HymnPod

Lyrics and Music: Charles H. Gabriel

In loving-kindness Jesus came,
My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame
Through grace He lifted me.

Refrain:
From sinking sand He lifted me,
With tender hand He lifted me;
From shades of night to plains of light,
Oh, praise His Name, He lifted me!

He called me long before I heard,
Before my sinful heart was stirred,
But when I took Him at His word,
Forgiv’n, He lifted me.

His brow was pierced with many a thorn,
His hands by cruel nails were torn,
When from my guilt and grief, forlorn,
In love He lifted me.

Now on a higher plane I dwell,
And with my soul I know ’tis well;
Yet how or why, I cannot tell,
He should have lifted me.

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Here’s a hymn which is quite military sounding in nature and based on Isa40:31. It can be found in #753 of the Sacred Songs and Solos hymnal compiled by Ira Sankey.

It’s an old hymn but it is new to me. I hope you like these two stanzas which I have rendered.

Lyrics and Music: James McGranahan

Ho, reapers in
the whitened harvest!
Oft feeble, faint and few;
Come, wait upon
the blessed Master,
Our strength He will renew.

Refrain:
For “they that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings,
they shall mount up with wings
as eagles,
They shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint;
They shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint;
They shall run and not be weary,
shall walk and not faint.”

Too oft aweary and discouraged,
We pour a sad complaint;
Believing in a living Saviour,
Why should we ever faint?

Rejoice! For He is with us alway,
Lo, even to the end!
Look up!
Take courage and go forward—
All needed grace He’ll send!

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Lyrics: Carrie E. Breck
Music: Grant Colfax Tullar

Face to face with Christ my Savior,
Face to face, what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ, who died for me?

Refrain:
Face to face shall I behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory
I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkening veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain!

Face to face! oh, blissful moment!
Face to face to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ, who loves me so.

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This is one of my personal favourites. It is an encouraging hymn amidst trying times. Some more information about this hymn over here.

Lyrics: Lucy Milward Booth, Mildred Duff
Music: Lucy Milward Booth

When you feel weakest, dangers surround,
Subtle temptations, troubles abound,
Nothing seems hopeful, nothing seems glad.
All is despairing ; oftentimes sad.

Refrain:
Keep on believing, Jesus is near.
Keep on believing, there’s nothing to fear ;
Keep on believing, this is the way :
Faith in the night as well as the day.

If all were easy, if all were bright.
Where would the cross be ? where would the fight ?
But in the hardness God gives to you
Chances of proving that you are true.

God is your wisdom, God is your might ;
God’s ever near you, guiding the right ;
He understands you, knows all you need ;
Trusting in Him you’ll surely succeed.

Let us press on, then ; never despair !
Live above feeling, victory’s there ;
Jesus can keep us so near to Him,
That nevermore our faith shall grow dim.

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Lyrics and Music: Philip P. Bliss

“Whosoever heareth,” shout, shout the sound!
Spread the blessed tidings all the world around;
Spread the joyful news wherever man is found;
“Whosoever will may come.”

Refrain:
“Whosoever will, whosoever will,”
Send the proclamation over vale and hill;
’Tis a loving Father, calls the wanderer home:
“Whosoever will, may come.”

Whosoever cometh need not delay,
Now the door is open, enter while you may;
Jesus is the true, the only Living Way;
“Whosoever will may come.”

“Whosoever will,” the promise secure,
“Whosoever will,” forever must endure;
“Whosoever will,” ’tis life forevermore:
“Whosoever will may come.”

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This hymn encourages us to press on to nobler things in life. There is an interesting version in 4-part harmony that can be found here.

Lyrics: Johnson Oatman, Jr.
Music: Charles H. Gabriel

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Refrain:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till heav’n I’ve found,
“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

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Lyrics and Music: George Bernard

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

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This hymn was actually born out of disappointment. Black, a Meth­od­ist Sun­day school teach­er in Wil­liams­port, Penn­syl­van­ia, was call­ing roll one day for a youth meet­ing. Young Bes­sie, daugh­ter of a drunk­ard, did not show up, and he was dis­ap­point­ed at her fail­ure to ap­pear. Black made a com­ment to the ef­fect, “Well, I trust when the roll is called up yon­der, she’ll be there.” He later wrote the lyrics and music down effortlessly.

Lyrics and Music: James M. Black

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

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Here’s a grand old hymn by Isaac Watts. I’ve rendered 4 stanzas.

Lyrics: Isaac Watts
Music: Ancient Irish Melody

How sweet and awesome is this place
[originally How sweet and aweful is the place]
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores!

Here every bowel of our God
With soft compassion rolls;
Here peace and pardon bought with blood
Is food for dying souls.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
“Lord, why was I a guest?

“Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there’s room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?”

’Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May with one voice, and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

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Lyrics: Charles W. Naylor
Music: Andrew L. Byers

Can the Lord count you faithful?
Is your heart true today?
Is your life pure and holy?
What does your conscience say?

Refrain:
Can the Lord count on you today?
Will you His pure commands obey—
Ever keep steadfast all the way?
Can the Lord count you faithful?

Look in the Bible, brother,
Then at the way you live:
Can the Lord as He views you
His full approval give?

Can the dear Savior trust you,
Where’er your path may lead,
Staunchly to stand, and loyal?
Will you be His indeed?

“Faithful to death,” the motto
Shines on our banners high;
Faithful to Christ forever,
This is our battle cry.

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