A hymn to celebrate the first signs of Spring begins today's selection of traditional and modern hymns - Eleanor Farjeon's Morning has broken. There's also a contemporary setting of Charles Wesley's well-known hymn Love divine, all loves excelling, which was composed by Howard Goodall for the Millennium celebrations.
Tui singing on flax bush, Wrights Hill, Wellington. Photo: Tony Wills, Creative Commons
SONG: MORNING HAS BROKEN
Artist: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
Words/Music: Farjeon/Trad arr Rutter
Recording: EMI 948306
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the word
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day.
SONG: A NEW SONG (PSALM 96)
Artist: Elora Festival Singers, Noel Edison (dir), Michael Bloss (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 96/Atkins
Recording: Naxos 8.573421
O sing unto the Lord a new song,
sing unto the Lord all the whole earth.
Sing unto the Lord and praise His Name,
be telling of His salvation from day to day.
For He cometh to judge the earth,
and with righteousness to judge the world
and the people with His truth.
SONG: COME, LET US JOIN OUR CHEERFUL SONGS
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Watts/Norton
Recording: Kinsway KMCD 582
Come, let us join our cheerful songs
with angels round the throne;
ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
but all their joys are one.
'Worthy the Lamb that died,' they cry,
'to be exalted thus';
'Worthy the Lamb,' our lips reply,
'for he was slain for us.'
Jesus is worthy to receive
honour and power divine;
and blessings, more than we can give,
be, Lord, for ever thine.
The whole creation joins in one
to bless the sacred name
of him that sits upon the throne,
and to adore the Lamb.
SONG: GOD OF AGES
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (organ)
Words/Music: J Marshall/C Marshall
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 9413000
God of ages, times and seasons,
light that shines through all that lives,
yours the spirit which empowers,
yours the caring heart that gives
confidence to face the future,
strengthens faith when courage wanes,
challenges to new endeavours,
when we doubt, our hope sustains.
God of galaxies and planets
far beyond all human thought,
centuries, like pages turning,
are within your keeping brought.
You, the past that makes our present,
you the future still concealed,
yours the sacrificial giving,
boundless love through Christ revealed.
God, Creator, Holy Spirit,
Word made flesh in Christ, your Son
whose example we would follow
so that all might be as one –
ever loving, ever hopeful
of a world redeemed, restored;
people, by their faith united,
dedicated to their Lord.
God, the Alpha and Omega,
source of wisdom, life and breath,
you our highest motivation,
you the love that conquers death.
In past ages people sought you;
you are with us now as then.
In your hands we leave the future,
God, our ultimate Amen.
SONG: TELL OUT, MY SOUL
Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir/Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Dudley-Smith/Greatorex
Recording: Hyperion 112105
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Savior shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and forevermore!
SONG: PRAISE TO THE HOLIEST
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: JESUS, THE VERY THOUGHT OF THEE
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Chisholm/Runyon
Recording: Hyperion 112105
Jesu, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' Name,
The Saviour of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is,
none but his loved ones know.
Jesu, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
In Him, be all our glory now,
and through eternity.
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, London Musici, Howard Goodall
Words/Music: C Wesley/Goodall
Recording: EMI 215047
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
