Westminster Abbey architecture Photo: CC0 Public Domain
A selection of traditional and modern hymns. There's an impressively broad span of hymns in today's programme, ranging from the 10th century (The Lent Prose) right up to the 21st (Shirley Murray's hymn Hope is our song).
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
SONG: PRAISE TO THE HOLIEST IN THE HEIGHT
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Martin Baker (organ)
Words/Music: Newman/Somervell
Recording: Griffin 224018
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.
O generous love! that he, who smote,
In man for man the foe,
The double agony in man
For man should undergo.
And in the garden secretly,
And on the cross on high,
Should teach his brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
SONG: COME, WE THAT LOVE THE LORD
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, Thomas Forster (dir), Craig Phillips (organ)
Words/Music: Watts/Dirksen
Recording: Gothic 349074
Come, we that love the Lord,
and let our joys be known;
join in a song with sweet accord
and thus surround the throne.
Refrain:
Hosanna, hosanna!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing.
Let those refuse to sing
who never knew our God;
but children of the heavenly King
may speak their joys abroad.
Refrain:
The heirs of grace have found
glory begun below;
celestial fruits on earthly ground
from faith and hope may grow.
Refrain:
Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we're marching through Emmanuel's ground
to fairer worlds on high.
Refrain:
SONG: O FOR A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD
Artist: Choir of the Collegiate College of St Mary, Warwick, Christopher Betts (dir), Christopher Monks (organ)
Words/Music: Cowper/Anon (Scottish Psalter)
Recording: Priory PRCD 706
O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame.
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
Return, O holy Dove! return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn,
And drove Thee from my breast.
The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame:
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
SONG: DROP, DROP SLOW TEARS
Artist: CBSO Chorus
Words/Music: Fletcher/Gibbons
Recording: Conifer 500521
Drop, drop, slow tears, and bathe those beauteous feet,
Which brought from Heav’n the news and Prince of Peace.
Cease not, wet eyes, His mercies to entreat;
To cry for vengeance: sin doth never cease.
In your deep floods drown all my faults and fears;
Nor let His eye see sin, but through my tears.
SONG: THE LENT PROSE
Artist: Choir of All Saints, Margaret Street, London, Harry Bramma (dir), Andrew Arthur (organ)
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: O GOD, YOU SEARCH ME AND YOU KNOW ME
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Farrell/Farrell
Recording: Hyperion 112105
O God, you search me and you know me
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze
When I walk or lie down you are before me:
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.
You know my resting and my rising
You discern my purpose from afar
And with love everlasting you besiege me:
In ev'ry moment of life or death, you are.
Before a word is on my tongue, Lord,
You have known its meaning through and through.
You are with me beyond my understanding:
God of my present, my past and future, too.
Although your Spirit is upon me,
Still I search for shelter from your light.
There is nowhere on earth I can escape you:
Even the darkness is radiant in your sight.
For you created me and shaped me,
Gave me life within my mother's womb.
For the wonder of who I am, I praise you:
Safe in your hands, all creation is made new.
SONG: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Bode/Elliott
Recording: Hyperion 112102
O Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
be thou forever near me, my Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle if thou art by my side,
nor wander from the pathway if thou wilt be my guide.
O let me feel thee near me! The world is ever near:
I see the sights that dazzle; the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw thou nearer and shield my soul from sin.
O let me hear thee speaking in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen, thou guardian of my soul.
O let me see thy footmarks, and in them plant mine own:
my hope to follow duly is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
and then in heav’n receive me, my Saviour and my friend.
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Murray/Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith: trouble may break us,
grief overtake us, sickness and death,
this is our creed: no place so distant
God is not present, knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day, angel and devil,
danger and evil make their own play;
God's love is sure, unseen but seeing
heart of our being, comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone, though human error,
turmoil or terror shake every bone,
hope is our song: hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus, where we belong,
Refrain:
SONG: HE WHO WOULD VALIANT BE
Artist: Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, David Rowland (dir), Simon Jacobs (organ)
Words/Music: Bunyan adapted Dearmer/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Priory PRCD 721
He who would valiant be
'Gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound--
His strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
Though he with giants fight;
He will make good his right
To be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
Us with thy Spirit
We know we at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then, fancies, flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
