It’s the Fourth Sunday in Lent, known as Laetare (‘rejoice’ in Latin) Sunday. Hymns include Praise, my soul, the king of heaven and the psalm paraphrase Praise God, for he is kind. And we remember New Zealand hymn writer Bill Wallace, who recently died at the age of 91.
Altar frontal, France or Italy 1730-1740 Photo: PKM, Wikimedia Commons
SONG: PRAISE MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN
Artist: Choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland
Words/Music: Lyte/Goss
Recording: Private CD 805
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,
you 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: PRAISE GOD, FOR HE IS KIND
Artist: Scottish Philharmonic Singers, Ian McCrorie (dir), John Langdon (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 136/Croft
Recording: Abbey 282830
Praise God, for he is kind:
His mercy lasts for aye.
Give thanks with heart and mind
To God of gods alway:
Refrain:
For certainly
His mercies dure
Most firm and sure
Eternally.
The Lord of lords praise ye,
Whose mercies still endure.
Great wonders only he
Doth work by his great pow’r
Refrain:
Which God omnipotent,
By might and wisdom high,
The heav’n and firmament
Did frame, as we may see:
Refrain:
Who hath remembered
Us in our low estate;
And us delivered
From foes which did us hate:
Refrain:
SONG: DEEP IN THE HUMAN HEART
Artist: Jubilate Singers
Words/Music: Bill Wallace/George Elvey
Recording: Private
Deep in the human heart
The fires of justice burn;
With visions of a world renewed
Through radical concern.
As Christians we are called
To set the captives free,
To overthrow the evil powers
And end hypocrisy.
This is our task today,
To build a world of peace;
A world of justice, freedom, truth,
Where kindness will increase;
A world from hunger freed,
A world where people share,
Where every person is of worth
And no-one lives in fear.
Taking the step of faith,
We leave the past behind
And move into the future’s world
With open heart and mind.
By grace we work with Christ,
As one community,
To bring new hope and fuller life
To all humanity.
SONG: WILD WIND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Words/Music: William L (Bill) Wallace
Recording: Private
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of life in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan the fire of love in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan compassion’s fire in us.
Wild wind of the Holy Spirit,
Breathe, Blow,
Fan your justice in our hearts.
SONG: AN UPPER ROOM
Artist: Timothy Newton (baritone), Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, Michael Leighton Jones (dir)
Words/Music: Faber/Stainer
Recording: Priory PRCD 722
An upper room did our Lord prepare
for those he loved until the end:
and his disciples still gather there
to celebrate their risen friend.
A lasting gift Jesus gave his own:
to share his bread, his loving cup.
Whatever burdens may bow us down,
he by his cross shall lift us up.
And after supper he washed their feet,
for service, too, is sacrament.
In Christ our joy shall be made complete:
sent out to serve, as he was sent.
No end there is! We depart in peace.
He loves beyond our uttermost:
in every room in our Father's house
Christ will be there, as Lord and Host.
SONG: ONE BREAD, ONE BODY
Words/Music: Father John Foley
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Recording: Journeysongs Vol 3 2012
Refrain:
One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
one cup of blessing which we bless,
and we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.
Refrain:
SONG: GOD EVERLASTING, WONDERFUL AND HOLY
Artist: Newcastle Cathedral Choir, Scott Farrell (dir), Michael Dutton (organ)
Words/Music: John Riley
Recording: Priory PRCD 720
God everlasting, wonderful and holy,
Father most gracious, we who stand before thee,
here at thine altar, as the Son has taught us,
come to adore thee.
Countless the mercies thou has lavished on us,
source of all blessing to all creatures living,
to thee we render, for thy love o’erflowing,
humble thanksgiving.
Now in remembrance of our great Redeemer,
dying on Calvary, rising and ascending,
through him we offer what he ever offers,
sinners befriending.
Strength to the living, rest to the departed,
grant, Holy Father, through this pure oblation;
may the life-giving Bread for ever bring us
health and salvation.
SONG: KING OF GLORY, KING OF PEACE
Artist: Choir of All Saints Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills
Words/Music: George Herbert/David Walker
Recording: Gothic 349074
King of glory, King of peace,
I will love thee;
and that love may never cease,
I will move thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
thou hast heard me;
thou didst note my working breast,
thou hast spared me.
Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing thee,
and the cream of all my heart
I will bring thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
thou didst clear me;
and alone, when they replied,
thou didst hear me.
Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise thee;
in my heart, though not in heaven,
I can raise thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
to enroll thee;
e'en eternity's too short
to extol thee.
SONG: I WILL SING THE WONDROUS STORY
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry, Paul Leddington Wright (dir)
Words/Music: Francis Rowley/Rowland Prichard
Recording: Integrity 2011
I will sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me.
How He left the realms of glory
For the cross of Calvary.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
Days of darkness still may meet me
Sorrow’s paths I oft may tread.
But His presence still is with me
By His guiding hand I’m led.
Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me
Sing it with His saints in glory
Gathered by the crystal sea.
He will keep me till the river
Rolls its water at my feet;
Then He'll bear me safely over,
Where the loved ones I shall meet.
Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story
Of the Christ who died for me,
Sing it with the saints in glory,
Gathered by the crystal sea.
