Sunday, 1 March 2015

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

SONG: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE

Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Smith/Trad adapted Roberts
Recording: EMI 746202

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:
thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small.
In all life thou livest, the true life of all.
We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee..

SONG: GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN

Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral
Words/Music: Newton/Taylor
Recording: Hyperion 112101

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,
springing form eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.

Saviour, if of Zion's city,
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.

SONG: O LOVE OF GOD, HOW STRONG AND TRUE

Artist: Choir of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills
Words/Music: Bonar/Hampton
Recording: Gothic 349074

O love of God, how strong and true!
Eternal, and yet ever new;
Uncomprehended and unbought,
Beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O wide-embracing, wondrous love!
We read thee in the sky above,
We read thee in the earth below,
In seas that swell, and streams that flow.

We read thee best in Him who came
To bear for us the cross of shame;
Sent by the Father from on high,
Our life to live, our death to die.

We read thy power to bless and save,
E'en in the darkness of the grave;
Still more in resurrection light
We read the fullness of thy might.

SONG: THE LENT PROSE

Artist: Choir of All Saints, Margaret Street, London
Words/Music: Anon/Anon
Recording: Priory PRCD 707

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.
Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

To thee, Redeemer, on thy throne of glory:
lift we our weeping eyes in holy pleadings:
listen, O Jesu, to our supplications.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

O thou chief cornerstone, right hand of the Father:
way of salvation, gate of life celestial:
cleanse thou our sinful souls from all defilement.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

God, we implore thee, in thy glory seated:
bow down and hearken to thy weeping children:
pity and pardon all our grievous trespasses.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

Sins oft committed, now we lay before thee:
with true contrition, now no more we veil them:
grant us, Redeemer, loving absolution.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

Innocent captive, taken unresisting:
falsely accused, and for us sinners sentenced,
save us, we pray thee, Jesu, our Redeemer.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

SONG: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE

Artist: Choir of Norwich Cathedral
Words/Music: Palmer/Mason
Recording: Priory PRCD 705

My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
take all my guilt away.
O let me from this day
be wholly thine!

May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire.
As thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold sullen stream,
shall o’er me roll,
Blest Saviour, then, in love
fear and distrust remove.
O bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul.

SONG: JESU, LOVER OF MY SOUL

Artist: St Chad’s Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: C Wesley/J Parry
Recording: Priory PRCD 723

Jesu, lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none,
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
with the shadow of thy wing.

Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
freely let me take of thee;
Spring thou up within my heart;
rise to all eternity.

SONG: O FOR A HEART TO PRAISE MY GOD

Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry
Words/Music: C Wesley/I Smith arr 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: YE SERVANTS OF GOD

Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Baptist Church
Words/Music: C Wesley/C Parry
Recording: Marquis

Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
his kingdom is glorious and rules over all.

God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
though hid from our sight, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.

"Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!"
let all cry aloud, and honour the Son;
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb.

Then let us adore and give him his right:
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honour and blessing with angels above
and thanks never ceasing for infinite love.

Amen.