Hymns on Sunday, 5 July 2020

Keep your vocal cords in shape with this week's selection of hymns, including Immortal, Invisible and What a friend we have in Jesus.

Lake Harris after a snowy day. Taken from the path from Harris saddle to Conical Hill. Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 / Zoharby

SONG: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE

Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Words/Music: Smith/Trad
Recording: Helios CDH 88036

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:
thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small.
In all life thou livest, the true life of all.
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

SONG: CHRIST, WHOSE GLORY FILLS THE SKIES

Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: C Wesley/Anon
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 891

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Day star, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.

SONG: LORD OF THE WORLDS ABOVE

Artist: The Handel Quire, Robert Howell (dir), Paul Chan (organ)
Words/Music: Watts/Darwall
Recording: Private

Lord of the worlds above,
how pleasant and how fair
the dwellings of thy love,
thine earthly temples, are:
to thine abode my heart aspires,
with warm desires to see my God.

They go from strength to strength,
through this dark vale of tears,
till each o’ercomes at length,
till each in heav'n appears:
O glorious seat, our God, our King,
shall thither bring our willing feet!

God is our sun and shield,
our light and our defense;
with gifts his hands are filled;
we draw our blessings thence.
He shall bestow upon our race
His saving grace and glory too.

The Lord his people loves,
His hand no good withholds
from those his heart approves
from holy, humble souls:
Thrice happy he, O God of Hosts,
whose spirit trusts alone in Thee.

SONG: CAST THY BURDEN UPON THE LORD

Artist: The Celebration Singers, Christchurch, Francis Dennis (dir)
Words/Music: Psalm 55/Mendelssohn
Recording: Private 3030

Cast your burden upon the Lord,
and he shall sustain you;
he never will suffer the righteous to fall:
he is at your right hand.
Your mercy, Lord, is great
and far above the heavens:
let none by made ashamed
that wait upon you.

SONG: I HEARD THE VOICE OF JESUS SAY

Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir), Christopher Allsop (organ)
Words/Music: Bonar/Trad arr Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605 51249

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down
your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found him in a resting place,
and he has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
the living water, thirsty one;
stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
and now I live in him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise,
and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk
till traveling days are done.

SONG: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

Artist: St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, Sydney
Words/Music: Scrivens/Converse
Recording: Startel STARCD 1005

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.

SONG: CHRIST IS OUR CORNERSTONE

Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: Anon trans Chandler/SS Wesley
Recording: Move 743142

Christ is our corner-stone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints above
The courts of heaven are filled,
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above.

O then with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring;
Our voices we will raise
The Three in One to sing;
And thus proclaim in joyful song,
Both loud and long that glorious Name.

Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh;
In copious shower on all who pray,
Each holy day, Thy blessings pour.

Here may we gain from heaven
The grace which we implore;
And may that grace, once given,
Be with us evermore,
Until that day when all the blest
To endless rest are called away.

SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG

Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Murray/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: FOR ALL THE SAINTS

Artist: Combined choirs and congregation, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Music: How/Vaughan Williams
Recording: RNZ

For all the saints, who from their labours rest;
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!