Sing along today to hymns about singing God's praises, including Charles Wesley's O for a thousand tongues to sing, Psalm 96 O sing unto the Lord a new song, and Robert Lowry's How can I keep from singing.
The Ghent Altarpiece: Singing Angels (detail) - Jan van Eyck (between 1427 and 1429) Photo: / Public Domain
SONG: WHEN IN OUR MUSIC GOD IS GLORIFIED
Artist: Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Words/Music: Green/Stanford
Recording: Bonneville 519602
When in our music God is glorified,
and adoration leaves no room for pride,
it is as though the whole creation cried:
Alleluia!
How often, making music, we have found
a new dimension in the world of sound,
as worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!
So has the church, in spoken word and song,
in faith and love, through centuries of wrong,
borne witness to the truth in every tongue:
Alleluia!
And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night
when utmost evil strove against the light?
Then let us sing, for whom he won the fight:
Alleluia!
Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always:
Alleluia!
SONG: PSALM 96 (O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG)
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Andrew Lumsden (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 96/Peasgood
Recording: Virgin 545036
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.
Declare his honour unto the heathen, and his wonders unto all peoples.
For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised; he is more to be feared than all gods.
As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols; but it is the Lord that made the heavens.
Glory and worship are before him; power and honour are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the peoples, ascribe unto the Lord worship and power.
Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his name; bring presents, and come into his courts.
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.
Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King, and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; and how that he shall judge the peoples righteously.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.
For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; and with righteousness to judge the world, and the peoples with his truth.
SONG: GIVE TO OUR GOD IMMORTAL PRAISE
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin, Raymond White (dir)
Words/Music: Watts/Griffiths
Recording: Ely 105
Give to our God immortal praise:
mercy and truth are all his ways;
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.
Give to the Lord of lords renown;
the King of kings with glory crown:
his mercies ever shall endure,
when lords and kings are known no more.
He sent His Son with power to save
from guilt and darkness and the grave;
wonders of grace to God belong;
repeat his mercies in your song.
Through this vain world he guides our feet,
and leads us to his heavenly seat:
his mercies ever shall endure,
when this our world shall be no more.
SONG: FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Pierpoint/Evans
Recording: Hyperion 711210
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Refrain:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Refrain:
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Refrain:
For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
flow'rs of earth and buds of heav'n:
Refrain:
SONG: WE PLOUGH THE FIELDS AND SCATTER
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Claudius trans Campbell/attrib Schultz
Recording: Hyperion 711210
We plough the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand,
He sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.
Refrain:
All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
for all His love.
He is the maker
of all things near and far.
He paints the wayside flower,
He lights the evening star.
The wind and waves obey Him,
by Him the birds are fed;
much more to us, His children,
He gives our daily bread.
Refrain:
We thank Thee, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
for all Thy love imparts,
but that which Thou desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts.
Refrain:
SONG: HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith: trouble may break us,
grief overtake us, sickness and death,
this is our creed: no place so distant
God is not present, knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day, angel and devil,
danger and evil make their own play;
God's love is sure, unseen but seeing
heart of our being, comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone, though human error,
turmoil or terror shake every bone,
hope is our song: hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus, where we belong,
Refrain:
SONG: HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING
Artist: The Birralee Blokes, Paul Holley (dir), Ashreya Ward (oboe), Justine Favell (piano)
Words/Music: Lowry
Recording: ABC 476509
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His
How can I keep from singing?
SONG: O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral, Paul Leddington-Wright (dir)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Jarman arr Leddington-Wright
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 583
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace! [last line x 4]
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro' all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name. [last line x 4]
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
that bids our sorrows cease,
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace. [last line x 4]
Hear Him, ye deaf, His praise, ye dumb
your loosened tongues employ,
your loosened tongues employ
ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
and leap ye lame for joy! [last line x 4]
In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
shall feel your sins forgiven,
Anticipate your heaven below
And own that love is heaven. [last line x 4]
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