To mark the Feast of Christ the King, today's selection of traditional and modern hymns includes Rejoice! The Lord is King, and Crown Him With Many Crowns. Also in the programme, some plainchant and a Taizé chant: Laudate omnes gentes (Sing praises, all ye people).
Christ Surrounded by Musician Angels - Hans Memling (1480s) Photo: Wikimedia Commons
SONG: REJOICE! THE LORD IS KING
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell (dir), Robert Quinney (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Handel
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Rejoice, the lord is king!
Your lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heav’n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
He sits at God’s right hand
Till all his foes submit,
And bow to his command,
And fall beneath his feet:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
SONG: CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Bridges, Thring/Elvey
Recording: Marquis 1811175
Crown him with many crowns,
the lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy chosen king
through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o’er the grave,
who rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
His glories now we sing
who died, and rose on high;
who died eternal life to bring;
and lives that death may die.
Crown him the Lord of heav'n,
Enthroned in worlds above;
Crown him the King to whom is giv'n
The wondrous name of Love.
All hail, redeemer, hail!
For thou has died for me;
Thy praise will never ever fail
throughout eternity.
SONG: JESUS, MY LORD, MY GOD, MY ALL
Artist: Choir of the King’s School, Canterbury,
Words/Music: Collins/Trad
Recording: Priory PRCD 716
Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All,
Hear me, blest Savior, when I call;
Hear me, and from Thy dwelling-place
Pour down the riches of Thy grace:
Refrain:
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.
Jesus, too late I Thee have sought;
How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how extol thy matchless fame,
The glorious beauty of Thy Name?
Refrain:
Jesus, what didst Thou find in me
That thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that Thou hast brought,
So far exceeding hope or thought!
Refrain:
Jesus, of Thee shall be my song;
To Thee my heart and soul belong:
All that I have or am is Thine;
And Thou, blest Savior, Thou art mine.
Refrain:
SONG: TEACH ME, MY GOD AND KING
Artist: St Chad’s Cathedral Choir, David Saint (dir), Nigel Morris (organ)
Words/Music: Herbert/Trad arr Sandys
Recording: Priory PRCD 723
Teach me, my God and King,
in all things thee to see;
and what I do in anything
to do it as for thee!
A man that looks on glass,
on it may stay his eye:
or if he pleaseth, through it pas,
and then the heaven espy.
All may of thee partake;
nothing can be so mean,
which with the tincture, ‘for thy sake’,
will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause
makes drudgery diving;
who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
makes that and the action fine.
This is the famous stone
that turneth all to gold:
For that which God doth touch and own
cannot for less be told.
SONG: THE KING OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS
Artist: Christopher Bruerton (treble), Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, David Childs (dir), Lennox Willett (organ)
Words/Music: Baker/Dykes
Recording: Treehouse T9901
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
SONG: O JESUS I HAVE PROMISED
Artist: Choir of St Clement’s Church, Philadelphia, Peter Conte (dir), Matthew Glandorf (organ)
Words/Music: Bode/Ferguson
Recording: Dorian 790259
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 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 Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end
Oh, give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.
SONG: CREATOR OF THE EARTH AND SKIES
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir)
Words/Music: St Ambrose/Anon
Recording: Marquis 1811175
[Lyrics not available]
SONG: THE DAY THOU GAVEST, LORD, IS ENDED
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Ellerton/Scholefield
Recording: Hyperion 112102
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall hallow now our rest.
We thank Thee that Thy Church unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.
The sun, that bids us rest, is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.
So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth's proud empires, pass away:
But stand, and rule, and grow for ever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.
SONG: LAUDATE OMNES GENTES
Artist: St Thomas’ Music Group, Margaret Rizza (dir)
Words/Music: Psalm 117/Taize Community
Recording: Alliance Music 1901592
Laudate omnes gentes, laudate Dominum!
Sing praises, all you people, sing praises to the Lord!