A selection of traditional and modern hymns. Hymns for the fifth Sunday in Lent include My song is love unknown, Glory be to Jesus, and Isaac Watts' great Easter hymn When I survey the wondrous cross.
New Zealand fern Photo: Jorge Royan 2006 (Creative Commons)
SONG: BE STILL FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Artist: Lincoln Minster School Chamber Choir
Words/Music: David Evans
Recording: Priory 2013
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here;
Come bow before him now
with reverence and fear:
In him no sin is found
we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the holy one, is here.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour he is crowned:
How awesome is the sight
our radiant king of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister his grace
No work too hard for him
In faith receive from him
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.
SONG: O THOU WHO CAMEST FROM ABOVE
Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Paul Halley (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/SS Wesley
Recording: Naxos 8.572540
O Thou who camest from above,
the pure celestial fire to impart
kindle a flame of sacred love
upon the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for thy glory burn
with inextinguishable blaze,
and trembling to its source return,
in humble prayer and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
to work and speak and think for thee;
still let me guard the holy fire,
and still stir up thy gift in me.
Ready for all thy perfect will,
my acts of faith and love repeat,
till death thy endless mercies seal,
and make my sacrifice complete.
SONG: MY SONG IS LOVE UNKNOWN
Artist: Choir of St John’s, Elora, Noel Edison (dir), Paul Halley (organ)
Words/Music: Crossman/Ireland
Recording: Naxos 8.572540
My song is love unknown,
My saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?
He came from his blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know:
But O! my friend, my friend indeed,
Who at my need his life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the way
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
They rise and needs will have
my dear Lord made away;
a murderer they save;
the Prince of Life they slay.
yet cheerful he to suffering goes
that he his foes from thence might free.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
SONG: JESU BLEIBET MEINE FREUDE
Artist: Albrecht Mayer (oboe), Trinity Baroque, The English Concert
Words/Music: Bach
Recording: Decca 478 1517
Jesus bleibet meine Freude,
meines Herzens Trost und Saft,
Jesus wehret allem Leide,
er ist meines Lebens Kraft,
meiner Augen Lust und Sonne,
meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne;
darum laß' ich Jesum nicht
aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.
SONG: O SACRED HEAD
Artist: City of Birmingham Symphony Orch Chorus
Words/Music: attrib Arnulf of Leuven trans Alexander/Hassler arr Cruger
Recording: Conifer 500521
O sacred head, surrounded
by crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding head, so wounded,
so shamed and put to scorn!
Our sins have marred the glory
of thy most holy face,
yet angel hosts adore Thee
and tremble as they gaze
I see thy strength and vigour
all fading in the strife,
and death with cruel rigor,
bereaving thee of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn thy face on me.
In this thy bitter passion,
Good shepherd, think of me
with thy most sweet compassion,
unworthy though I be:
beneath thy cross abiding
for ever would I rest,
in thy dear love confiding,
and with thy presence blest.
SONG: WONDROUS LOVE
Artist: Anonymous 4
Words/Music: Anon/Anon
Recording: Harmonia Mundi HMU 907326
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!
Ye singed seraphs fly, bear the news, bear the news,
Ye winged seraphs fly, bear the news.
Ye winged seraphs fly, like comets thro’ the sky,
Fill vast eternity, with the news, with the news,
fill vast eternity, with the news.
And when from death we’re free, we’ll sing on, we’ll sing on;
and when from death we’re free, we’ll sing on;
and when from death we’re free, we’ll sing and joyful be,
and in eternity, we’ll sing on, we’ll sing on;
and in eternity we’ll sing on.
SONG: GLORY BE TO JESUS
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Michael Leighton-Jones (dir)
Words/Music: Riley/Riley
Recording: Priory PRCD 720
Glory be to Jesus,
who in bitter pains
poured for me the life blood
from his sacred veins!
Grace and life eternal
in that blood I find,
blest be his compassion
infinitely kind!
Blest through endless ages
be the precious stream
which from endless torment
did the world redeem!
Abel’s blood for vengeance
Pleaded to the skies;
But the blood of Jesus
For our pardon cries.
Oft as earth exulting
Wafts its praise on high,
Angel hosts rejoicing,
Make their glad reply.
Lift ye then your voices;
swell the mighty flood;
louder still and louder
praise the precious blood.
SONG: WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Watts/Baker
Recording: EMI 746202
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
