We're marking Remembrance Sunday today, with hymns including O God, our help in ages past and The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended. And it's an important day for the Timaru Catholic community with the re-opening of the Sacred Heart Basilica after extensive earthquake strengthening work. You can hear one of the hymns they'll be singing in their service: Now thank we all our God.
Sacred Heart Basilica, Timaru Photo: CC 3.0 / Ulanwp
SONG: O GOD, OUR HELP IN AGES PAST
Artist: Choir and Congregation of the Royal Naval Chapel, Greenwich
Words/Music: Watts/Croft
Recording: Abbey 280826
Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home:
Under the shadow of thy throne
thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received its frame,
from everlasting thou art God,
to endless years the same.
A thousand ages in thy sight
are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
bears all our years away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the opening day.
Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while life shall last,
and our eternal home.
SONG: ALL MY HOPE ON GOD IS FOUNDED
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Composer: Neander trans Bridges/Howells
Label: Hyperion 712801
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew,
me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Pride of man and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of naught.
Evermore
from his store
newborn worlds rise and adore.
Daily doth th’almighty giver
bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
pleasure leads us where we go.
Love doth stand
at his hand;
joy doth wait on his command.
Still from man to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ, his son.
Christ doth call
one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
SONG: CHRIST IS MADE THE SURE FOUNDATION
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Purcell
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the Head and Corner-stone,
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Sion's help for ever,
And her confidence alone.
All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.
Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain,
What they gain from Thee, for ever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.
SONG: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD
Artist: CBSO Chorus
Words/Music: Rinkart trans Winkworth/Cruger
Recording: Decca 463927
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Amen
SONG: KING OF GLORY, KING OF PEACE
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Michael Leighton-Jones (dir)
Words/Music: Herbert/Jones
Recording: ABC 476509
King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
and that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
thou hast heard me;
thou didst note my working breast,
thou hast spared me.
Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
and the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
thou didst clear me;
and alone, when they replied,
thou didst hear me.
Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
in my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
to enroll thee;
e'en eternity's too short
to extol thee.
SONG: PRAYER FOR PEACE
Artist: St Thomas’ Music Group
Words/Music: Margaret Rizza
Recording: Kevin Mayhew
Lead me from death to life,
from falsehood to truth;
lead me from despair to hope,
from fear to trust;
lead me from hate to love,
from war to peace,
let peace fill our hearts,
our world, our universe,
let peace fill our hearts,
our world, our universe,
peace, peace, peace.
SONG: THE DAY THOU GAVEST, LORD, IS ENDED
Artist: Choir of the Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Ellerton/Scholefield
Recording: RNZ 2020
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall hallow now our rest.
We thank Thee that Thy Church unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.
As o'er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.
The sun, that bids us rest, is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.
So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth's proud empires, pass away:
But stand, and rule, and grow for ever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.
SONG: GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN
Artist: Choir of the Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Rankin/Vaughan Williams
Label: RNZ 2020
God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath His wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still divide you,
God be with you till we meet again.
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