There’s a ‘wealth of Williams’ in this week’s programme – hymn writers, arrangers and hymn tune composers. Including William Williams, one of the leaders of the Methodist revival in Wales in the 18th century and the writer of Guide me, O thou great Jehovah.
Photo: RNZ/Paul Bushnell
SONG: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: St Francis of Assisi paraphrased William Draper/Anon
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
SONG: IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE
Artist: Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Words/Music: Walter 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: PSALM 130 – OUT OF THE DEEP
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Henry Purcell adapted Turle
Recording: Virgin 545036
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint.
If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee; therefore shalt thou be feared.
I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch; I say, before the morning watch.
O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
SONG: LORD FROM THE DEPTHS TO THEE I CRIED
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Trad arr Hugh Wilson
Recording: Abbey 282830
Lord, from the depths to thee I cried.
My voice, Lord, do thou hear:
Unto my supplication’s voice
give an attentive ear.
Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord,
should’st mark iniquity?
But yet with thee forgiveness is,
that fear’d thou mayest be.
I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
my hope is in his word.
More than they that for morning watch,
my soul waits for the Lord;
I say, more than they that do watch
the morning light to see.
Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with him mercies be;
And plenteous redemption
is ever found with him.
And from all his iniquities
he Israel shall redeem.
SONG: E TE ARIKI
Artist: New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir 1999-2000, Roger Stevenson (dir)
Words/Music: Anon/Wi-Patena Te Pairi
Recording: Private NZSSC 2000
E te Ariki,
Whakarongo mai rā ki a mātou,
E te Ariki,
Titiro mai rā ki a mātou,
Tēnei mātou Ō tamariki,
E whakapono Ana mātou,
Ki a koe
Auē! Auē!
Te matua te tamaiti.
Wairua tapu e.
Te matua te tamaiti.
Wairua tapu e.
[Oh Lord, listen to us. Oh lord, look at us. This is us, your children. We believe in you.
The father, and the son and Holy Spirit.]
SONG: THE LORD’S PRAYER
Artist: Durham Street Methodist Church Choir
Words/Music: Lord's Prayer/Wallace Woodley
Recording: Private
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your name
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread
forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil
for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and forever,
Amen.
SONG: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Artist: Anonymous 4
Words/Music: William Walford/William Bradbury
Recording: Harmonia Mundi HMU 907326
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
That calls me from a world of care
And bids me at my Father's throne
Make all my wants and wishes known!
In seasons of distress and grief
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter's snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless:
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I'll cast on Him my ev'ry care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer,
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer,
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah's lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I'll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
"Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!"
SONG: I NEED THEE EV’RY HOUR
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Annie Hawks, Robert Lowry/Robert Lowry
Recording: Marquis 175
I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, O, I need Thee;
Ev'ry hour I need Thee;
O, bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.
I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r
When Thou art nigh.
[Refrain]
I need Thee ev'ry hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
[Refrain]
I need Thee ev'ry hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
[Refrain]
SONG: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: William Williams/John Hughes
Recording: Marquis 175
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand;
bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.
Open now the crystal fountain,
whence the healing stream shall flow;
let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through;
strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
be thou still my help and shield,
be thou still my help and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death and hell's destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side;
songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.
