Hymn of the Month: February

"Perfect submission...", wow, now there's a goal for ya. :)

Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

Refrain

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Refrain

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Refrain

Alrighty, so here's the deal on the video. We got a jazz sax rendition, the organ, the piano and the keyboard. While sampling them I kept getting slapped in the face with a video of  "Emily Rose's Exorcism" and the photo they were using to promote the video was...disturbing. SO! If you want to hear this beautiful hymn, how can I  suggest anyone but Third Day? (Crystal Lewis is good too) on itunes. Now, I'm going to go bleach my eyeballs and sing "Jesus Loves Me" for a few hours.

Hymn of the Month: January

Lest we forget...

This Is My Father's World

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

Here's what it sounds like!

Hymn of the Month: December

I guess I could pick any amazing Christmas carol or hymn for this post, but this seems a bit more appropriate for the month of December. This month it's easy to be overwhelmed with material possessions. Things we want, things we need, things we wish we could afford. This hymn makes you stop and think. Evaluate your heart. Ask yourself, "What would I rather have?" and are my actions reflecting that truth? It made me stop, anyway. :)

I'd Rather Have Jesus

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs,
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

YouTube FAIL!! I will not post some sappy, geeked out slide show on this blog and I can't handle the "modern" renditions of this song. Google Alison Krauss "I'd rather have Jesus" if you want to know what it sounds like. ;)

Hymn of the Month: November

Yeah, I missed October....so sad. :(

Moving on, though, "Come, Ye Thankful People Come" is a traditional "Thanksgiving Hymn". I had never heard it until we started attending Calvary. I fell in love with it immediately.

"Come, Ya Thankful People Come"

Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come,
Raise the song of harvest home.
2 All the world is God's own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown
Unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
3 For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore.
4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
Bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified,
In Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come,
Raise the glorious harvest home.

And here is what it sounds like

Hymn of the Month: September

This song reminds me of when I was a kiddo. Good song. Happy song. Like it, big time.  :) Please scroll to the bottom for some video and additional notes.

 Heaven Came Down

O what a wonderful, wonderful day - day I will never forget;
After I'd wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Saviour I met.
O what a tender, compassionate friend - He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, With joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart.

Chorus:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away -
And my night was turned to day -
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
Born of the Spirit with life from above into God's fam'ly divine,
Justified fully thru Calvary's love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer - He saved me, O praise His dear name!

Chorus:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away -
And my night was turned to day -
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
Now I've a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime.
And it's because of that wonderful day when at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal from His precious hand I received.

Chorus:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away -
And my night was turned to day -
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

Ok, few things. 

One: I know David Crowder did a version of this hymn, but I don't particularly like it. It's OK, but I think these two videos really capture the lighter side of this song.

Two: I'm trying to use instrumental variety in the Hymn of the Month posts. Not every song is given justice when played by the acoustic guitar. (Sappy youth ministers everywhere are clawing their faces right now, but it's true) The video I chose below I was drawn to instantly. If I had to guess, I think God probably likes the way this sounds too. :)

Three: I would like to take this opportunity to admit, in sadness and shame, my ignorance and prejudice. I like the Indian culture. I like how visually aesthetic it is, the music, the people always seem happy. I just don't like the polytheistic side of that culture. (as if the American culture isn't polytheistic) This video touched my heart. It was not what I was expecting and I momentarily forgot that just because someone doesn't look or dress like me, it doesn't mean they don't love Jesus like me.

Hymn of the Month: August

Doesn't get any more black'n'white than this. 100% honest, reverent rejoicing. Paints an amazing picture of the unyielding love of Christ. The tune ain't too shabby either!

 O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Here's what it sounds like... The first song played in an intro of sorts, and that song is Be Thou My Vision

Hymn of the Month: July

::sigh:: We just don't write like we used to. This is definitely one of my Top Ten.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Here is what it sounds like...

Hymn of the Month- June

Gotta love this one!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

 

Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood. 

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Hymn of the Month: May

This is one of the hymns that makes me emotional every time I sing it. Probably because it's so true! Sometimes when I think about all of the little, seemingly insignificant but amazingly wonderful things God has made, I feel like my chest cavity is going to burst open! I feel like I could grab the person nearest to me and scream, "Do you understand how wonderful God is ?!?". Maybe one day, I will. Until then, I'll just sing this song, and you should too!

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

 

 

Here's what it sounds like!

Hymn of the Month

A lot of churches don't sing hymns, much, anymore. It's a shame. Everyone wants to sing "praise" music. So, most of us have forgotten the words to these songs or didn't know all of the words to begin with and we're missing out!!

Hence, "Hymn of the Month" is born.

This month, in light of the Easter Holiday (I meant to post this MUCH earlier) the hymn I have chosen is "My Jesus, I Love Thee". Enjoy.

 "My Jesus, I  Love Thee"

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 has 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.

Here is what it sounds like.