It's the first of our Summer Hymn Request programmes today, and all of today's selection is chosen by our listeners. Hymns include Tell out, my soul, Charles Wesley's Love divine and the American folk hymn The Shining Shore sung by Anonymous 4.
Pohutukawa flower (Metrosideros excelsa). Photo taken in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: Avenue, Creative Commons
SONG: TELL OUT, MY SOUL
Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir/Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Herbert/Harwood
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: PSALM 136, PRAISE GOD, FOR HE IS KIND
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir), John Langdon (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 136/Croft
Recording: Abbey 282830
Praise God, for he is kind:
His mercy lasts for aye.
Give thanks with heart and mind
To God of gods alway:
Refrain:
For certainly
His mercies dure
Most firm and sure
Eternally.
The Lord of lords praise ye,
Whose mercies still endure.
Great wonders only he
Doth work by his great pow’r
Refrain:
Which God omnipotent,
By might and wisdom high,
The heav’n and firmament
Did frame, as we may see:
Refrain:
Who hath remembered
Us in our low estate;
And us delivered
From foes which did us hate:
Refrain:
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: St Clement’s Choir, Philadelphia
Words/Music: C Wesley/Stainer
Recording: Dorian 790259
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesu, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
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.
SONG: IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Rosetti/Holst
Recording: Integrity Music 2011
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
SONG: HAIL, QUEEN OF HEAVEN, THE OCEAN STAR
Artist: Choirs of the Diocese of Leeds
Words/Music: Lingard/Trad
Hail, Queen of Heav'n, the ocean Star,
Guide of the wand'rer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears,
O thee, blest Advocate, we cry,
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.
And while to Him who reigns above,
In Godhead One, in Persons Three,
The source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee;
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the sea.
Pray for thy children, pray for me.
SONG: THE SHINING SHORE
Artist: Anonymous 4, Mike Marshall (guitar)
Words/Music: Nelson/Root
Recording: Harmonia Mundi 46700
My days are gliding swiftly by,
And I, a pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them as they fly,
These hours of toil and danger.
Refrain:
For now we stand on Jordan's strand,
Our friends are passing over;
And just before the Shining Shore
We may almost discover.
Our absent King the watch-word gave,
“Let every lamp be burning,”
We look afar across the wave,
Our distant home discerning.
Refrain:
Should coming days be cold and dark,
We will not yield to sorrow,
For hope will sing with courage bold,
“There’s glory on the morrow.”
Refrain:
Let storms of woe in whirlwinds rise,
Each cord on earth to sever;
There, bright and joyous in the skies,
This is our home forever.
Refrain:
SONG: ALMIGHTY FATHER, OF ALL THINGS THAT BE
Artist: Choir of Durham Street Methodist Church, Christchurch
Words/Music: Dugmore/Martin
Recording: RNZ 809
Almighty father of all things that be,
our life, our work, we consecrate to thee,
whose heavens declare thy glory from above,
whose earth below is witness to thy love.
Thine still the changeful beauty of the hills,
the purple valleys flecked with silver rills,
the ocean glistening 'neath the golden rays;
they all are thine, and voiceless speak thy praise.
Thou dost the strength to workman's arm impart;
from thee the skilled musician's mystic art,
the grace of poet's pen or painter's hand,
to teach the loveliness of sea and land.
Then grant us, Lord, in all things thee to own,
to dwell within the shadow of thy throne,
to speak and work, to think, and live, and move,
reflecting thine own nature, which is love.
SONG: CHRIST IS MADE THE SURE FOUNDATION
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Purcell
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the Head and Corner-stone,
Chosen of the Lord, and precious,
Binding all the Church in one,
Holy Sion's help for ever,
And her confidence alone.
All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.
Here vouchsafe to all Thy servants
What they ask of Thee to gain,
What they gain from Thee, for ever
With the blessèd to retain,
And hereafter in Thy glory
Evermore with Thee to reign.
