Methodist leader John Wesley had some good tips for singing hymns, including this one: "Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength".
Sing along to an uplifting selection of hymns in this week's programme.
Detail from the Ghent Altarpiece, by Jan van Eyck Photo: CC BY 2.0 / carulmare
SONG: CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society, Owain Arwel Hughes (dir), David Bell (organ)
Words/Music: Bridges, Thring/Elvey
Recording: EMI 746202
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own:
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of love!
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified:
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright!
Crown Him the Lord of peace!
Whose power a sceptre sways,
From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise:
His reign shall know no end,
And round His pierced feet
Fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.
Crown Him the Lord of heaven,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown Him the King, to whom is given the wondrous name of Love,
All hail, Redeemeer, hail, for Thou hast died for me,
Thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity.
SONG: WHEN MORNING GILDS THE SKIES
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Anon trans Caswall/Barnby
Recording: Marquis MAR 175
When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Whene’er the sweet church bell peals over hill and dell,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
O hark to what it sings, as joyously it rings,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In Heav’n’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth, and sea and sky from depth to height reply,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Sing this eternal song through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
SONG: PSALM 121
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 121/Walford-Davies
Recording: Marquis MAR 175
I will lift up my eyes unto the hills : from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord : who hath made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel : shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy defense upon thy right hand.
So that the sun shall not burn thee by day : neither the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil : yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in : from this time forth forevermore.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
SONG: GRACIOUS SPIRIT, HOLY GHOST
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Wordsworth/Archer
Recording: Hyperion 112105
Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,
taught by thee, we covet most
of thy gifts at Pentecost,
holy, heavenly love.
Love is kind, and suffers long,
love is meek, and thinks no wrong,
love than death itself more strong;
therefore give us love.
Prophecy will fade away,
melting in the light of day;
love will ever with us stay;
therefore give us love.
Faith will vanish into sight;
hope be emptied in delight;
love in heaven will shine more bright;
therefore give us love.
Faith and hope and love we see
joining hand in hand agree;
but the greatest of the three,
and the best, is love.
SONG: O FOR A HEART TO PRAISE MY GOD
Artist: St Michael Singers of Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/I Smith arr Christopher Norton
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 891
O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free,
A heart that always feels Thy blood
So freely shed for me.
A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My great Redeemer’s throne,
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.
A humble, lowly, contrite, heart,
Believing, true and clean,
Which neither life nor death can part
From Christ who dwells within.
A heart in every thought renewed
And full of love divine,
Perfect and right and pure and good,
A copy, Lord, of Thine.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
Come quickly from above;
Write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new, best name of Love.
SONG: IN THIS FAMILIAR PLACE
Artist: Choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland, Michael Stoddart (dir), Philip Smith (organ)
Words/Music: Colin Gibson
Label: RNZ 2017
In this familiar place
I know the mystery of your grace.
Refrain:
For the love that I receive,
for the truth that I believe,
I praise and thank you;
for this here and now.
In halting song and word
the music of your voice is heard
Refrain:
Among these friends of mine
I taste the company divine.
Refrain:
Within this narrow sphere
I learn that you are everywhere.
Refrain:
SONG: I WANT TO WALK AS A CHILD OF THE LIGHT
Artist: Choir of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills
Words/Music: Kathleen Thomerson
Recording: Gothic 349074
I want to walk as a child of the light;
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world;
The star of my life is Jesus.
Refrain:
In him there is no darkness at all;
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God;
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path
And show me the way to the Father.
Refrain:
I’m looking for the coming of Christ;
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus.
Refrain:
SONG: LEAD KINDLY LIGHT
Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: John Henry Newman/John Dykes
Recording: Move 743142
Lead, kindly light, amid th’encircling gloom,
lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou
shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still
will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent,
till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!
SONG: SIYAHAMBA (WE ARE MARCHING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD)
Artist: American Spiritual Ensemble
Words/Music: Anon
Recording: American Spiritual Ensemble 2009
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’,
siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos’.
Siyahamba,
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos'.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
We are marching,
We are marching in the light of God.
