31 Days of Hymns - Day 12

Nearer, my God, to Thee

This beautiful hymn was penned by Sarah F. Adams in 1841. Through the years it has acquired many melodies and has become not only popular in churches but outside the church as well. In honor of two United States presidents, Wil­liam Mc­Kin­ley and James Gar­field, this hymn was performed publicly after their deaths. This hymn is also associated with two academy award movies: it was sung in San Francisco and performed in Titanic. The Titanic performance was inspired by the Titanic survivors who said they heard this hymn performed by the orchestra as the Titanic sank.

Listen Here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwLl5nY5WPI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCEfqj9pDAI 

 

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God to Thee.

Refrain

There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.

Refrain

Learn more about this hymn here:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/n/m/nmgtthee.htm 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nearer,_My_God,_to_Thee

31 Days of Hymns - Day 11

O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing Glorious and Mighty 

Written in 1739 to commemorate the first anniversary of his conversion, this great hymn by Charles Wesley has never lost its popularity. It’s truly one of the greatest hymns ever written



Listen to several different versions here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O9kw3cILpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYHFwYgxc_U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64oo7z7tjsw
Contemporary version with additional lyrics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w3DXMkyj7Q



O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.

Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!

I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.

Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.

See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.

Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.

Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.

Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.

With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Learn more about this hymns here:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/f/o/ofor1000.htm
http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_for_a_thousand_tongues_to_sing_my

 

31 Days of Hymns - Day 10

Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed

This enduring hymn showing our great need and gratitude for a savior was written over 300 years by Issac Watts. Through the years it has been sung to many melodies with lyric variations and in some versions with additional lyrics by other writers.

Here are several:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iphQddrDmtk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sB--oTlLAM

Altered version but so beautiful, so worth listening to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PyDYRXKswY

 Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

[Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, thine,
And bathed in its own blood,
While all exposed to wrath divine
The glorious Suff'rer stood!]

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut his glories in,
When God, the mighty Maker, died
For man, the creature's sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face,
While his dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
'Tis all that I can do.



Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts, The #II.9


More contemporary version:

Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
and did my Sovereign die!
Would he devote that sacred head
for sinners such as I.


Was it for crimes that I have done,
he groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!


Well might the sun in darkness hide,
and shut its glories in,
when God, the mighty maker, died
for his own creature's sin.


Thus might I hide my blushing face
while his dear cross appears;
dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
and melt mine eyes to tears.


 But drops of tears can ne'er repay
the debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
'tis all that I can do.


Learn more about this hymn here:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/alas_and_did_my_savior_bleed

31 Days of Hymns - Day 9

What Wonderous Love is This

No one knows who penned these words showing great gratitude and deep devotion to God and the Lamb, perhaps many people, over many centuries, helped write this beautiful song, "What Wondrous Love is This".

Incredibly beautiful rendition with video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hj1Y__cYeg

Another beautiful version with additional words:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xMgWC87W38

 
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul!


To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
while millions join the theme, I will sing!


And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
and through eternity I’ll sing on.

Learn more about this hymn:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/what_wondrous_love_is_this_o_my_soul_o_m

31 Days of Hymns - Day 8

Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me

Written in 1776, "Rock of Ages, Cleft For Me", written by Augustus Tolady, continues to this day, to be a beloved hymn.

My first deep encounter with this hymn was 15 years ago when I attended Bible Study Fellowship's "Moses" study. It was during this study that I became familiar with Exodus 33:21-24 And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” As you listen and sing this song consider the meaning of how Christ is the Rock, the place where we are protected and saved. God in His grace and mercy has provided this rock, this cleft for us. Christ is our rock, our salvation, our protector, our eternal hope.

Listen here:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/rock_of_ages_cleft_for_me_let_me_hide

Contemporary rendition solemnly sung
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ4erQPekfk


Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood,
from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure;
save from wrath and make me pure.

 Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law's demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.


 Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown,
see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
let me hide myself in thee.

More about this hymn:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/rock_of_ages_cleft_for_me_let_me_hide

For your edification, A sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon:
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/3120.htm

 

31 Days of Hymns - Day 7

Holy Bible, Book Divine

 

Written over 200 years ago by an earnest Baptist Sunday School teacher in Nottingham, this beautiful hymn about God's Word is still sung today. His name was John Burton. He is known to have penned at least 43 hymns with this one being the most sung.

Listen here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwwoL-BR6lM
Sing along here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDT0un4_mAY


Holy Bible, book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came;
Mine to teach me what I am;


Mine to chide me when I rove;
Mine to show a Saviour's love;
Mine you are to guide and guard;
Mine to punish or reward;


 Mine to comfort in distress,
Suff'ring in this wilderness;
Mine to show by living faith,
Man can triumph over death;


Mine to tell of joys to come,
And the rebel sinner's doom;
O thou holy book divine,
Precious treasure, you are mine.

Read more about this hymn and the writer here:

http://www.hymnary.org/text/holy_bible_book_divine

31 Days of Hymns - Day 6

Precious Bible! What a Treasure!

Today’s hymn was very popular over 200 years ago but has become almost non-existent since the late 1940’s. It’s been sung with four different melodies and its writer is John Newton who wrote one of the most beloved hymns of today “Amazing Grace”.

Listen and sing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU5UXZuXpfE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiZgrIIcp5Y

Precious Bible! what a treasure
Does the Word of God afford?
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and med’cine, shield and sword:

Let the world account me poor,
Having this I need no more.
Food to which the world’s a stranger,
Here my hungry soul enjoys;

Of excess there is no danger,
Though it fills, it never cloys:
On a dying Christ I feed,
He is meat and drink indeed.

When my faith is faint and sickly,
Or when Satan wounds my mind,
Cordials, to revive me quickly,
Healing med’cines here I find:

To the promises I flee,
Each affords a remedy.
In the hour of dark temptation
Satan cannot make me yield;

For the Word of consolation
Is to me a mighty shield
While the scripture truths are sure,
From his malice I’m secure.

Vain his threats to overcome me,
When I take the Spirits’ sword;
Then with ease I drive him from me.
Satan trembles at the word:

’Tis a sword for conquest made,
Keen the edge, and strong the blade.
Shall I envy then the miser
Doting on his golden store?

Sure I am, or should be, wiser,
I am rich, ’tis he is poor:
Jesus gives me in his word,
Food and med’cine, shield and sword.

Read more about this hymn and John Newton:
http://www.hymnary.org/text/precious_bible_what_a_treasure