Hymn

I Serve a Risen Saviour, is also known by the title He Lives.   It’s a wonderful song to sing at Easter, but it was next in my hymnal so I figured it’s good to be reminded of our risen saviour any day of the year.  

Lyrics

Author and History

Presbyterian minister, Alfred  Henry Ackley, was born in 1887 in Pennsylvania. His father taught him music before he headed off to the Royal Academy Music in London.   Later he studied for the ministry at Westminster Theological Seminary in Maryland.  

As an ordained Presbyterian pastor he served churches in Pennsylvania and California.   Over the course of his life, he wrote some 1500 songs, some religious, others not. Part of his ministry involved working with evangelists Billy Sunday and Homer Rodeheaver. 

He wrote this song in response to a sermon entitled He Lives. I pulled this quote from hymn stories. 

“Mr. Ackley’s forthright, emphatic answer, together with his subsequent triumphant effort to win the man for Christ, flowered forth into song and crystallized into a convincing sermon on ‘He Lives!’ His keenly alert mind was sensitive to suggestions for sermons, and sermons in song. In his re-reading of the resurrection stories of the Gospels, the words ‘He is risen’ struck him with new meaning. From the thrill within his own soul came the convincing song–‘He Lives!’ The scriptural evidence, his own heart, and the testimony of history matched the glorious experience of an innumerable cloud of witnesses that ‘He Lives,’ so he sat down at the piano and voiced that conclusion in song. He says, ‘The thought of His ever-living presence brought the music promptly and easily.'”

Thinking Deeper

Rev. Ackley wrote this song when inspired by a sermon.  Have you ever been so inspired?   Not maybe to write a sermon, but to really act on what you have heard.  I know of people who hear a sermon and then KNOW they need to go the mission field.  Sermons have inspired me to write letters.  But I wonder… should we leave services inspired to do, and to be MORE?   We’re hearing God’s word explained, we’re with his people, shouldn’t we always be inspired when we leave a church service?  To do good, to be better, to act for God in more ways, and to change wrong ways within? 

Oh boy, I played Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart before heading into London the day I wrote this and the tune was running through my head all afternoon. It’s not a bad thing at all, except I don’t know all the words so I found myself either repeating the same verse over and over again, or making up my own words.    Drives my hubby nuts when I do that, but you know what?  As long as you are praising the Lord does it matter if you using the words of the song or not?

Lyrics to Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart

Rejoice ye pure in heart;
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing;
Your glorious banner wave on high,
The cross of Christ your king.

Refrain

Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice,
Give thanks and sing.

Bright youth and snow crowned age,
Strong men and maidens meek,
Raise high your free, exultant song,
God’s wondrous praises speak.

Refrain

Yes onward, onward still
With hymn, and chant and song,
Through gate, and porch and columned aisle,
The hallowed pathways throng.

Refrain

With all the angel choirs,
With all the saints of earth,
Pour out the strains of joy and bliss,
True rapture, noblest mirth.

Refrain

Your clear hosannas raise;
And alleluias loud;
Whilst answering echoes upward float,
Like wreaths of incense cloud.

Refrain

With voice as full and strong
As ocean’s surging praise,
Send forth the hymns our fathers loved,
The psalms of ancient days.

Refrain

Yes, on through life’s long path,
Still chanting as ye go;
From youth to age, by night and day,
In gladness and in woe.

Refrain

Still lift your standard high,
Still march in firm array,
As warriors through the darkness toil,
Till dawns the golden day.

Refrain

At last the march shall end;
The wearied ones shall rest;
The pilgrims find their heavenly home,
Jerusalem the blessed.

Refrain

Then on, ye pure in heart!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing!
Your glorious banner wave on high,
The cross of Christ your king.

Refrain

Praise Him who reigns on high,
The Lord whom we adore,
The Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
One God forevermore.

Author and History

Edward H Plumtre is the author of Rejoice ye pure in heart which was written in 1865.  The Peterborough Cathedral was hosting the  Pe­ter­bo­rough Cho­ral Fes­ti­val for which this hymn was written. 

Born in London in 1821, he became known as an excellent classical and biblical scholar.  He was well known within the church and the academic community.  Ordained within the Church of England he preached at Oxford and was a professor of pastoral theology at his alma mater King’s College. 

Rev. Plumtre was part of the committee that produced the Revised Version of the bible.  He was also a poet, hymnist, translator (from Greek and Latin classics) and author.   He passed away in 1891. 

Thinking about it

I was very surprised to see how many verses were actually written for Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart.   I grew up with the verses in purple, the hymnal I’m using only recognizes four verses. 

As I read through the verses I can really see the progression you know?  From youth to old, the pure in heart rejoicing in God.  It’s a good thing no?   Oh God is one to be praised!  Whether in good times or bad, he is worthy of all praise and glory. 

I am about half way through Lift Up Your Hearts, a hymnal that I found on our bookshelves last time I tidied them up. It’s rather fun to go through different hymnbooks and see what songs I know.  Hymnbooks are so different from each other.  Today’s hymn is O Jesus I Have Promised.

I remember singing this hymn throughout my formative years, but it didn’t really strike me until I was in my 40’s.   Thinking about what the words we sing, what we promise when we lift our voices to God. 

Lyrics

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide.

O let me feel Thee near me!
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

O let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self will.
O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou guardian of my soul.

O Jesus, Thou hast promised
To all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory
There shall Thy servant be.
And Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My master and my friend.

O let me see Thy footprints,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in Thy strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me,
My Savior and my friend.

Author and History

The occasion of a confirmation service for children (daughter and sons) created the impetuous for O Jesus I have Promised to be written.  Joh E Bode was the pastor in Castle Camps parish in Cambridgeshire, England.  This song was written just for them. 

In fact, it became so popular that the leadership in the Church of England told people to stop using it for confirmation services.  🙂   It was published in 1869 in in the ap­pendix of Psalms and Hymns of the So­ci­e­ty for the Pro­pa­ga­tion of Chris­tian Know­ledge.

London born, Mr. Bode became in1841. He not only served as vicar in Castle Camp but also in Westwell, Oxfordshire.    In 1855 he delivered the prestigious Bampton Lectures at Oxford.  These lectures were later published as an anti-Catholicism tract.    He loved to write poetry and had hoped to be the Professor of Poetry at Oxford.  Fellow poet Matthew Arnold beat him out for the position by fellow poet Matthew Arnold. 

He wrote poetry and hymns throughout his life. Only a few of his hymns have withstood the test of time.  This one is his most beloved song. 

Thinking about this Hymn

Bode didn’t write a whole lot of songs, but this particular hymn has stood the test of time. 

Just see the promises made: 

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide.

The promises made of service, the awareness of who Jesus is, and the forthcoming troubles one gets as a believer.  Nothing to fear if Christ is there. How if we depend upon the Lord, we will stay the course.  

I can clearly see why people would want this for a confirmation Sunday. I would want to sing if I was declaring new faith in the Lord.  But isn’t it a good hymn of praise for like literally anytime?  To remember that Jesus is the guardian of our souls?  It’s a fantastic reminder and a call to our hearts to recall the goodness of the Lord we call our own.