Hymns spanning nine centuries in this week's Summer Requests programme, from Jerusalem the golden with words by 12th century monk Bernard of Cluny to a 1970s folk-style setting of the Lord's Prayer.
Ferns, Tongariro National Park Photo: Robyn Jaquiery
SONG: MAKE ME A CAPTIVE, LORD
Artist: Scottish Festival Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir)
Words/Music: George Matheson/George Martin
Recording: Integrity Music
Make me a captive, Lord,
And then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword
And I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life's alarms
When by myself I stand;
Imprison me within thine arms,
And strong shall be my hand.
My heart is weak and poor
Until it master find;
It has no spring of action sure,
It varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move
Till thou hast wrought its chain;
Enslave it with thy matchless love,
And deathless it shall reign.
My pow'r is faint and low
Till I have learned to serve;
It lacks the needed fire to glow,
It lacks the breeze to nerve.
It cannot drive the world
Until itself be driv'n;
Its flag can only be unfurled
When thou shalt breathe from heav'n.
My will is not my own
Till thou hast made it thine;
If it would reach a monarch's throne,
It must its crown resign
It only stands unbent
Amid the clashing strife
When on thy bosom it has leant,
And found in thee its life.
SONG: IN HEAVENLY LOVE ABIDING
Artist: BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers
Words/Music: Anna Letitia Waring/David Jenkins
Recording: BBC
In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?
Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim,
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.
Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o'er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.
SONG: IN THE SWEET BY AND BY
Artist: Harding University Concert Choir
Words/Music: Sanford Fillimore Bennett/Joseph Webster
Recording: Dallas Christian Sound 2008
There's a land that is fairer than day,
and by faith we may see it afar;
for the Father waits over the way
to prepare us a dwelling place there.
Refrain:
In the sweet by and by,
we shall meet on that beautiful shore;
in the sweet by and by,
we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
We shall sing on that beautiful shore
the melodious songs of the blest,
and our spirits shall sorrow no more,
not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
Refrain:
To our bountiful Father above,
we will offer our tribute of praise
for the glorious gift of His love,
and the blessings that hallow our days.
Refrain:
SONG: SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Words/Music: Robert Lowry/
Recording: OCP
Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain:
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river
gathered with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
Soon we'll reach the shining river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.
Refrain:
SONG: ABIDE WITH ME
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Henry Lyte/William Monk
Recording: Griffin 224018
Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O Lord who changes not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
I fear no foe with you at hand to bless,
though ills have weight, and tears their bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if you abide with me.
Hold now your Word before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
SONG: THE LORD’S PRAYER
Artist: Upper Norwood Salvation Army Band and Songsters
Words/Music: George Bennard
Recording: Word SALCD 002
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us this today our daily bread;
forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us;
do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory
are yours now and forever.
Amen, amen.
SONG: JERUSALEM THE GOLDEN
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Bernard of Cluny trans Neale/Alexander Ewing
Recording: Hyperion 112102
Jerusalem the golden, with milk and honey blest,
Beneath thy contemplation sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not, what joys await us there,
What radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.
They stand, those halls of Zion, all jubilant with song,
and bright with many an angel, and all the martyr throng:
the Prince is ever in them, the daylight is serene;
the pastures of the blessèd are decked in glorious sheen.
There is the throne of David, and there, from care released,
The song of them that triumph, the shout of them that feast;
And they, who with their leader, have conquered in the fight,
Forever and forever are clad in robes of white.
Oh, sweet and blessèd country, the home of God's elect!
Oh, sweet and blessèd country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest,
who art, with God the father, and the Spirit, ever blest.
SONG: WE REST ON THEE, OUR SHIELD AND OUR DEFENDER
Artist: Choir from the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Choral Federation
Words/Music: Edith Cherry/Jean Sibelius
Recording: Private CD 805
We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go.
Yes, in thy name, O Captain of salvation!
In thy dear name, all other names above:
Jesus our righteousness, our sure foundation,
our Prince of glory and our King of love,
Jesus our righteousness, our sure foundation,
our Prince of glory and our King of love.
We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
and needing more each day thy grace to know:
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go”;
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.”
We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
Thine is the battle, thine shall be the praise;
when passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
victors, we rest with thee, through endless days;
when passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
victors, we rest with thee, through endless days.
SONG: LET US NOW PRAISE FAMOUS MEN
Artist: Pro Choir of Winchester Cathedral, Waynflete Singers, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, David Hill (dir)
Words/Music: Words from Ecclesiastes Ch 44/Ralph Vaughan Williams arr Arnold Foster
Recording: Decca 448685
Let us now praise famous men,
and our fathers that begat us.
Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms,
men renowned for their power.
Leaders of the people
by their counsels and by their knowledge
Such as found out musical tunes,
and recited verses in writing:
All these were honoured in their generations,
and were the glory of their times.
And some there be, which have no memorial;
who are perished, as though they had never been;
Their bodies are buried in peace;
but their name liveth for evermore.
