This hymn was sung a lot in our church, and I remembered the name of the author, as given in the hymnal: Felice De Giardini. He published the music in 1769. No one knows who wrote the lyrics, sometimes attributed to Charles Wesley.
Here it is from the choir at St. Peter’s RC Church in Columbia, South Carolina.
Before I wade out into dirty waters, I hope none of you mind if I play Light of the World again: words by Charles Wesley, music by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, content by the Holy Spirit.
Christ Out Lord shall set His throne upon the earth.
How I love this hymn! This Is My Father’s World, written by Maltbie Babcock in 1901, from his farm in upstate New York, and set to a traditional English melody in 1915 (according to Cyberhymnal–I don’t actually know all this stuff!), and here performed by the kids at Fountainview Academy, British Columbia. It really goes well with canoeing smoothly over glassy water…
Psalm 23 set to music, and sung by the choir of Wells Cathedral, England–it’s not worth trying to remain unmoved by this. We ought not ever to forget that we have a Shepherd who looks after us, and is with us even through the valley of the shadow of death: for He Himself passed through it once, and He will bring us through it, and out into the light on the other side.
This is another Sunday school favorite: I Love to Tell the Story, written by Arabella Hankey in 1868 and sung gorgeously by the Harpeth Gospel Choir. Amazing, what trained human voices can do in praise of the Lord!
Susan requested this one: a new version of Come, Ye Disconsolate, performed by the Spire Choir of the London Symphony Orchestra, with an added verse by Rob Gardner. Let me see if I can post the lyrics for you: the original was by Thomas Moore (The Minstrel Boy, Those Endearing Young Charms), in 1816.
Ah, here we are–http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Come_Ye_Disconsolate/
The great thing is, we who are His people, we will see Christ crowned! We will see it–King of Kings and Lord of Lords, whose right it is to rule Creation.
Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this rendition by the kids at Fountainview Academy.
Another hymn I’ve always loved, since I heard it first in Sunday school–Bringing in the Sheaves. Sung here by Burl ives, one of the great voices of the 1950s and 60s–and follow the lyrics. Sowing with tears, but reaping with joy: so God’s word has promised us.
This ancient Irish hymn, sung here by Nathan Pacheco, dates back to the 8th century. I hope it moves you as it moves me.
Sometimes a day of tracking the news just knocks the stuffing out of me. This hymn, and God’s grace, puts it back in: Who Would True Valor See, words by John Bunyan–who knew a thing or three about these things!–with music by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band.
Meanwhile, what can be done for a great city sliding into sin? That was a sticking-point today, for my new book, The Temptation. And, as He has so often done before, the Lord gave me the next step in telling the story–something I never would have thought of on my own. Something that, quite frankly, blew me away.
For which I give Him the glory and my thanks, and pray my work will be fruitful in His service.
