A Net in Time

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Music

He Is Lord

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I grew up only singing one verse to this song.  Imagine my surprise when leafing through Lift Up Your Hearts, I saw that there are four verses to He is Lord.   I thought, oh, wouldn’t it be fun to share this old campfire song.  🙂

He is Lord

Lyrics to He is Lord

He Is Lord; He Is Lord
He Has Risen From The Dead
And He Is Lord,
Every Knee Shall Bow,
Every Tongue Confess
That Jesus Christ Is Lord.

He Is King; He Is King
He will draw all nation to him, he is king
And the Time shall be,
When the world shall sing
That Jesus Christ Is King.

He Is Love; He Is Love
He Has shown us by his life
That He Is Love,
All his people sing,
with one voice of joy
That Jesus Christ Is Love.

He Is Life; He Is Life
He Has died to set us free
And He Is Life,
And he calls us all,
to live evermore
For Jesus Christ Is Life.

History

Now it’s known that Marvin Frey is the author of the first verse, who wrote the last three no one really knows. 

Rev Frey, an Oregon native, wrote over 2000 spiritual songs over his life. He was active in the nondenominational Independent Assemblies.   Many of his songs were used in evangelistic meetings.  If you would like to know more about his life, I found an obituary in the NY Times. 

Learning from He is Lord

Sometimes simple songs are more profound than you think they are eh?   Just to remember the Lordship of Christ.   He is Lord and that means something.   The unknown author of the next three verses fill in some of what that means to him.

What does Jesus Christ being Lord mean to you?  It’s a good thing to ponder don’t you think?

Via Dolorosa

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So I have this medium sized CD collection of music that’s been sitting on my shelf for ages.  I used to listen to music when cleaning or doing random stuff around the house but since my CD player broke they’ve just been shelved.  Anyways, I decided the other day since the CD player works in the car I had no excuse!   I’ve been going through my collection and deciding what I still like and don’t.  I have this Sandi Patti CD and Via Dolorosa is one of the songs on it.  It’s been running through my head since then, now I’ll let it run through yours.  🙂

Lyrics

Down the Via Dolorosa in
Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the
narrow street
But the crowd pressed into see
A man condemned to die on
Calvary.
 
He was bleeding from a beating –
there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown upon his
head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those of those of
those who cried out for his
death.
 
Down the Via Dolorosa called the
way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah
Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road
out of His love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa all the
way to Calvary.
 
Por la Via Dolorosa, triste dia en Jerusalem
Los saldados le abrian paso a Jesus
Mas la gente se acercaba
Para ver al que llevaba aquella cruz.
 
Por la Via Dolorosa, que es la via del dolor
Como oveja vino Cristo, Rey, Senor
Y fue El quien quiso ir por su amor por ti y por mi
Por la Via Dolorosa al Calvario y a morir
 
The blood that would cleanse the
souls of all men
Made its way through the heart of
Jerusalem.
 
Down the Via Dolorosa called the
way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah,
Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road
out of his love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the
way to Calvary
cross on hill, text via dolorosa

Author and History

Sandi Patty was born 1956 in Oklahoma.  As a child, she sang her first song at age two, and in the summer, she and her siblings sang with her parents nationwide. They were known as “The Ron Patty Family”.  Her higher education was in vocals and conducting.  She has made several audio recordings over the years.

She was a highly popular singer in the 1970-80’s but a divorce sidetracked her career.  Using pop concert performances with symphony orchestras she slowly built up her career again.   You can find a list of her music and writing on this wiki page.

Meaning in Via Dolorosa

I don’t pretend to understand what I think is the Spanish.  Listening to the words though… the suffering of Jesus on his way to the cross.  Such a hard trip for him. Such a hard choice for him to stick through.  Can you imagine his love for us, and his loving obedience to his Father?  He is our saviour!

Jesus Shall Reign

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Jesus shall reign… Oh, I grew up singing this song, I think it’s a rare verse that I wouldn’t know.   In fact the familiar four you find in most hymnbooks I know well, but I discovered today there are four less common verses that were part of the original song. 

Jesus Shall Reign

Lyrics to Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barbarous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.

Blessings abound where’er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blest.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our king;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen.

In this version The Getty’s add another song to this older hymn.  I wasn’t sure what I thought, but since I talked about new songs of worship last week it’s good to give a chance to the new. 🙂 

History

Isaac Watts, song writer, poet, clergyman. He was an important man in his day. His institution of congregational singing is still widely in use today. It shows an important use of poetry in worship.  If you want to see a sample of his childhood poetry you can find it at the poetry foundation. 

Other Isaac Watts Songs

For a more traditional version of Jesus shall reign, watch below

What Can We Learn?

Jesus shall reign walks us through the entirety of Jesus’ kingdom. 

  • from shore to shore
  • where’r the sun sets
  •  til moon’s wax and wane
  • every person, tribe, nation
  • endless prayers are given
  • praises from everyone
  • prisoners, weary, sufferers
  •  creatures
  • north and south
  • Islands and continents
  • east and west

The whole gambit of the world is covered.  Praise and prayers are given to Jesus the King. Kings, peoples, nations, and tribes are all humbled before him.  Even the creatures of the earth acknowledge the wonder of God. 

A Hymn of Glory Let us Sing

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Ralph Vaughan Williams provided the harmony for A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing from the original Latin. This song I found as I leafed through Lift Up Your Hearts (amazon affiliate link).  I don’t know a lot of the songs in this hymnal but the tune of this one looked familiar and it was!  The words good and ergo I am sharing them with you.  I hope you enjoy them as well 

A Hymn of Glory Let us sing, text on the background of mountains and cloud

Lyrics

I checked a couple of hymnbooks we have and found the generally only four verses are sung.  The original tune has seven verses. 

A hymn of glory let us sing
New songs throughout the world shall ring
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Christ, by a road before untrod
Ascendeth to the throne of God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

The holy apostolic band
Upon the Mount of Olives stand
Alleluia, Alleluia.
And with His followers they see
Jesus’ resplendent majesty
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

To whom the angels drawing nigh,
Why stand and gaze upon the sky?
Alleluia, Alleluia.
This is the Savior, thus they say.
This is His noble triumph day.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Again ye shall behold Him so,
As ye have today seen Him go.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
In glorious pomp ascending high
Up to the portals of the sky.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

O grant us thitherward to tend
And with unwearied hearts ascend,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Unto Thy kingdom’s throne, where Thou
As is our faith, art seated now,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Be Thou our Joy and strong Defense,
Who art our future Recompense,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
So shall the light that springs from Thee
Be ours through all eternity,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
All praise to Thee let earth accord,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Who art, while endless ages run,
With Father and with Spirit One,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

History of A hymn of Glory let us sing

The original author has been lost over the course of time, but Benjamin Webb translated it from the Latin into English.  An English clergyman who was recognized at the leading authority in ecclesiastical art, he also served a curate in various churches in England. 

What Can We Learn?

Since hymns are a great way to learn more of who God is and how we can best praise him, what can we learn from A hymn of Glory Let us sing?

I was struck by this stanza : new hymns throughout the earth shall ring.

Isn’t that just the case?  Throughout Christian history new songs of worship have been created.  Some on purpose, and some that just slip out of people’s mouths as they consider the wonder of the Lord God.  In fact in some churches a battle rages between hymns and praise/worship songs.  We need to consider the truth though.  God will raise up worship from his people.  His glory draws it out of us. 

How it is drawn out depends on the person it is coming from. Songs that bring praise to God are being written all across the spectrum even today.  So if we are greeted by a song we don’t know, but it truly brings praise to God, let’s sing it out. See new ways to praise God.  Contemplate the wonders of our Lord and give him all the praise. 

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD … Psalm 40:3.

Come Ye Faithful Raise the Strain

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Come, ye faithful, raise the strain is an old song, written by John of Damascus.  A man who delightfully became serious about faith in his middle age.  See…there’s hope for all to realize the truth of who God is!  Rather cool eh?  🙂 This is a lovely song showing the joy we find in Christ’s work and resurrection. 

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain

Lyrics

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought forth Israel
Into joy from sadness;
Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot
Through the Red Sea waters.

’Tis the spring of souls today;
Christ has burst His prison,
And from three days’ sleep in death
As a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From His light, to whom we give
Laud and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts,
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem,
Who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains
Jesus’ resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death,
Nor the tomb’s dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal
Hold Thee as a mortal;
But today amidst the twelve
Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace which evermore
Passeth human knowing.

Alleluia! now we cry
To our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars
Of the tomb’s dark portal;
Alleluia! with the Son,
God the Father praising,
Alleluia! yet again
To the Spirit raising.

Author and History

John of Damascus was born John Monsur, a member of an Arab Christian family living in Damascus.  He became embroiled in a conflict over the use of icons within the orthodox church.  In the end his thought process won out, so icons are used within the Orthodox church.  He not only dealt with icons, but a”codified the practices of Byzantine chant, and wrote about science, philosophy, and theology“. (source)

He lived a life of wealth and power until his 40’s when he gave away his wealth and power and retreated to a monastry.  Most of the songs he made centred around the Incarnation. 

Learning from this hymn

Can you see the history of this hymn?   The walk through the Old Testament and then the joy of Christ’s death and resurrection.  The sheer joy of Christ the Immortal king.  The joy of it!  Out of such extreme sadness of captivity to this unmitigated joy. 

But Jesus, he beat death!  And not only that, the 12 he taught, they spread the news.  They taught his message, and so Christ’s message of peace was bestowed upon humankind. 

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

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I was looking through the hymnbook Lift Up Your Hearts and saw the hymn Hail to the Lord’s Anointed and thought, wow, it’s been a LONG time since I’ve sung this song. As I reminded myself of the words I thought I had to share this song with you.  🙂

cross on a hill, caption Hail to the Lord's Anointed

Lyrics

Hail to the Lord’s anointed,
Great David’s greater Son!
Hail in the time appointed,
His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
To set the captive free;
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.

He comes in succor speedy
To those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;
To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemned and dying,
Were precious in His sight.

By such shall He be fearèd
While sun and moon endure;
Beloved, obeyed, reverèd;
For He shall judge the poor
Through changing generations,
With justice, mercy, truth,
While stars maintain their stations,
Or moons renew their youth.

He shall come down like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
Love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
Spring in His path to birth.
Before Him, on the mountains,
Shall peace, the herald, go,
And righteousness, in fountains,
From hill to valley flow.

Arabia’s desert ranger
To Him shall bow the knee;
The Ethiopian stranger
His glory come to see;
With offerings of devotion
Ships from the isles shall meet,
To pour the wealth of oceans
In tribute at His feet.

Kings shall fall down before Him,
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him,
His praise all people sing;
For He shall have dominion
O’er river, sea and shore,
Far as the eagle’s pinion
Or dove’s light wing can soar.

For Him shall prayer unceasing
And daily vows ascend;
His kingdom still increasing,
A kingdom without end:
The mountain dews shall nourish
A seed in weakness sown,
Whose fruit shall spread and flourish
And shake like Lebanon.

O’er every foe victorious,
He on His throne shall rest;
From age to age more glorious,
All blessing and all blest.
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove;
His name shall stand forever,
His name to us is Love.

Author and History

James Montgomery is the author is this lovely hymn written back in 1821.  Born in Scotland he kept himself busy as a poet, hymn-writer and editor. He was a strong proponent for the abolition of slavery.  As editor of the  Sheffield Iris he found himself imprisoned twice, one for reporting on a riot, another time for publishing a song remembering the Fall of the Bastille.   

He wrote more than 400 hymns, many of which of still in use today.  He was well regarded in Sheffield, where he lived unmarried all of his working life.  When he died he was given a public funeral. 

Thinking Deeper

I love how author James Montgomery shows us a variety of people recognizing Jesus as the supreme ruler.  Kings, rangers, people from around the world etc.  Not only that though, he also speaks to how Jesus speedily helps people. 

He comes in succor speedy
To those who suffer wrong;
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;

His reason for doing so comes down to love.  His love for us and his love for God the Father.  He is the Lord’s anointed, and as such offers aid to those needing it, and demands our reverance. 

How Great Our Joy

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A happy, quick moving song, How Great our Joy is only sorta familiar to me.  I’ve had the pleasure of singing it often enough to recognize it but not enough to have it memorized. It’s a lovely hymn that walks you through the angels’ conversation with the shepherds.

How Great Our Joy

Lyrics

While by the sheep we watched at night,
Glad tidings brought an angel bright.

Refrain

How great our joy! Great our joy!
Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!
Praise we the Lord in heaven on high!

There shall be born, so He did say,
In Bethlehem a Child today.

Refrain

There shall the Child lie in a stall,
This Child who shall redeem us all.

Refrain

This gift of God we’ll cherish well,
That ever joy our hearts shall fill.

Refrain

Author and History

We actually don’t know who wrote this hymn, it is a tra­di­tion­al Ger­man ca­rol. In fact you might know this other German Christmas carol as well.  O come Little Children.    Theodar Baker translated the first two verses into English.  In fact, if you want to know about this Christmas song, Celebrating Holidays did a write up that might intrigue. 

Pondering How Great Our Joy

Don’t you just love songs that speak scripture back to you?  Sometimes in not exact words, but in the overall telling.  It’s lovely to sing God’s word back to him!  

In this one we start with the shepherds and quickly move to the angels.  The angels tell the glad tidings of a child to be born in Bethlehem.  It closely with how this child is a gift of God, and we sing of our great joy. 

It’s so true isn’t it? That joy we have in the hope given to us?  It’s just marvellous and worth singing about.  🙂