Wordwise Hymns

Thomas Toke Lynch, the son of a physician, was an English clergyman who served a number of churches. In the late 1850’s he was bedridden with illness and took three years to recover, but the last decade of his life was spent in active ministry. Visitors from other congregations were blessed by the freshness and spirituality of his preaching. Lynch also wrote extensively, both prose and poetry. His last words at death were, “Now I am going to begin to live!”

In 1868 he published the words of the Christmas hymn, A Thousand Years Have Come and Gone. If you sing it, and wish to bring the first line into the twenty-first century, it might be changed to “and still a thousand more.”

A thousand years have come and gone, and near a thousand more,
Since happier light from heaven shone than ever shone before:
And in the hearts of old and young a joy most joyful stirred.
That sent such news from tongue to tongue as ears had never heard.

And we are glad, and we will sing, as in the days of yore;
Come all, and hearts made ready bring, to welcome back once more
The day when first on wintry earth a summer change began,
And, dawning in a lowly birth uprose the Light of man.

(2) Today in 1865 – William Booth began his ministry
Among the poor and disenfranchised of the city of London, General Booth began a service for Christ that would eventually spread around the world. The work at first was called simply The Christian Mission, but Booth later adopted the name known today, the Salvation Army. Innovative, and sometimes criticized for its methods, it has grown to be widely respected for a holy zeal that translates into a practical, shoe-leather kind of Christianity.

Though he wrote other songs, Boundless Salvation has been so identified with Booth that the Army labeled it “The Founder’s Song.” (For more about William Booth and his song, see the second item under Today in 1817.) It is a soul-stirring celebration of God’s great salvation. As the book of Hebrews puts it, Christ has purchased for us “so great a salvation” and an “eternal salvation” (Heb. 2:3; 5:9). “He is also able to save to the uttermost [completely and forever] those who come to God through Him” (Heb. 7:25).

O boundless salvation! deep ocean of love,
O fullness of mercy, Christ brought from above,
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, now flowing for all men,
Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me!

The tide is now flowing, I’m touching the wave,
I hear the loud call of the Mighty to Save;
My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;
I plunge ’neath the waters, I plunge ’neath the waters,
I plunge ’neath the waters they roll over me.

(3) We Bless Thee for Thy Peace, O God (Data Missing)
Here is a lovely hymn the authorship of which is unknown. It magnifies the peace of God in the heart of the believer, a peace that we can claim through prayerful trust in Him.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through CHrist Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).

We bless Thee for Thy peace, O God,
Deep as th’unfathomed sea,
Which falls like sunshine on the road
Of those who trust in Thee.

We ask not, Father, for repose
Which comes from outward rest,
If we may have through all life’s woes
Thy peace within our breast.

That peace which suffers and is strong,
Trusts where it cannot see,
Deems not the trial-way too long,
But leaves the end with Thee.

That peace which flows serene and deep,
A river in the soul,
Whose banks a living verdure keep,
God’s sunshine o’er the whole.

O Father, give our hearts this peace,
Whate’er the outward be,
Till all life’s discipline shall cease,
And we go home to Thee.