HymnPod

This hymn goes out specially to Cathy. Thanks for introducing me to this marvelous hymn.

Lyrics and Music: C. Austin Miles

Twas Love that gave at greatest cost
A Life, that mine should not be lost
The Love that died in deep despair
My debt fully satisfied there

Refrain:
It was love that took my place
On the cross of Calvary
It was grace, redeeming grace
That paid my ransom full and free
Over sin, without, within,
I have the victory
Thro’ grace, marvellous grace
That lives in me

The Love that freely all forgives
In fullness now within me lives
Thro’ every trial this I see
His grace is sufficient for me

God’s love His mercy and His grace
Combine to raise a fallen race
His hand is ready, ere we call
Held out with forgiveness for all

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Here’s another great hymn with lots of imagery. It is based on Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Lyrics: Daniel W. Whittle
Music: James McGranahan

Once far from God and dead in sin,
No light my heart could see;
But in God’s Word the light I found,
Now Christ liveth in me.

Refrain:
Christ liveth in me,
Christ liveth in me,
Oh! what a salvation this,
That Christ liveth in me.

As rays of light from yonder sun,
The flowers of earth set free,
So life and light and love came forth
From Christ living in me.

As lives the flower within the seed,
As in the cone the tree,
So, praise the God of truth and grace,
His Spirit dwelleth in me.

With longing all my heart is filled,
That like Him I may be,
As on the wondrous thought I dwell
That Christ liveth in me.

Also, check out the following Hymn Almanac – http://wordwisehymns.wordpress.com

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I’ve been wanting to render this hymn for some time but I felt that the piano wouldn’t do justice to this majestic sounding hymn. So, here is an organ version instead from http://www.smallchurchmusic.com

Reginald Heber was born in Apr 21, 1783 to a minister and his wife in an English village. Heber wrote 57 hymns including this one which is based on Rev 4:8-11.

Lyrics: Reginald Heber
Music: John B. Dykes

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

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This is another classic hymn by Fanny Crosby. Let us remember to watch and be ready for the Lord’s coming. Amen.

Lyrics: Frances J. Crosby
Music: William H. Doane

When Jesus comes to reward His servants,
Whether it be noon or night,
Faithful to Him will He find us watching,
With our lamps all trimmed and bright?

Refrain:
Oh, can we say we are ready, brother?
Ready for the soul’s bright home?
Say, will He find you and me still watching,
Waiting, waiting when the Lord shall come?

If, at the dawn of the early morning,
He shall call us one by one,
When to the Lord we restore our talents,
Will He answer thee, “Well done”?

Have we been true to the trust He left us?
Do we seek to do our best?
If in our hearts there is naught condemns us,
We shall have a glorious rest.

Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching,
In His glory they shall share;
If He shall come at the dawn or midnight,
Will He find us watching there?

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Ever wondered how Ira Sankey sounded like? Here’s a sample from his wax cylinder recordings.

http://www.tinfoil.com/vo-scis.htm

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Here’s another familiar favourite from Philip P. Bliss. There is strong imagery used in this gospel hymn.

Lyrics and Music: Philip P. Bliss

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy,
From His lighthouse evermore,
But to us He gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

Refrain:
Let the lower lights be burning!
Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

Dark the night of sin has settled,
Loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.

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This is a classic gospel hymn by Philip P. Bliss. In Ira Sankey’s Sacred Songs and Solos, Jn 6:63 is quoted: “..the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

There is also an interesting story from George Stebbins: “I carried that song through two seasons of evangelistic work, never thinking it possessed much merit, or that it had the element of special usefulness, particularly for solo purpos es. It occurred to me to try it one day du ing the campaign in New Haven, [Connecticut, 1878] and, with the help of Mrs. Stebbins, we sang it as a duet. To our surprise the song was received with the greatest enthusiasm and from that time on to the close of the meetings was the favourite of all the hymns used. As an illustration of the hold it got up on the people all about that section of the country, I received a letter from the Secretary of the Connecticut State Sunday School Association offering me what seemed an absurdly large sum of money, if I would, with Mrs. Stebbins, come to the State Convention and sing that one song.”

Lyrics and Music: Philip P. Bliss

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life;
All so freely given, wooing us to heaven.

Sweetly echo the Gospel call, wonderful words of life;
Offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior, sanctify us forever.

May the words of the Lord Jesus speak to us.

There is also very interesting YouTube version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeyzzIGkoOs

Notice how the hymn is deliberately slowed down at the last stanza and refrain.

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The lyrics of this hymn were written by Featherson when he was only 16 years old. It is likely that Featherson wrote this hymn to celebrate his conversion to Christ. He sent it to his aunt in California and it was somehow published as an anonymous hymn in a British hymnal in 1864.

Lyrics: William R. Featherson
Music: Adoniram J. Gordon

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Jehovah Tsidkenu

Jehovah Tsidkenu is Hebrew for “The Lord Our Righteousness”. This hymn uses the same tune as “My Jesus I Love Thee”. This version goes out by special request to June.

Lyrics: Robert M. McCheyne

I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.

Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu—’twas nothing to me.

When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see—
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Saviour must be.

My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life giving and free—
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.

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This hymn reminds us of the Sovereignty of God. God is still on the throne no matter what happens in this world.

Lyrics and Music: Kittie L. Suffield

Have you started for glory and Heaven?
Have you left this old world far behind?
In your heart is the Comforter dwelling?
Can you say, “Praise the Lord, He is mine”?
Have the ones that once walked on the highway
Gone back, and you seem all alone?
Keep your eyes on the prize, for the home in the skies;
God is still on the throne.

Refrain:
God is still on the throne,
And He will remember His own;
Tho’ trials may press us and burdens distress us,
He never will leave us alone;
God is still on the throne,
He never forsaketh His own;
His promise is true, He will not forget you,
God is still on the throne.

Burdened soul, is your heart growing weary
With the toil and the heat of the day?
Does it seem that your path is more thorny
As you journey along on life’s way?
Go away and in secret before Him
Tell your grief to the Savior alone;
He will lighten your care, for He still answers prayer;
God is still on the throne.

You may live in a tent or a cottage,
Unnoticed by those who pass by;
But a mansion for you He is building
In that beautiful city on high;
It will outshine the wealth and the splendor
Of the richest on earth we have known;
He’s the Architect true, and He’s building for you;
God is still on the throne.

He is coming again, is the promise
To disciples when He went away;
In like manner as He has gone from you,
You will see Him returning some day;
Does His tarrying cause you to wonder,
Does it seem He’s forgotten His own?
His promise is true, He is coming for you;
God is still on the throne.

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This hymn was written by an anonymous person with the initials J. H. This version goes out specially to Sam from South Africa.

Lyrics: J. H.
Music: Asa Hull

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Where can mortal be more blest?
There I lay my sins and sorrows,
And, when weary, find sweet rest;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
There I love to weep and pray;
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day.

Bless me, O my Savior, bless me,
As I sit low at Thy feet;
Oh, look down in love upon me,
Let me see Thy face so sweet;
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus,
Keep me holy as He is;
May I prove I’ve been with Jesus,
Who is all my righteousness.

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