute security that is ours is affirmed:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:31-35, 38-39; cf. Jn. 10:28-29).

(4) Troubles almost ’whelm the soul;
Griefs like billows o’er me roll;
Tempters seek to lure astray;
Storms obscure the light of day:
But in Christ I can be bold,
I’ve an anchor that shall hold.

Questions:

  1. Even though we are secure in Christ, what kinds of things can make us feel otherwise, or seem to threaten our security?
  2. What other hymns and gospel songs can you think of that use the stormy sea as imagery to describe the trials we face and God’s provision for them?

Links:

The Lord’s Prayer

Words: The Lord Jesus (Matthew 6:9-13)
Music: Albert Hay Malotte (b. May 19, 1895; d. Nov. 16, 1964)

Note: There have been various settings of the Lord’s Prayer. The Cyber Hymnal has one by Lowell Mason. But perhaps the best known is Malotte’s, published in 1935. It was written for famed operatic baritone, John Charles Thomas. This version has been used ever since as a solo piece, often at weddings. However, in more recent times several hymn books have included it. Albert Malotte and his dramatic setting for the Lord’s Prayer is discussed in the Wordwise link below, and there’s a further link there to a post about Mr. Thomas.

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

Luke’s account informs us of a request one of the disciples made of their Master. He said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk. 11:1). In response, Christ gave them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” though it could more precisely be labelled the disciples’ prayer, as it was for them. It is found, in slightly different forms, in both Matthew and Luke. (Likely to writers refer to two different occasions when the prayer was taught.) The former version reads:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts [our sins], as we forgive our debtors [those who sin against us]. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Matt. 6:9-13

In many churches, a version of this prayer is recited week by week. That is fine, as long as we realize several things.

First, great as it is, the prayer is incomplete. It was given before the cross. There is nothing in it about the salvation purchased for us at Calvary. Nothing about the church born on the Day of Pentecost. And no indication of the later instruction to pray “in Jesus’ name” (Jn. 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24).

Second, it was not given as a prayer to recite verbatim, but as a suggested pattern for prayer (“after this manner”). No one in the New Testament ever prays the prayer. It is intended to show us the kind of things to be addressed in the prayers of Jesus’ followers. To simply recite the prayer as a formal ritual might even constitute “vain repetitions” which the Lord forbids in the context (Matt. 6:7).

Third, such a prayer can be offered legitimately only by a child of God, a born again believer with a right to call Him “Father.” The unsaved are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). We only have the right to call ourselves God’s children through faith in Christ, and by the new birth (Jn. 1:12-13).

The prayer begins with an attitude of worship, expressing the desire that God’s name (His Person) be honoured, and that the Messiah’s kingdom would be set up on earth. There follows a request that God would meet daily needs, as well as a prayer for protection from the devil’s attacks. God’s forgiveness from sin is sought, and the petitioner states his readiness to forgive those who wrong him.

The ending of the prayer (Matt. 6:13b) is not found it some modern translations of the Bible. (This is unfortunate, since of five hundred ancient codices that contain the prayer, only five omit it.) But even if the ending of the prayer is questioned, it is certainly biblical. Similar sentiments are voiced in a prayer of David’s:

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head over all.”

I Chron. 29:11

With the understanding that other things need to be included, the passage provides a helpful guide for our own prayer lives.

Questions:

  1. Should non-liturgical evangelical churches be using the prayer more than they do? (Why? Or why not?)
  2. How might this study of the Lord’s Prayer affect your own praying in the future?

Links:

19 May 1895 – Albert Malotte Born

Mansion Over the Hilltop

Words: Ira Forest Stanphill (b. Feb. 14, 1914; d. Dec. 30, 1993)
Music: Ira Forest Stanphill

Note: The Cyber Hymnal has no information on this song, but has a short biography of Mr. Stanphill, with a long list of his compositions. Wordwise Hymns describes the incident that inspired the song.

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

I’ve sometimes thought that this 1949 song sounds crassly materialistic. It helps a little when you know the story behind it. (But only a little!) The man whose testimony inspired Mansion Over the Hilltop was looking for something beyond the possessions and accumulated wealth of this world, with all the worries they bring. But Mr. Stanphill’s song seems to simply offer him more of the same!

The passage of Scripture that mentions heavenly mansions for the saints is from John 14 (Jesus speaking).

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

John 14:2-3

The key word “mansions” (NKJV) has been translated various ways: abodes, dwelling places, resting places, homes, and rooms. Whether each will be a free-standing dwelling on a piece of property, or a luxury apartment in a larger building, they are intended as permanent residences for believers, places to stay in the heavenly city where we will be forever with the Lord (cf. Jn. 17:24).

Sometimes Paul’s words in Second Corinthians 5:1 are given as a cross reference to those of Christ in John’s Gospel. “We know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” But it seems clear from the context (which speaks of a habitation with which we’ll be “clothed,” vs. 2) that the apostle is speaking of our resurrection bodies, not of our heavenly mansions.

It’s possible that David’s words in Psalm 23 are relevant. He says, “I will dwell in the house [home or household] of the Lord forever.” Or as the Amplified Bible has it, “the house of the Lord shall be my dwelling place (23:6). David can’t mean Israel’s tabernacle on earth. He must be speaking of his heavenly home within the city of God called New Jerusalem, for which the word “tabernacle” (or habitation) is actually used (Rev. 21:2-3).

What is described in the Scriptures has many of the features of a city, and heaven is spoken of as a city many times (e.g. Heb. 11:10, 16; 13:14), a city with walls and a main thoroughfare leading to the throne of God (Rev. 21:11-12; 22:1-2). It’s described as a city of gold, and a city of glorious light, where the tree of life is found.

The heavenly city is a wonderful place. But the greatest thing about it (one to which, sadly, Stanphill makes no reference at all) is that we will be with the Lord Jesus there. Ira Stanphill says, with the saints of old, that he’s “just a pilgrim in search of a city” (stanza 3). But why? What’s in it for us? Much more than a big house and streets of gold.

As John 14:2-3 shows, it’s Christ’s desire that we be with Him in heaven (cf. II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; I Thess. 4:17). Can anything top that? He’s presently preparing a place for us to dwell there and live in His immediate fellowship. A prepared place for a prepared people. And it’s the presence of the Lamb of God that will make heaven heavenly for us, above all else. In the words of English pastor Guy King years ago, “What lucky beggars we are!”

(1) I’m satisfied with just a cottage below,
A little silver and a little gold;
But in that city where the ransomed will shine,
I want a gold one that’s silver lined.

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop,
In that bright land where we’ll never grow old;
And some day yonder we will nevermore wander
But walk the streets that are purest gold.

Questions:

  1. What aspects of the description of heaven, or characteristics of it, are especially meaningful to you?
  2. What hymns do you know about heaven that provide a better picture of the spiritual and eternal joys it offers?

Links:

Lord, I’m Coming Home

Words: William James Kirkpatrick (b. Feb. 27, 1838; d. Sept. 20, 1921)
Music: William James Kirkpatrick

Note: This 1892 gospel song is unusual for a couple of reasons. For one thing, William Kirkpatrick was a composer. He published many collections of songs, and wrote the tunes for dozens of them, but he rarely wrote the lyrics, as he did here. Second, this song was originally written for the benefit of one man. The story is found on 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.)

Sometimes the music of our gospel songs is denigrated as simplistic, repetitious, and therefore inferior. But, as noted elsewhere in this blog, the use of repeated phrases and simple melodies was often calculated. There were no photo copiers and there was no power point projection in those days. Songs were often learned by rote. Their simplicity was a factor in allowing them to be taught in a few minutes, sending people home from meetings with the message of the gospel on their lips.

Though they often produced uncomplicated tunes, it should not be concluded that all those who produced the music lacked the ability to do more if they chose to. Many of the men and women who created the music in our hymn books were gifted and highly trained musicians. William Kirkpatrick (“Kirk” or “Kirkie” to his friends) is a case in point.

Young William grew up in a musical family, his father being a music teacher. Early on the boy learned to play the fife and flute, the violin, and later the cello. At the age of sixteen, he left home for Philadelphia, where he studied music. He also learned the carpenter’s trade, and earned a living for a time selling furniture. But his passion was music. He studied voice under a leading oratorio singer, and became a member of both the Handel and Haydn Music Societies.

The musician also showed a special gift in arranging music. One afternoon after Sunday School, when he was twenty, he sat and listened as someone sang a new song to A. S. Jenks, the Bible teacher, who also published music. While the song was being sung, Kirkpatrick quickly wrote out the melody and provided a suitable harmonization. His flawless musicality impressed Jenks, and he hired the young man to harmonize camp-meeting songs that were popular at the time.

William Kirkpatrick continued to study music theory, composition and harmonization, and also studied the pipe organ. By 1878 he was devoting his entire time to writing and teaching music–organ, piano and singing. He wrote music for a number of Fanny Crosby’s songs including: Meet Me There, Tell Me the Story of Jesus, Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It, and He Hideth My Soul. He also collaborated with another fine nineteenth century composer of gospel music, John Sweney (1837-1899) in the publication of books of music, both for congregation and choral use.

As to the present song, it became a much-used hymn of invitation in gospel meetings, inviting the sinner to come to the Saviour. There are echoes of the parable of the prodigal son in it, as the wanderer comes home to God.

(1) I’ve wandered far away from God,
Now I’m coming home;
The paths of sin too long I’ve trod,
Lord, I’m coming home.

Coming home, coming home,
Nevermore to roam,
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I’m coming home.

William Kirkpatrick wrote six stanzas for this song, but books I’ve seen usually print only the first four. As you may know, many older hymns had more stanzas that are often used today. There are times, however, when I question the editorial choice that has been made. This is one of them.

Though there’s nothing wrong with the first four, it’s the last two stanzas that deal specifically with the saving work of Christ. Of the Holy Spirit’s present ministry, the Lord Jesus said, “When He has come, He will convict the world of sin…because they do not believe in Me” (Jn. 16:8-9).

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

(5) My only hope, my only plea,
Now I’m coming home;
That Jesus died, and died for me.
Lord, I’m coming home.

(6) I need His cleansing blood, I know,
Now I’m coming home;
O wash me whiter than the snow,
Lord, I’m coming home.

Questions:

  1. What, in your view, are the best songs of gospel invitation that we have?
  2. What are the benefits and dangers of calling the unsaved forward (or asking for hands to be raised) in a meeting to indicate a desire to trust Christ as Saviour?

Links:

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