Hymns for 30th January 2022

 

721 Love divine

 

Love divine, all loves excelling,

joy of heaven, to earth come down,

fix in us thy humble dwelling,

all thy faithful mercies crown.

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Jesu, thou art all compassion,

pure unbounded love thou art;

visit us with thy salvation,

enter every trembling heart.

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Come, almighty to deliver,

let us all thy grace receive;

suddenly return, and never,

never more thy temples leave.

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Thee we would be always blessing,

serve thee as thy hosts above;

pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,

glory in thy perfect love.

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Finish then thy new creation:

pure and spotless let us be;

let us see thy great salvation

perfectly restored in thee;

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Changed from glory into glory

till in heaven we take our place,

till we cast our crowns before thee,

lost in wonder, love, and praise.

 

CHARLES WESLEY (1707-1788)

 

 

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Psalm 48

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1.     Great is the Lord and | highly • to be | praised : in the city of our God, even up|on his | holy | hill.

2.     The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the | whole | earth : upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King, God is well known in her palaces | as a | sure | refuge.

3.     For lo the | kings of the | earth : are gathered and | gone | by to|gether.

4.     They marvelled to | see such | things : they were astonished and | suddenly | cast | down.

5.     Fear came there upon | them and | sorrow : as upon a | woman | in her | travail.

6.     Thou shalt | break the | ships of the | sea : | through the | east | wind.

7.    (2nd Part)    Like as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of | our | God : God up|holdeth the | same for|ever.

8.     We wait for thy loving|kindness O | God : in the | midst of | thy | temple.

9.     O God according to thy Name, so is thy praise unto the | world's | end : thy right | hand is | full of | righteousness.

10.   Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughter of | Judah be | glad : be|cause of | thy | judgements.

11.   Walk about Sion and go | round a|bout her : and | tell the | towers there|of.

12.   Mark well her bulwarks, set | up her | houses : that ye may tell | them that | come | after.

13.   For this God is our God for | ever and | ever : he shall be our | guide | unto | death.

 

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.|  A’men.

 

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245 Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost

 

Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,

taught by thee, we covet most

of thy gifts at Pentecost,

holy, heavenly love.

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Love is kind, and suffers long,

love is meek, and thinks no wrong,

love and death itself more strong;

therefore give us love.

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Prophecy will fade away,

melting in the light of day;

love will ever with us stay;

therefore give us love.

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Faith will vanish into sight;

hope be emptied in delight;

love in heaven will shine more bright;

therefore give us love.

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Faith and hope and love we see

joining hand in hand agree;

but the greatest of the three,

and the best, is love.

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From the overshadowing

of thy gold and silver wing

shed on us, who to thee sing,

holy, heavenly love.

 

CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH (1807-1885)

 

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242 Come Holy Spirit (omit v.4)

 

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

Inflame our souls with love,

transforming every heart and home

with wisdom from above.

O let us not despise

the humble path Christ trod,

but choose, to shame the worldly-wise,

the foolishness of God.

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Come with the gift to heal

the wounds of guilt and fear,

and to oppression's face reveal

the kingdom drawing near.

Where chaos longs to reign,

descend, O holy Dove,

and free us all to work again

the miracles of love.

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Spirit of truth, arise;

inspire the prophet's voice:

expose to scorn the tyrant's lies,

and bid the poor rejoice.

O Spirit, clear our sight,

all prejudice remove,

and help us to discern the right,

and covet only love.

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Come, Holy Spirit, dance

within our hearts today,

our earthbound spirits to entrance,

our mortal fears allay.

And teach us to desire,

all other things above,

that self-consuming holy fire,

the perfect gift of love!

 

MICHAEL FORSTER (b.1946)

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57 Ye servants of the Lord

 

Ye servants of the Lord,

each in his office wait,

observant of his heavenly word,

and watchful at his gate.

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Let all your lamps be bright,

and trim the golden flame;

gird up your loins as in his sight,

for aweful is his name.

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Watch! 'tis your Lord's command,

and while we speak, he's near;

mark the first signal of his hand,

and ready all appear.

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O happy servant he

in such a posture found!

he shall his Lord with rapture see,

and be with honour crowned.

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Christ shall the banquet spread

with his own royal hand,

and raise that faithful servant's head

amid the angelic band.

 

PHILIP DODDRIDGE (1702-1751)

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