A selection of traditional and modern hymns. We're focussing on women hymn writers today, including contemporary writers such as Shirley Murray and Bernadette Farrell as well as some Victorian-era writers and hymn translators.
A native New Zealand bee (probably Leioproctus sp.) visits a manuka flower (Leptospermum scoparium). Photo taken on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Photo: Avenue, Wikimedia Commons
SONG: HERE IN THE BUSY CITY
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (organ)
Words/Music: Murray/Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 9413000
Here in the busy city now let the Church be seen
Where lesser gods are worshipped in money and machine;
Where news is but sensation, the Good News hardly heard
Now let the Church take action in living out the Word!
In policies and planning the Church be there to speak
To moderate the powerful, to argue for the weak:
Where law must sit in judgment and love is little known,
There at the crisis centre the Christ concern be shown.
Where litter chokes the gutter and people go to waste,
Where joblessness is bitter and living lost its taste
To underleavened people the proof of rising yeast,
In lives devoid of flavour be saltiness released.
Here in the busy city God walks on every street
In generous or greedy, the honest or the cheat,
And daily we must offer the good that goes unpriced
With vigour and with vision the lifestyle of the Christ.
SONG: WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry
Words/Music: Frances Ridley Havergal/Reichardt
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 851
Who is on the Lord's side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world's side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord's side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord's side – Saviour, we are Thine!
Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom He died:
He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.
By Thy love constraining, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord's side – Saviour, we are Thine!
Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with Thine own life blood, for Thy diadem;
With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, Thou hast made us free.
By Thy grand redemption, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord's side – Saviour, we are Thine!
Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King's own army none can overthrow;
'Round His standard ranging, victory is secure,
For His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord's side – Saviour, we are Thine!
Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain's band,
In the service royal, let us not grow cold;
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, Thou wilt keep us, by Thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord's side – Savior, always Thine!
SONG: THERE IS A GREEN HILL FAR AWAY
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Cecil Frances Alexander/
Recording: Hyperion 112104
There is a green hill far away,
outside a city wall,
where the dear Lord was crucified
who died to save us all.
We may not know, we cannot tell,
what pains he had to bear,
but we believe it was for us
he hung and suffered there.
He died that we might be forgiven,
he died to make us good,
that we might go at last to heaven,
saved by his precious blood.
There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin,
he only could unlock the gate
of heaven, and let us in.
Oh, dearly, dearly has he loved,
and we must love him too,
and trust in his redeeming blood,
and try his works to do.
SONG: GOD BEYOND ALL NAMES
Artist: St Thomas More Group
Words/Music: Bernadette Farrell
Recording: OCP 1991
God, beyond our dreams, you have stirred in us a memory,
you have placed your powerful spirit in the hearts of humankind.
Refrain:
All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth.
God, beyond all names, you have made us in your image,
we are like you, we reflect you, we are woman, we are man.
Refrain:
God, beyond all words, all creation tells your story,
you have shaken with our laughter, you have trembled with our tears.
Refrain:
God, beyond all time, you are laboring within us;
we are moving, we are changing, in your spirit ever new.
Refrain:
God of tender care, you have cradled us in goodness,
you have mothered us in wholeness, you have loved us into birth.
Refrain:
SONG: JUST AS I AM
Artist: Jubilate Singers
Composer: Fanny Crosby/Doane
Label: Music World MWCH 6019
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love
the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come.
SONG: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD
Artist: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury (dir), Richard Farnes (organ)
Words/Music: trans Catherine Winkworth/Kruger
Recording: Argo 414609
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
Amen
SONG: LET US GO IN YOUR PEACE
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir)
Words/Music: Murray/Bray
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Let us go in your peace,
let us know what is peace
by the power of your love,
by the Spirit's release,
and in all we must face
that can hurt or destroy
let us work for your peace:
kindness, justice and joy.
