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Hymns

History, background, and other useful information to help us worship with understanding.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

Note: The number after the hymn title indicates the page number in the Trinity Hymnal

Contents

All Glory, Laud, and Honor (235)

The words to this seasonal hymn which commemorate Palm Sunday, are one of the oldest in our hymnal. “Gloria, Laus et Honor” was written in 820 AD by Theodulph of Orleans, who was Bishop of Orleans under Charlemagne. William Herebert translated the hymn into Middle English (CA 1300) with the title “Wele, Herying and Worshipe Be. The first line of the beautiful Middle English translation is: "Wele, herying and worshipe be to Christ that dere ous boughte,/ To wham gradden 'Osanna' children clene of thoughte."

Finally, in 1851 John Mason Neale began to translate the hymn from its original Latin, with two additional translations in 1854 and 1861. He published his final version in a collection entitled, Hymns, Ancient and Modern. The melody we use today was composed around 1815 by Melchior Techner.

The hymn allows us to recall the event found in Matthew 21:1-11, in which Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly, greeted by praise and with palm branches waving. Being a narrative hymn, each verse highlights details of the story, including the praises from children, the singing of the Hebrew people, and the palm branches, before we are invited to join in the worship of our sweet Lord Jesus.

The phrase which appears in verses 1 and 3, “to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring,” hearkens back to Psalm 8:2, “Out of the mouths of children and infants you have perfected praise.” Let’s join with Christians through the ages, children and adults alike, as we present sweet hosannas to our loving Lord on this Sunday morning, Palm Sunday!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/235

Beneath the Cross of Jesus (251)

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane wrote this week’s hymn, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus.” Clephane was a Scottish lady who lived from 1830-1869. She was frail her entire life. Eight of her hymns, collectively entitled “Breathings on the Border,” were published after she died in a Presbyterian magazine, The Family Treasury. A look at the titles of many of her hymns gives us insight as to how important the theme of death was to her—or how death was never far from her thoughts. Among these titles are, “Mine Eyes Forever Closed,” “From My Dwelling Midst the Dead,” “The Day is Drawing Nearly Done,” and “Life-light Waneth to an End.” Probably her second most well-known hymn is “The Ninety and Nine,” which she wrote after receiving the news that her dissipated, backslidden brother died in a ditch in faraway Canada. She hoped that her dear George was among the sheep that the good shepherd Jesus went after to save.

“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” expresses how safe and comforted we are as believers in Christ. In the first line, Clephane writes, “I fain would take my stand.” “Fain” is an archaic word meaning “pleased” or “willing, under the circumstance.” Clephane is pleased to be at the foot of the cross, under its shadow, which protects us under the harsh sun of life’s hardships. From where we stand we are comforted to see the form of our dying Savior who took our punishment. Beneath the cross of Jesus is “home” and “rest” for us as well.

The hymn becomes very poignant when seen in the context of a frail woman, who experienced tragic loss. She knew the pain of the weary wilderness and the heat of the noon-tide sun, but she also knew the comfort of being close to her Savior. Let us draw close to the cross as well, and draw from His love the rest and comfort we need this week and always.

Amen.

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/251

Rejoice, The Lord is King

The text of “Rejoice, the Lord is King” was written by John and Charles Wesley. The melody was written by John Darwell.  According to hymn-lore, John Wesley wrote six verses, and two years later his younger brother removed two of them—and then published the hymn. Charles has gotten the credit for writing the hymn, and I can imagine him receiving a rough draft from his preacher brother and doing his work perfecting it, as the hymn writing brother. The song becomes more meaningful than it already is when seen in the context of the persecution of the Methodists in the 18th century. From 1739 onward, Wesley and the Methodists were persecuted by clergy and religious magistrates for various reasons. Though Wesley had been ordained an Anglican.

In the Trinity Hymnal we sing five verses. Verses one and five, as well as the refrain, are in the imperative mood. We are told to lift up our voices and rejoice. These words come from Philippians 4:4 (“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice”). The word rejoice appears no less than 13 times, as we sing all five verses. It is a biblical command, and a glorious one.

The middle three verses are in the declarative mood and give us many reasons to rejoice. Among these are the facts that Jesus reigns, he is the God of truth and love, he has purges our sins, His kingdom cannot fail, He rules over earth and heaven, and He will subdue His foe. Just reciting these verses causes the desire to rejoice to rise in our hearts. And as the refrain reminds us, “Lift up your hearts! Lift up your voice, rejoice, again I say, rejoice!”

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/310

Lion of Judah

The Jesus Movement, which was documented in the 2023 film The Jesus Revolution, began in California and spread eastward in the late 1960s-early 1970s. In rural upstate New York, a group of young believers came together to form a church they called “Love Inn.” Later the name was changed to “Covenant Love,” perhaps to allay any association with the hippie movement. Among the leaders of this community were Scott Ross, later host of the 700 Club, guitarist and singer/songwriter Phil Keaggy, Nedra Talley Ross, formerly of the Ronettes, and pastor/songwriter Ted Sandquist. In 1977 these musicians, along with others, recorded an album of original worship songs. The album, Courts of the King, captures the beautiful, carefree spirit of young Christians in this time period. What shines forth from these songs is a pure, uncomplicated love for Jesus and for other Christians. Some of the songs are purely scripture (“Your Steadfast Love”).

Many of the songs on the Courts of the King album have become standards. The one we are singing this week is "Lion of Judah." Jesus, of course, is Lion of Judah. Lion is traditionally the king of all animals, and Jacob declared his Judah as a lion, as he gave the blessing to his sons on his deathbed. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. Kings are worshiped, and in this song we are led to worship King Jesus. “Alleluia,” “Hail to the King,” and “You are my king!” are repeated in the refrains. Not only are we worshiping Him in this worship song, we are encouraged to spread the news of His kingship (“I shout your name, let it be known that you are the King of kings; you are the Prince of Peace!”).

In the final verse we look the future: the second coming of Christ. We sing with great fervor, “Lion of Judah, come again! Take up your throne…” These words take on new urgency and relevancy in 2024. Many of us prayed, “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus” in the 1970s. And we still are praying, perhaps with more ardor now, “Maranatha!”

As we prepare for worship this Sunday, anticipate our time together by reflecting on the context of this powerful song and the timeless, biblical lyrics. Let’s worship the King.

Amen!

Written by Diane J.

A free listen to The Courts of the King is available here:
https://boonesoverstock.com/products/ted-sandquist-courts-of-the-king30th-anniversary-ed

My Anchor Holds (617)

To honor Jerry and Marg even as we say goodbye and thank you for years of service to Mt. Airy PCA, the choir sang one of their favorite hymns, “My Anchor Holds” at their retirement luncheon. This hymn was written in 1902 by William C. Martin, a Baptist minister, who pastored many churches, from New York to Florida.

Many writers speak of “life’s journey,” in comparing a human’s lifespan from birth to death as a journey with the path being sometimes rocky, sometimes pleasant, but leading to our true home in heaven. Some compare our journey to Moses’s, who led his people from Egypt to the Promised Land. John Bunyan wrote of Christian’s journey to the Celestial City in The Pilgrim’s Progress. Christian’s journey took him through many of places normal Christian men or women experiences in their lifetime:
doubt, fear, temptation, etc.

Martin uses a different metaphor in “My Anchor Holds.” In his hymn, the narrator has been on a lifetime sea journey, fraught with storms, tempests, waves, and winds. Life can be that way. He is in his little boat (Martin uses the archaic word “bark”) and vulnerable to life’s tempests, but his anchor holds him safely. Jesus is the Anchor for the hymn-writer, as well as for all of us who sing this powerfully encouraging song.

The first set of important words in this hymn are “tempests” (used four times) “angry surges,” “perils,” “blast,” “angry clouds,” “storm,” “troubles,” “grief,” and “tempters lure.” It is interesting to observe that the words in the first three verses are all metaphoric, but in the fourth, he speaks plainly and tells us that these storms represent troubles, grief, and temptation. Woven throughout each verse is the reminder that our anchor holds.

Yes, the hymn ends with these encouraging words “but in Christ I can be bold, I’ve an anchor that shall hold,” and this line leads us into the refrain that is filled with repetition and echo (ladies then men) “And it holds, my anchor holds, blow your wildest then, o gale, on my bark, so small and frail; by his grace I shall not fail, for my anchor holds, my anchor holds!”

Jerry and Marg, from now on we will always think of you when we sing this. Thank you for your love, wisdom, and encouragement over the years, and God bless you in your retirement.

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/617

Jesus Shall Reign (441)

This week’s hymn is by the great hymn writer and father of hymnody, Isaac Watts. Most of the poem is declarative—stating truths about God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—while one verse is an imperative, exhorting us to participate in the worship He deserves.

We can observe is that verses 1, 2, 3, and 4 are written in the declarative mood, while verse 5 is an imperative. We are instructed in the Psalms and elsewhere to declare the works of the Lord and recite His attributes. Watts fulfills these commands and we participate with him as we sing: Jesus shall reign forever and his kingdom never ends (“His kingdom stretch from shore to shore/ til moons shall wax and wane no more”)! Prayer and praise shall rise to Him each morning and evening. People from every country and every race—and even babies sing of his love. Blessings abound where He reigns: prisoners are freed (I think of Christian prisoners jailed for their faith in foreign lands here), the weary find rest, and the suffering find blessing. Declarative truth!

Now we look at verse 5, where we find the imperative. Let every creature rise and bring praise to him! Angels will descend, bringing songs to him again (the first time being at His birth), and all the world shall bring the sweet amen! As we sing this hymn on Sunday, we are part of the answer to Watts’s prayer from so long ago.

As a side note, you may find the lyric/music phrasing unusual. Watts used enjambment, the continuation of a thought from one line to the next. The line of poetry/lyric isn’t end-stopped. Watts employs this technique in verses 1, 3, and 5:

1. Jesus shall reign where’er the sun/ does its successive journeys run.
3. People and realms of every tongue/ dwell on his love with sweetest song.
5. Let every creature rise and bring/ the highest honors to our king.

This hymn has been sung in churches around the world since 1719. It currently appears in 1,779 hymnals. As we sing this Sunday, we join our voices in His praise, that praise that stretches from shore to shore, ‘til moons shall wax and wane no more!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/441

God is Our Strength and Refuge (89)

Sometimes the origins of hymns are surprising and fun—and we can acknowledge that God can use anything for His glory! The source melody for this beautiful hymn was taken from the soundtrack of the 1955 movie “Dam Busters,” which is a British movie depicting a turning point in World War II. The lyrics were written in 1982 by Richard Bewes, (1934-2019) an Anglican clergyman and writer, who was very influential in the evangelical branch of the Church of England in recent history. According to his obituary, Bewes “made an outstanding contribution to UK — and, indeed, world — Evangelicalism, and was one of the most versatile and talented Anglican parish clergy of his generation, serving as Rector of All Souls’, Langham Place, from 1983 to 2004, a worthy successor to the Rev. Dr. John Stott and the Rt. Rev. Michael Baughen.”

This hymn is a rewording of Psalm 46. The psalm itself is divided into three parts, each ending in “selah,” denoting a break in the poem. The three verses in the hymn correspond to each of the psalm’s three sections.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” are words that we need to be reminded of constantly. Pairing this verse with a stirring melody encourages us to press on, despite our trials and challenges. Even though our circumstances look disastrous, we can be encouraged by the truth stated in the refrain, “God, the Lord of Hosts, is with us evermore!”

Verse two rewords the middle section of the psalm that begins with the familiar, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.” Bewes writes, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.” Peaceful truth, indeed! Perhaps this is the river from which Jesus promised us that if we drink from the water He gives, we will never thirst again.

Lastly in verse three we are encouraged to see the works of God, to learn of his powerful deeds, and we hear the promise that wars will cease one day. Just before the final singing of the refrain, we come to the imperative, “Be still and know your creator.” Being still, knowing Him, and reciting truth brings us peace and security. “God, the Lord of Hosts, is with us evermore!”Let’s prepare to worship Him Sunday morning.

Amen!

Listen to this recording as you prepare:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA0zJnW1Rr8

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/89

Angels We Have Heard on High (214)

Angels are everywhere in the story of the birth of Jesus. Consider the following scriptures, as familiar as they are:

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Luke 1: 26-27

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke 2:9

Consider the that church choirs and congregations sing at this time of year:

"The Angel Gabriel"
"Angels from the Realms of Glory"
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
"Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"

The clasic Christian rock singer Matthew Ward once sang, “Well you might not be aware, but there’s angels everywhere;” that is certainly true of Christmastime! Angels are messengers from God to men and women to convey special messages from Him. Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds were all privileged to have this wonderful experience. And we are able to relive these experiences as we sing about them thoughtfully in our carols.

This week we will sing two of these carols. We could passively sing the lyrics and miss an opportunity to meditate on just how miraculous Christmas is. One of these carols, Angels We Have Heard on High puts us in the story too! We can sing with them, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to the newborn king!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/214

God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (211)

There is mystery surrounding this beautiful hymn with its haunting melody. There is no known author, for either the lyrics or the melody. The earliest date for the lyrics to this familiar, traditional English Christmas carol is 1650. With the original spellings, these are the 17th century words:

Sit yow merry Gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
for Jesus Christ is borne
to save or soules from Satan's power
Whenas we runne astray
O tidings of comfort & joy
to save or soules from Satan
When as we runne away
O tidings of comfort & joy

“God Rest You Merry Gentlemen,” also known as “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” in many hymnals has five verses. Verse one gives us the encouragement that we can be at peace because our savior was born. He has saved us from the power Satan had over us when we had gone astray. That should bring us ultimate comfort and complete joy!

The next three verses tell the story of Jesus’s birth, particularly the shepherd’s role in the story. The angel was sent by God to tell the shepherds (verse 2), the angel’s message to the shepherds, complete with quotes (verse 3), and the shepherd’s leaving their sheep to go and find the Son of God (verse 4). Meditating on these verses us allows us the benefit of imaging ourselves in the pastures outside Bethlehem, encountering the angelic host, and hurrying alongside the shepherds to find and worship baby Jesus.

There is a fifth verse that is not included in the Trinity Hymnal but which is worth looking at. Verse 5 is the application to all that comes before it: “Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place/ And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace!/ This holy tide of Christmas all other doth efface.”

And so as we continue on in this Advent season, let’s sing praises to the Lord, and truly embrace one another in love and brotherhood.

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/211

Once in Royal David’s City (225)

This lovely hymn has a tender history. Not originally meant as a Christmas carol, the lyricist, Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), wrote this and several other hymns to teach children the principles of The Apostles Creed. “Once in Royal David’s City” was written for the “born of the virgin Mary” element of the creed. Leland Ryken points out in his anthology Journey to Bethlehem that the hymn is also strongly linked to “He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”

This hymn became forever associated with Christmas in 1918 when Eric Milner-White began King’s College Cambridge’s very first Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The tradition continues to this day, with the service opening with a lone treble chorister singing the first verse and others joining in subsequent verses, and the congregation being invited to join in singing the final verse.

As we sing the hymn/carol this Sunday, let’s rejoice in the contrast of Jesus’s humble birth in a lowly cattle stall, to His glorification in heaven, with stars as His crown.

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/225

Let All Things Now Living (125)

What a wonderful way to conclude (and continue) Thanksgiving weekend. The hymn writer, Katherine K. Davis (1892-1980), invites us to join with all creation to praise God, who is worthy of all praise. This hymn is rich with biblical allusions as well as personification. To begin with, in verse one, Davis writes that God is “a pillar of fire shining forth from light into light.” Just as God led Moses and the people of Israel through the desert on their way to the promised land, God leads us, His people, through our journey through this life to our promised land in heaven with Him.

As we read through verse two, we are reminded of Psalm 150:6, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord,” as Davis uses personification of nature to illustration that all creation praises the Creator. The stars and sun “obediently shine.” This brings to mind, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” in Psalm 19:1. Also the hills, mountains, rivers, and oceans, proclaim God to be divine. Davis leaves us with the charge, We too should be voicing our love [to God] and rejoicing. And we shall be, both now and forever, together (“unite in thanksgiving”) in heaven. God deserves our highest praise; we will practice that eternal together this Sunday morning!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/125

Come Thou, Fount (457)

The backstory to “Come Thou Fount” should be an encouragement to all of us, whether your faith has been shaky at times, or if you are praying and concerned about a backslidden loved one.

Robert Robinson grew up in the mid 1700s. His father died when he was a little boy, and by the time he was a teenager, Robert was roaming the streets of London and a part of a gang. One day Robert and his friends happened upon a "gypsy" woman*. They forced her to drink alcohol out of a bottle and got her drunk, jeering and demanding she tell their fortunes. She pointed to Robert and said that he would live to see his children and grandchildren. Those words stunned him, and he thought that if he were going to be a father, he should change his way of life--but he had no idea how to begin. A few days later, Robert and his friends decided it would fun to crash the Methodist tent meeting and shout insults at the preacher and throw things at him. The preacher turned out to be George Whitfield.

That meeting changed his life. Robert Robinson gave his life to Christ and within two years had written the powerful hymn, “Come Thou Fount.” But the story does not end there. After many years, Robert backslid, no longer following Christ in any way. Sad and dissipated, he was truly "prone to wander." But God was not finished with him! One day while traveling by coach, a woman sat next him, humming the tune to “Come Thou Fount.” Making conversation with the stranger beside her, she told him that over the years that song had been a great encouragement to her. She then asked if he knew the song. He his reply was honest,

“Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then.” She encouraged him, saying, 'The streams of mercy are still flowing.'" He repented and had all the joys of his salvation restored to him.

We are blessed to have this hymn and sing it regularly. We were blessed to have the choir sing a choral arrangement of it for us last week. Knowing the backstory can help us appreciate the lyrics all the more. And the Lord can use this hymn to give us hope to persevere in this life of temptations, as well as have hope that God can rescue our loved ones from sin.

 Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/457

*In recent years the term Gypsy is considered offensive and is no longer used. The term had been used for Romanian immigrants who lived in camps and told fortunes.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (529)

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16).

“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” is one of Charles Wesleys’s best-known hymns. The hymn was written in 1747 and has obviously stood the test of time. Currently it appears in over 1,300 hymnals, in many diverse denominations: from Pentecostal to Roman Catholic and everything in between.

The hymn is layered so deeply that the lyrics need to be savored before being sung. The overall structure takes us from God's love in salvation, through God's love in sanctification, through a life lavished in God's love, to our eternity immersed in God's love. Wesley's craftsmanship in praising the love of God is astonishing. It is packed full of scriptural quotes and allusions. Leland Ryken says “every line reminds us of one or more biblical verses.” It is a hymn of superlatives: if God is love, He is love that excels all love. You can read through the words and make note of all the superlatives. God is the superlative of all His attributes, and we, one day, will be lost in wonder, love, and praise!

But more than an exquisitely executed set of lyrics, it is a gift to us. As we sing it, we are able to express praise to God that is far beyond what most of us could craft on our own. We are given beautiful words of praise to worship God and add our voices to the countless voices that have expressed these specific declarations for 276 years. Wesley's hymn about the gift of God's love has a become a gift to us. Let us use it to its fullest to praise God for his “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.”

Amen!

Written by Diane J. and Drew J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/529

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less (#521)

As Pastor Jim said in his sermon last week, some of us were “children of the covenant,” while others had a dramatic conversion story. The lyricist of this week’s hymn, Edward Mote (1797-1874), fits into the latter category. Mote did not grow up in a church-going family. His parents owned a pub in London, and from the earliest age they allowed their small son to wander the streets. As he reflected on his childhood he said, "So ignorant was I that I did not know that there was a God." But then, at the age of 15, he heard the preaching of John Hyatt; he converted, and from then on, he was an “on fire” Christian and a member of the Baptist denomination. He worked as a cabinet maker for forty years before becoming a Baptist minister.

The origin of “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less” has a sweet story behind it. According to Leland Ryken,

On a Sunday when Mote visited a couple in his church who had become shut-ins, the couple informed him about their Sunday routine of singing a hymn and reading from the Bible. Mote thereupon reached into his pocket and retrieved the hymn he had composed while walking to work during the preceding week.

Mote's original title was "The Immutable Basis for a Sinner's Hope." This, to me, sounds like a title for an academic paper, and in the end, when it began to be published in hymnals, like so many poems, the first line became the title.

Looking at the hymn itself, the refrain is based on Jesus’s parable of the wise man who built his house upon the rock, and the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. In verse one there is the line, “I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.” The phrase “sweetest frame” is one that is not part of our everyday vocabulary, but writer Katrina Hoover Lee gives a satisfactory explanation when she writes, “From the context, I conclude that Mote meant he dared not trust anything that claims to be fully satisfying and all-powerful outside of his Savior. It might be himself, or another person, or aspects of life around him. It might even be a good feeling about life.”

Rather than analyze each of the stanzas of this familiar hymn, I just want to list the “important words” so we can feel the impact of their importance. These words are: hope, Jesus, righteousness, rest, grace, anchor, covenant, blood, support, faultless, stand. “In Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

I want to return to Ryken as I close this week. He gives a concise summary of the theme of our hymn, “The theme of the poem [hymn] is thus the redemptive work of Jesus as the sure foundation of a believer’s unwavering hope.”

Let’s meditate on Christ our Rock as we prepare for worship this week.

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/521

How Firm a Foundation (#94)

We can never go wrong singing lyrics taken directly from the Bible. Hymns that are inspired from a passage of scripture and include phrasing from scripture are powerful, true, and God-centered. “How Firm a Foundation” is one such hymn, taking direct inspiration from Isaiah, Deuteronomy, Hebrews, and Matthew.

The first stanza sets the context with the hymn-writer speaking directly to us. His message is that God’s word provides us with an unshakable foundation to get us through the trials of life. We need not have anything more. Stanzas 2-6 are in quotes: these verses are God speaking to us, and we can trace the source of these verses to different places in the Bible.

Let’s compare verse two to Isaiah 41:10. The hymn reads, “Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your/ God and will still give you aid. I’ll strengthen and help you and/ cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.” Isaiah 41: 10 reads,

Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The phrasing is slightly different, and the hymn rhymes, but, essentially, it is the same. The words could not be more comforting: The all-powerful God is with us and will be our help.

Verses three and four are taken from Isaiah 43:2:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.

Water and fire are two opposite elements, both of which can kill us. Some of our trials can be like floodwaters, as we can, at times, feel as if we are drowning in sickness, sorrow, stress, etc. And Peter talks about fiery trials that test our faith. For the early believers, as now, that could mean persecution, but many trials can feel fiery to us. God doesn’t promise us that, as Christians, we will not experience trials, but instead He promises us that He will be with us in the flood and in the fire. Our trials will not destroy us; we are safe in His arms.

Stanza 5 is a lovely and tender promise for aging and elderly Christians—and if we are not already in this group, we all will be one day. This stanza draws on Isaiah 46:4 in which God says, “even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” We all know someone who needs to be encouraged by this verse, and perhaps we need it ourselves today. One beautiful, poetic element of the hymn is that stanza 5 ends with the hymnist comparing us to lambs that He is carrying. Lambs are young sheep. At the beginning of verse 5 we have gray-white hair, and at the end we are lambs. This is a beautiful picture of God carrying us in His loving arms through our final days.

As we come to the final stanza, and as we prepare for worship this Sunday, I will leave you with three scriptures that have their fingerprints on verse 6. The first is from Deuteronomy 31:8: "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Hebrews 13:5 says, “because God has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” And finally, Jesus, in Matthew 28:20 says, “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Our hymn tells us that hell itself may shake us, but God has said, “I never, no never, no never forsake.”
The repetition of “never” is to emphasize the point. Jesus will never leave us. He will carry us through all our trials, even unto old age. Our foundation is sure indeed.

Amen!

Written by Diane Jones
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/94

Rock of Ages (#500)

Tried and true, “Rock of Ages” has been a staple of the Church since the 18th century. Reverend Augustus Toplady first wrote the hymn in 1763; it was then edited and included in a hymnal in 1776. And we should be grateful that it was edited—the original version began verse four thusly: "When my eye-strings break in death..." Thank God for editors.

Toplady was a Reformed Anglican cleric. He knew John Wesley personally, and they sent many letters back and forth arguing Reformed Calvinism vs. Arminianism. To this day “Rock of Ages” appears in Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist hymnals. Actually, the hymn appears in 2,852 hymnals!

Over the years there have been many melodies for this popular hymn. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, probably the melody written by Thomas Hastings in 1831 was the most well-known. Hastings was an American from New England. The rousing, almost martial music puts “Rock of Ages” in the same genre as “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” and “Onward Christian Soldiers.”

Another well-known melody is called PETRA (rock), by Richard Redhead in 1853. And in 1985 James Ward added to the many hymn melodies with his New City Fellowship melody, which is #500 in the Trinity Hymnal. This legato tune is both tender and peaceful, supportive of the message of the hymn.

As we sing “Rock of Ages,” we are immediately reminded of Moses, who had to hide himself in the cleft of the rock, lest he be consumed by God’s glory. But as 1 Corinthians 10:4 reminds us, “that chosen rock was Christ,” (my emphasis) and so, for the song’s four verses, we sing the truths of what Christ has done for us. The blood and water which flowed from His side cleanses us from every sin. Nothing we can bring to Him or do for Him can buy or earn our salvation. We are empty, metaphorically naked, helpless, and filthy: “wash me, Savior, or I die.”

In the final verse, Toplady imagines the day that he dies and stands before the judgement throne of God. How does one endure the glorious presence of God in judgement? “Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.”

Amen!

Written by Diane Jones
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/500

Here is something I wrote years ago, as I was meditating on these truths

Rock of Ages
When Moses said,
“Show me your Glory,”
He didn’t understand.
The stakes were high.
Death by Glory.
But Moses had an appetite,
A sharp, biting
Hunger
For God.
For God Almighty.
“Yes. And I will hide you
In the Rock of Ages.
My hand will cover you.”

And Jesus is the Rock.
Jesus was cleft.
His Passion
Was the cleaving.

And now,
Moses-like
We are safe
Safe in the crevice of
Our Rock.
Show us your Glory.
Give us Moses-hunger
For your Presence.
For your Glory.

dcj

Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord (#465)

Julia H. Johnson (1849-1919) was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, who worked in her church in Peoria, Illinois her entire life. She was the Superintendent of Sunday School, Director of Missions, and author of over 500 titles: books, poems, and hymns. Her mother and grandmother were also poets, and Julia began writing at the age of nine. Her most well-known hymn is one we are singing this Sunday: “Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord,” known in some hymnals as “Grace That is Greater Than All My Sin.”

The scripture that the Trinity Hymnal has paired with this hymn is Romans 5:20; in it we read, “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” The book of Romans is considered by many to be “the deep end of the pool” theologically. How kind of the Lord that even rich doctrine can be understood by everyone, from learned theologians to the simple understanding of children, when set to music. This is a truth that we should meditate on regularly, of course, as it is full encouragement. Let’s look at some phrases from this doctrine-rich hymn, to inspire us as we prepare for worship:

In verse one, Johnson writes, “grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt.” This phrase comes directly from Romans 5:20. The line continues, pointing to the cross of Christ: “there where the blood of the lamb was spilt.” The second verse poetically parallels the ideas of the first: sin and despair roll over us like sea waves, but grace points us back to the cross (where we receive forgiveness!). The third verse engages us with the poetic paradox that the crimson red blood of Jesus washes clean and white the darkest stains of sin. Isaiah 1:18 reads, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” It is a miracle that only the Lord can perform.

“Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord” encourages me, and I hope it encourages you, as well. This week we have the privilege of meditating on God’s grace, which has cleansed us all. And on Sunday we will sing of it together!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/465

Lift High the Cross (#263)

“Lift High the Cross” is a thrilling call to evangelism, drawing on imagery from the crucifixion to impel Christians to follow in the steps of the Savior and proclaim His death and resurrection “till all the world adore His sacred name.” Written in 1887 by George W. Kitchin, another Anglican cleric, and revised in 1916 by Michael R. Newbolt, the lore surrounding the hymn is that Kitchin wrote the hymn after hearing that the emperor Constantine converted to Christianity after seeing a cross with the words "In hoc signo vinces" (lift high the cross) engraved upon it. Although the hymn is frequently sung during Lent (and is in the section of the Trinity Hymnal called “HIS DEATH), Kitchin wrote the hymn for a Missionary Service in Winchester Cathedral. Some churches still reserve this hymn for Mission Sunday.

One interesting element of the hymn is that it begins with the refrain. The opening line is an imperative. “Lift high the cross” seems to be a metaphoric way of saying, “preach the gospel.” And we are to do so until “all the world adores his sacred name.” That is our life’s call.

There are five verses in the Trinity Hymnal. Some highlights from the verses: In verse one we are called to follow in Jesus’s footsteps on the road to Cavalry. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up your cross and follow me.” Verse three is a reference to John 12: 32, “I, when I am lifted up, will draw all men to myself.” Verse four is taken from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. The song’s verse reads, “The Kingdom come, that earth’s despair may cease.” That is a prayer that has never seemed more timely, as society is so contentious at present. Finally, in verse 5, we are reminded that on the cross, Jesus atoned for our sins, and that “creation’s praises rise before thy throne.” As we sing this song with love for the Savior in our hearts, our praises will join with “the hosts of God” (see verse two) and rise to His throne! With that in mind, let us prepare to worship God this Sunday morning!

Amen!

Written by Diane J.
Enjoy the lyrics in full: https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/263