Henry Lyte’s hymn Praise, my soul, the king of heaven was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favourites – you can hear a beautifully stately rendition by the Huddersfield Choral Society in this week’s programme. And there are hymns to mark the final day of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week).
Holy Trinity Cathedral Photo: RNZ / Paul Bushnell
SONG: THE LORD’S PRAYER
Artist: Choir of the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: The Lord’s Prayer, arrangement by Huia Beattie
Recording: RNZ 2021
[Words from Māori Language.net]
Te Karakia O Te Atua
(The Lord’s Prayer)
E tō mātou Matua i te rangi
(Our Parent in the spirit world)
Kia tapu tou Ingoa
(Sacred is your Name)
Kia tae mai tou rangatira-tanga.
(Bring us Your Chiefly rule);
Kia meatia tau e pai ai
(May it happen in the way that is to You, good)
ki runga i te whenua,
(may it happen on earth)
kia rite ano ki to te rangi.
(In the same way as in spirit world).
Homai ki a mātou aianei
(Give us now)
he taro mā mātou mo tēnei ra.
(The food we need this day).
Murua o mātou hara
(Strip us of our sins);
Me mātou hoki e muru nei
(Give us back what we have lost);
i o te hunga e hara ana ki a mātou.
(So that we, the slaves of sin, may be with you again).
Aua hoki mātou e kawea kia whaka-waia;
(Do not lead us into temptation);
Engari whaka-orangia mātou, i te kino:
(May we be whole, away from things evil);
Nou hoki te rangatira-tanga,
(Through your chiefly position, is)
te kaha,
(the power)
me te kororia,
(and the glory).
Ake, ake, ake.
(Forever and ever)
Āmine.
(Amen)
SONG: PRAISE, MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Henry Lyte/John Goss
Recording: EMI 746202
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven;
to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like we his praise should sing:
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him,
Praise the everlasting king.
Praise him for his grace and favour
to our fathers in distress;
praise him still the same as ever,
slow to chide and swift to bless:
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him,
Glorious in his faithfulness.
Father-like, he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him,
Widely as his mercy flows.
Angels, help us to adore him,
ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space,
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him,
Praise with us the God of grace.
SONG: I VOW TO THEE, MY COUNTRY
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Martin Baker (organ)
Words/Music: Cecil Spring-Rice/Gustav Holst
Recording: Griffin 224018
I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love:
the love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
that lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
the love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
the love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
we may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
and soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
and her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.
SONG: WHAKAARIA MAI
Artist: NZ Opera Chorus
Words/Music: Canon Wiremu Te Tau Huata/Trad arr Ryan Youens
Recording: RNZ
Whakaaria mai
Tōu rīpeka ki au
Tiaho mai
Rā roto i te pō
Hei kona au
Titiro atu ai.
Ora, mate,
Hei au koe noho ai.
[Show your cross to me. Let it shine there in the darkness.
To there I will be looking. In life, in death, let me rest in thee.]
SONG: EVENTIDE (ABIDE WITH ME)
Artist: NZ Community Trust Woolston Brass/David Gallagher
Words/Music: Henry Lyte/William Monk arr Kenneth Young
Recording: Woolston Brass CDWB3896340
[Arrangement of the tune ‘Eventide’ for brass band]
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, oh, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
Hold thou thy cross 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: PSALM 46: GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers
Words/Music: Psalm 46/Anon
Label: Abbey 282830
God is our refuge and our strength, in straits a present aid;
Therefore, although the earth remove, we will not be afraid:
Though hills amidst the seas be cast; Though waters roaring make,
And troubled be; yea, though the hills, by swelling seas do shake.
A river is, whose streams do glad the city of our God;
The holy place, wherein the Lord most high hath his abode.
God in the midst of her doth dwell; nothing shall her remove:
The Lord to her an helper will, and that right early, prove.
SONG: THE SERVANT SONG
Artist: Cape Town Youth Choir
Words/Music: Richard Gillard
Recording: CTYC 2019
Brother, let me serve you.
Let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey.
We are brothers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you;
Speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.
SONG: FOR ALL THE SAINTS
Artist: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Chorus & Brass, Simon Halsey (dir)
Words/Music: How/Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 500521
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!
Oh, may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win, with them, the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.
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!
