Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: As indicated on the Wordwise Hymns link, there is some question about whether Dorothy Thrupp is the author of the text. John Julian even offers Henry Lyte (who wrote Abide with Me) as an alternative. I’m content that the likely source is Miss Thrupp, but if further information is discovered I’ll be glad to consider it.

In my younger years, I remember this hymn was used in our church when there was a baby dedication ceremony. But it seems to me it was rarely sung otherwise. That’s unfortunate. Simple though it is, it contains both divine promise and personal prayer, both assurance and appeal.

CH-1. Believers belong to the Shepherd (Christ), who has bought us with His own shed blood (I Cor. 6:19-20; I Pet. 1:18-19). We look to Him for protective care and nurture (Ps. 23:1-3). The preparation of a fold may refer to Christ’s teaching about Himself as both the Shepherd and the door of the fold where His sheep are kept (Jn. 10:1-18), or perhaps to His preparation of our heavenly home (Jn. 14:1-3).

CH-1) Saviour, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

CH-2 is an extended prayer. Because we belong to the Lord, we seek His companionship, and His protection. Human beings are appropriately compared to sheep many times in the Word of God. In particular, Dorothy Thrupp has in mind our tendency to stumble into sin, and to go astray. We are so prone to wander away from the right path, and from the Shepherd of our souls (Isa. 53:6; Lk. 15:3-7).

CH-3) assures us of the forgiving heart of God, “poor and sinful though we be.” He is merciful to those who seek Him, with “grace to cleanse, and power to free” (Eph. 1:7; I Jn. 1:9). The author pledges, “Early will we turn to Thee.” This, of course, has its application to children, and the hope that early in life they’ll put their faith in the Saviour. But it could also apply to us as adults, when we seem to lose our way. In that sense, it’s a pledge that we’ll keep short accounts with God, as the saying goes. When we sin, we’ll deal with it as quickly as possible.

CH-4 again seems to have its first appeal to the children for whom Dorothy Thrupp so often wrote. We do a great disservice to children if we assume they cannot understand the gospel. For myself, I trusted Christ as my Saviour on August 14th, 1948, when I was seven years old. My own mother prayed with me, and I certainly grasped my basic need for God’s salvation, and the reason for that need. Christ was from that day forward, my “only Saviour,” my only hope of heaven. And I pray with the hymn writer that I will grow in my devotion to Him, and in my diligence in His service. My prayer for myself, and you is:

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell [settle down and be at home in] in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:16-19).

CH-4) Early let us seek Thy favour,
Early let us do Thy will;
Blessèd Lord and only Saviour,
With Thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus!
Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Questions:
1) What is the most important aspect of the Shepherd’s care to you, personally?

2) Why are those who have come to know and love the Shepherd still so prone to stray from Him?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber

Note: The word Noel, alternately spelled Nowell, means Birthday! As the troubadours of the Middle Ages traveled from town to town, they would carry the news from other places. We can picture one of them standing in the town square crying out, “Birthday, birthday, birthday, birthday!” (as the fourfold “Noel” in the refrain indicates) to announce some notable birth. Then he might share a song to give the details. This is possibly the origin of the carol. The commonly used stanzas are: CH-1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8. Regarding the tune, it may actually be a descant borrowed from a tune composed earlier by Jeremiah Clark

There is both good and not-so-good about this song. There are some dubious details included that don’t square with the biblical account. But we need to realize that if the carol is, as some suppose, at least three centuries old, and if it was created as a troubadour song, the writer may not have been learned in the details of what the Bible tells us of the birth of Christ.

CH-1) The first Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

CH-2) They lookèd up and saw a star
Shining in the east, beyond them far;
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.

The “they” of the second stanza seems to relate back to the shepherds in the first. But there is no record in God’s Word that the shepherds saw the star, nor any certainty that it shone in the daytime–though it’s an interesting idea!

One hymn editor has tried to cover the dubious connection of the shepherds with the star by amending the line in CH-2 to “For all to see there was a star.” However, that is no better. We don’t know that all saw the star. It seems best to see the heavenly manifestation as a miracle–perhaps only visible to the wise men, and even to them just at certain times (since they first went to Jerusalem, not Bethlehem).

There is another possible inaccuracy. Stanzas CH-3 and 6 speak of three wise men, but we are not actually told how many there  were. The three gifts could have come from two or ten men. Apart from that, the description of the visit of the magi is fine.

In my view, the unknown author redeems himself with CH-8 which has much to recommend it. Most hymnals and carol books use it as the concluding stanza, ignoring the inferior quality of CH-9. Consider all that is packed into this single stanza.

1) We are called to sing with “one accord.” This is a phrase meaning with one mind, with united passion. It is a description of unity used a number of times just before Pentecost, and of the very early days of the church (Acts 1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24; 5:12).

2) Our praise is directed to our heavenly Lord, and it’s from heaven we expect His soon return (cf. Rom. 8:34; Phil. 3:20; I Thess. 4:16).

3) He is identified as the Creator God–which Christ definitely is (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-16).

4) The Lord, in His omnipotence, called the material realm into being ex nihilo–out of nothing (Ps. 33:6; Heb. 11:3).

5) From our perspective, an even greater wonder is that He paid the price for our sins on the cross of Calvary with His own life’s blood (Acts 20:28; I Pet. 1:18-19).

That is truly wonderful!

CH-8) Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with His blood mankind hath bought.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.

Questions:
1) In your view, what is the most significant emphasis missing in our celebration of Christmas year by year?

2) What do you think is the writer’s purpose in linking the Lord’s creative power with His redemptive work (CH-8)?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: James Montgomery was recognized as a gifted poet, highly esteemed by contemporaries such as Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. In my view, his carol ranks near the pinnacle of our Christmas hymns and carols, perhaps second only to Charles Wesley’s Hark, the Herald Angels Sing. Hymn historians James King and Robert McCutchan both quote an unnamed and effusive commentator saying:

“For comprehensiveness, appropriateness of expression, force, and elevation of sentiment, this hymn may challenge comparison with any hymn that was ever written in any language or country.”

While I might not go quite that far, it is indeed a magnificent hymn. When it was printed in his newspaper on Christmas Eve, 1816, Montgomery called it simply “Nativity.” In later publications he changed the title to “Good Tidings of Great Joy to All People.” Currently, the song takes the opening line as its title.

Most editors now omit the seemingly stern words of CH-5 (see below), but it simply identifies another group that ought to be praising the Lord for the coming of the Saviour. Most hymnals use only CH-1 to 4. A few add one of two Trinitarian doxologies (both given in the Cyber Hymnal link). Even so, though it’s rarely used now, the fifth stanza fits the careful structure of the hymn.

CH-5) Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains.

I have called Angels from the Realms of Glory a hymn, as I often use that term generically in these blogs. However, strictly speaking, it is not praise addressed to God, nor is it a prayer to Him. Therefore, it’s more of an early gospel song (or what the Bible calls a “spiritual song,” Col. 3:16).

The author begins in CH-1 by calling our attention to the announcement of Christ’s birth by the angels (Lk. 2:10-14). The angels’ song of celebration at creation refers to the poetic words of Job 38:4-7, where “morning stars” is poetic imagery for the angels, called in the parallel line “the [heavenly] sons of God.”

CH-1) Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Next, we see a pair of visiting companies come to the Child: the lowly shepherds (CH-2), and the more socially elite magi (CH-3). Then comes another pairing: the saints of God, elevated to sonship through grace (CH-4), and condemned sinners who turn to Christ for salvation (CH-5). This last fits the church liturgy followed by some for Christmas morning, which calls for Psalm 85 to be read. Sinners can rejoice that “mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” in the saving work of Calvary (Ps. 85:10).

Having presented the rationale for the way Mr. Montgomery conceived the structure of the song, I recognize that few today will likely include stanza CH-5. Further, the fourth stanza, appealing as it does to the saints gathered for worship at the Christmas season, does make a fitting conclusion to the hymn. While calling us to celebrate the incarnation, it also points us forward to the return of Christ.

CH-4) Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Questions:
1) What others joined in praise at this wonderful event (see Lk. 1:46-55; 2:25-38)? What do their words add to our understanding of Christ’s coming?

2) For what things are you specifically praising the Lord today?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: Scholar John Stephan, in his extensive study of early manuscripts, has concluded that one from 1743 is the first and original of this hymn, and that Wade wrote both words and music, sometime between 1740 and 1743. In 1841, Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880) gave us the English translation of the commonly used stanzas (CH-1, 3 and 7). As well as being a popular Christmas carol sung in English, the hymn is still sung in the Latin original as well. It begins:

Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte Regem angelorum.
Venite adoremus, venite adoremus,
Venite adoremus Dominum.

This is a song of invitation. Like church bells chiming on a Sunday morning, the carol issues a call to worship.

CH-1) O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

The Word of God contains many such summonses. The first is found in Genesis 7:1, where the Lord calls Noah and his family to find safety in the ark. “The LORD said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household.’” The NIV opts to translate the word as “go.” This is unfortunate. It is a common Hebrew word for come, translated that way hundreds of times in the Old Testament. The significance of “come” is that God is already present in the ark, and is calling them to Himself. It is a reminder that He will be with them in the storm.

Other invitations are issued by the Lord, in both Old and New Testaments.

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price….Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live” (Isa. 55:1, 3).

“Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

With the carol, there is a sense that we are invited to join a time of celebration and praise that has already begun. In the context of the birth of Christ, this of course has to do with echoing the glorious announcement of the angels to the shepherds (Lk. 2:8-14). The song deals with this angelic praise in CH-3, and follows it in CH-4 (a stanza not usually used today) with the shepherds going to “see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us” (vs. 15).

CH-3) Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest.
O come, let us adore Him.

CH-4) See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps.
O come, let us adore Him.

In singing the hymn, believers are positioning themselves as those who are already worshiping the Lord, and are calling for others to join them. It suggests we have found Him infinitely worthy of our adoration, and want others to discover the same. “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation” (Ps. 95:1).

CH-7) Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Questions:
1) What are some of the reasons why we seek the Lord and come to Him?

2) The invitation at the empty tomb to “Come and see” (Matt. 28:6) is followed by the exhortation to “Go and tell” (vs. 7). What is the application of this to our Christian lives?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: The German words (Schonster Herr Jesu) were translated into English by Joseph August Seiss (1823-1904) and by others. The song has traditionally been used as a Christmas hymn, though there’s nothing specifically about the birth of Christ in it.

As to the tune, the tradition that German knights sang it on their way to Jerusalem on a crusade is not the origin of the name. Harvesters in Germany were heard singing the tune in the early 1800′s, and composer Franz Liszt used it as part of “The Crusader’s March,” in his oratorio, The Legend of St. Elizabeth. That is what gave the melody a name. It was later arranged as a hymn tune by Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900), who also composed the tune for the carol It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.

CH-1) Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honour,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

The words “fairest” and “fair,” (yapheh in Hebrew) are found many times in the Old Testament. Signifying either beautiful or handsome, they are used of both men and women, and of the city of Jerusalem (Ps. 48:2), and employed often in the Song of Solomon to describe the king’s bride. One of the descriptions there could be applied in an absolute sense to the Lord Jesus as well. The bridegroom says of his beloved:

“You are all fair…there is no spot in you” (S.S. 4:17).

Christ’s is, however, a beauty of holy character, not of physical appearance (“no spot,” I Pet. 1:17-18). As Isaiah prophesied of His coming, “He has no form or comeliness [majesty]; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2). Paintings with a glowing halo around the head of Jesus are not in keeping with reality. His glory was veiled from human sight in those days (except for His brief revelation of it on the Mount of Transfiguration, Matt. 17:1-2).

Radiating from His inner Person was “the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2) in all its perfection. In addition to His divine character, what impressed others was not the handsomeness of His Person, but the power and authority demonstrated in His words (Matt. 7:29) and works (Jn. 3:2), during His time on earth.

There was a dramatic difference in how He spoke. While others taught “As rabbi so-and-so says…” Christ was able to speak as the Source of truth, “I say to you…” (e.g. Matt. 5:20, 22, 28, 32, 34, 44). And in His works He repeatedly demonstrated the power of God (Jn. 5:36; Acts 2:22; 10:38).

Stanza CH-4 is not found in all hymn books, but I love it especially, as it voices a personal testimony.

CH-4) All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Saviour, art to me.

CH-5) Beautiful Saviour! Lord of the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honour, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

Questions:
1) Often the world’s definition of beauty is warped or limited. What definition would you use that would fit the Lord Jesus?

2) What is the most beautiful thing about Christ to you personally?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Vernon Charlesworth, and Ira Sankey)
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: The Wordwise Hymns links tell what is known of Vernon Charlesworth, and give more information on Ira Sankey. The Cyber Hymnal link give you pictures of both men. Mr. Charlesworth wrote the original text around 1880. Five years later, Ira Sankey says he saw it printed in a small London paper called The Postman. It was being sung by the fishermen in the north coast of England, to what Sankey called “a weird minor tune.” He wrote the more singable melody, and likely added the refrain himself.

CH-1) The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

The twin images of a storm, and a sheltering rock, are used frequently in Scripture to depict the trials and troubles of the believer’s life, and the protecting care of the Lord. It’s not surprising that many of these appear in the book of Psalms, which is a book representing the devotional life of the saints–and it was also the hymn book of Israel, and the early church.

“Give ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide Yourself from my supplication….I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest” (Ps. 55:1, 8). “The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid” (Ps. 18:4). “You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them” (Ps. 89:9). “You…still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples” (Ps. 65:7). “He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven” (Ps. 107:29-30).

“To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock” (Ps. 28:1). “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Ps. 18:2). “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved….In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Ps. 62:2, 7). “The LORD has been my defense, and my God the rock of my refuge” (Ps. 94:22).

We should further note that the Lord Jesus Christ is described as a rock, and as the foundation and chief cornerstone of the church (Eph. 2:19-20; I Pet. 2:6-7). “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 3:11). The Apostle Paul also says that He is the same One who aided Israel in the wilderness: “That Rock was Christ” (I Cor. 10:4). Whenever we find ourselves tossed about by the storms of life, it is a wonderful comfort to know that the Lord of the storm is with us (cf. Matt. 8:23-27).

CH-4) O Rock divine, O Refuge dear,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near,
A Shelter in the time of storm.

Questions:
1) What are some of the “storms” we commonly face in our lives, physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, financial, and so on?

1) What kind of storms are you facing in your life today? Take a look once more at the Scriptures quoted above, and make them your own prayer to the Lord?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Vernon Charlesworth, and Ira Sankey)
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: Watts’ original hymn had ten stanzas, of which four are usually used in modern hymnals (CH-1, 3, 9 and 10). Watts had “But favourites of the heavenly King,” in stanza 3. More usually today it’s written as “But children of the heavenly King.”

There are two distinctly different versions of this hymn–sometimes put side by side in hymnals. One uses a tune written by James Mountain, and includes a refrain, as below. The common tune for the other is St. Thomas (also called Williams) by Aaron Williams (1731-1776), which has no refrain. I’ve made use of both over the years. At the Wordwise Hymns link, you can hear an example of the haunting Sacred Harp shaped note singing of this hymn (to yet another tune).

Twice in this hymn (in stanzas CH-2 and 6, omitted today) Watts uses the word “pleasures.” From CH-2 we have:

Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less.

Perhaps that shocked the Puritans of his time, who often thought of their religion as necessarily austere and sober. (Another author speaks of “the grimness of much eighteenth century nonconformist piety.”) But delight in the Lord fitted Watts’s own understanding of the Scriptures. He saw the Christian walk as one of joy and rejoicing, by the grace of God. His original title for the song was, “Heavenly Joy on Earth.”

In his book, An Annotated Anthology of Hymns, J. R. Watson makes this comment:

“This is Isaac Watts in the mood of a seventeenth century Puritan, journeying with his friends (‘Come we’) toward the Celestial City, as Bunyan had described it shortly before in The Pilgrim’s Progress.

One wonders whether the opening words of CH-3 were intentional: “Let those refuse to sing, / Who never knew our God,” meaning to suggest that if a professing Christian was morose and lugubrious, perhaps it was because he didn’t really have a personal relationship with the Lord! We need to be sensitive to those in painful situations though, and compassionate. When Christians are going through difficult trials, we need to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15).

In quite another vein, many years ago, the choir in a New England church took offense when a stranger, leading the service in the absence of the pastor, disregarded some of their traditional rules. In retaliation, they refused to sing the hymns during the service. That is, they did so until the visitor asked all to sing stanza CH-3 of Watts’s song. It’s reported that it had the desired effect on the choir!

In the words of Edgar Stites’s gospel song Beulah Land, this earth is “heaven’s borderland,” for God’s people, where we surely can experience a foretaste of heavenly joys. Christ came that we might have abundant life (Jn. 10:10). And the resurrection of Christ brought “great joy” to His followers (Matt. 8:6-9). We serve a risen Saviour! Appropriately the joy and rejoicing the believer is mentioned dozens of times in the New Testament (e.g. Rom. 14:17; 15:13; Gal. 5:22; Col. 1:11; I Thess. 1:6). As to the future, we’re to “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2).

1) Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne,
And thus surround the throne.

We’re marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion,
The beautiful city of God.

CH-10) Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
To fairer worlds on high,
To fairer worlds on high.

Questions:
1) The Christian life can have both its joys and sorrows. What are some of the reasons for each?

2) What kind of misunderstanding (or misapplication of Scripture) has led some to conclude that the Christian life is to be a sober, joyless affair?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: The revisionists are troubled by the use of “fathers” in the opening line. One hymnal has amended this to “God of the ages.” Pardon me, but this is silliness! It’s clear that forefathers are in view–a common designation for ancestors. Given that the song was written for the American Centennial in 1876, possibly the author had men such as George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson specifically in mind–the nation’s founding “fathers.”

Daniel Roberts called himself a simple “country parson,” and submitted his hymn to the Centennial planning committee anonymously. He was happy to stay in the background. Though Pastor Roberts suggested an old tune that could be used, George Warren was asked to compose one especially for the hymn. With its unique trumpet fanfare before each stanza, it provides a superb setting for the text.

Though there is no mention of Christ and the foundational importance of the gospel of grace, this remains a truly magnificent national hymn. It was written by a Christian clergyman, and when he speaks of God’s love, God’s Word, and the One who should receive the glory for blessings enjoyed (CH-2), there is no question what he means. This is a hymn that can (and should) be sung by all Christians, even in countries other than the United States, since there are no explicit references in it to that nation.

In our day, the concept of “the separation of church and state” has been grossly misapplied. In the United States Constitution, the First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion [i.e. creating an official state church], or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This is abundantly clear. And there was no intention of utterly secularizing all of public life.

But it has now been warped to mean that there can be no expression of religious faith at government sanctioned events, in public schools, and more. Other nations have followed the same prohibition, removing virtually any admission that our blessings come from God, and we are accountable to Him for how we use them. This is not a step forward!

It’s certainly not in keeping with the strong statement made by Daniel Roberts’ hymn. Even a brief look at the lyrics will show it is solidly biblical, and says some significant things.

CH-1. God created an immense and beautiful universe of stars and planets, and He holds them in their place (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 19:1; Col. 1:16-17). To Him we are grateful, and lift our songs to praise to the throne of the Almighty.

CH-2. We can look back on the way God has led us, and blessed our nation with freedom. We desire that the Lord be our Ruler still, guarding and guiding us day by day. For this to happen, we realize that we must obey His Word, and do His will.

CH-3. We call upon God to protect us from our enemies, and from those natural disasters that threaten us. May we continue to experience the Lord’s “bounteous goodness” in a land of peace and lawful order.

We want what Daniel Roberts calls God’s “true religion” to be expressed in our society. “Religion” may be defined as what believers do for God. It isn’t religion that saves us. Only in the finished work of Christ on the cross can do that, through personal faith in Him (Jn. 3:16). But religion involves the application of Christian principles, and consistent godly conduct by the people of God. James puts it this way:

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:26-27).

CH-4) We need to experience the grace of God (His enablement) if we are to express His love to those around us. Life isn’t always easy. We need the daily blessing of divine refreshment, as we look forward to a better day to come. And I would argue Scripture teaches that ultimately that “better day” will be ushered in when the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Prince of Peace” returns to reign, to His great glory (Isa. 2:4; 9:6-7).

CH-1) God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendour through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

CH-2) Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

Questions:
1) What particular national blessings do you thank the Lord for?

2) What can you do to counteract the sad secularizing of the government, the media, and so on?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Philip Bliss)
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: This is a marvelous hymn. It works well for Easter time, for a Communion Service, or any time at all. With instruction from the service leader, it is effective for the congregation to sing the first three lines of CH-1 through CH-4 softly, with a crescendo on the last line each time. The final stanza (CH-5) should all be sung brightly, and a bit more quickly.

The opening line of this hymn comes from Isaiah 53:3, which describes the Saviour as “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” And why did the Son of God come to earth as Man and suffer so? He came to reclaim “ruined sinners.” The word “perish” in John 3:16 might legitimately be rendered “come to eternal ruin.” That is our destiny, as sinners condemned by a holy God, because all have sinned (Rom.3:23). But Christ came to rescue us.

CH-1) Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

CH-2) Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

“Shame and scoffing rude,” indeed. Leading up to the actual crucifixion there was abuse from both Jews and Gentiles (Matt. 27:27-31; Mk. 15:16-20; Lk. 22:63; 23:11; Jn. 18:22; 19:1-3). Again, why did He do it?

Sinners are under God’s condemnation (Jn. 3:18, 36), and as such are “guilty, vile, and helpless” (CH-3, apart from the intervention of a gracious God. But at the cross the Lord Jesus bore the wrath of God for our sins. He took our place, bearing our sins and condemned to die (I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; I Pet. 2:23-24; 3:18).

“‘It is finished!’ was His cry” (CH-4; cf. Jn. 19:30). The Greek word Christ used is tetelesti, meaning paid in full. “The Lord [Jehovah] has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6). “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (I Jn. 2:2). Our salvation is not earned by our own good works, or by church membership, or following certain rituals. All that needs to be done has been done. Now we are invited simply to receive the Saviour’s payment in faith (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31).

As the book of Revelation shows, our song of praise for all that Christ has done for us will continue on through the endless ages of eternity.

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:5-6).

“They sang a new song [in heaven], saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll [likely the title deed to the earth], and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10).

“Alleluia! [another form of “Hallelujah!] Salvation and glory and honour and power belong to the Lord our God” (Rev. 19:1).

CH-5) When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Questions:
1) Scan the full version of this hymn (see the Cyber Hymnal link). What are some reasons there what Christians can wholeheartedly exclaim, “Hallelujah! What a Saviour!”?

2) Have you personally trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your only salvation? What differences does this make in your daily life?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Philip Bliss)
The Cyber Hymnal

Note: The tune Mr. Lillenas wrote for this 1917 gospel song flows along very easily, and the tendency is to sing it a bit too fast. This in turn can leave a congregation breathless, since most of the word lines end with an eighth note. (Little time to take a breath!) Having said that, this is a fine song, and its message is much needed in our day.

CH-1) The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
’Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal,
And they glow with a light sublime.

The Bible stands though the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.

The Bible declares itself to be the trustworthy Word of the living God (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:21). Clearly, the men of Old Testament times believed they were communicating God’s message, repeating, as they do some 2,000 times, the phrase, “Thus says the Lord…” The Lord Jesus affirmed similarly, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matt. 24:35; cf. 5:18). And the apostles in the New Testament also believed they had received an inspired revelation from Almighty God (Gal. 1:11-12; I Pet. 1:25).

God’s revelation was progressive. That is, through the pages of Scripture, as time passed, He revealed more and more. But what comes later does not contradict what came before. All of His Word is “God-breathed” (II Tim. 3:16), and it’s true and faithful (Jn. 17:17). “God…cannot lie;” and the Bible is His “faithful word” (Tit. 1:2, 9; cf. Num. 23:19).

“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89). “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isa. 40:8). God declares, “My word…shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isa. 55:11).

One particular way this touches our lives is through the promises of God. We can count on the Lord to fulfil His Word. When Israel was settled in the Promised Land, Joshua reminded them, “Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Josh. 23:14; cf. 21:45).

Years later, with the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, King Solomon noted the same thing: “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (I Kgs. 8:56).

Down through the centuries, sinful men have tried to destroy the Bible, to outlaw it, to discredit it. But every attempt has failed. The Bible has outlived them all. The eighteenth century philosopher Voltaire boasted,

“It took centuries to build up Christianity, but I’ll show how just one Frenchman can destroy it within fifty years.

Well, he tried, writing scathing diatribes against God and His faithful Word. But ironically, after his death, Voltaire’s home was purchased, and it became the Paris headquarters for the British and Foreign Bible Society! The philosopher’s writings have been all but forgotten, except by historical scholars. But the Bible remains the world’s best seller. God will not be mocked by puny men (Gal. 6:7).

CH-2) The Bible stands like a mountain towering
Far above the works of men;
Its truth by none ever was refuted,
And destroy it they never can.

CH-4) The Bible stands every test we give it,
For its Author is divine;
By grace alone I expect to live it,
And to prove and to make it mine.

Questions:
1) What is one way we can demonstrate the trustworthiness of God’s Word, day by day?

2) Why is it that individuals down through history have tried so desperately to destroy the Bible?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns
The Cyber Hymnal