Am F Dm C G C / E Am E Am / F Dm C G C / E Am E Am
Em F G F C / F A7 Dm A / D7 G C G D G / C F G C
A stable-lamp is lighted
Whose glow shall wake the sky;
The stars shall bend their voices,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
And straw like gold shall shine;
A barn shall harbor heaven,
A stall become a shrine.
This child through David's city
Shall ride in triumph by;
The palm shall strew its branches,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
Though heavy, dull, and dumb,
And lie within the roadway
To pave his kingdom come.
Yet he shall be forsaken,
And yielded up to die;
The sky shall groan and darken,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry
For stony hearts of men:
God's blood upon the spearhead,
God's love refused again.
But now, as at the ending,
The low is lifted high;
The stars shall bend their voices,
And every stone shall cry.
And every stone shall cry,
In praises of the child,
By whose descent among us,
The worlds are reconciled.
Labels: christmas
¶ Tuesday, June 26, 2007 0 comments
That is makeles:
King of all kings
To her son she ches.
He came al so stille
There his moder was,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the grass.
He came al so stille
To his moder's bour,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the flour.
He came al so stille
There his moder lay,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the spray.
Moder and maiden
Was never none but she:
Well may such a lady
Goddes moder be. ¶ Tuesday, June 26, 2007 0 comments
Words: Henry More (1614-1687). Music: Von Himmel Hoch, from Geistliche Lieder, by Valentin Schumann (Leipzig, Germany: 1539); harmony by Johann S. Bach (MIDI, score). |
The holy Son of God most high,
For love of Adam’s lapsèd race,
Quit the sweet pleasures of the sky
To bring us to that happy place.
His robes of light He laid aside,
Which did His majesty adorn,
And the frail state of mortals tried,
In human flesh and figure born.
Whole choirs of angels loudly sing
The mystery of His sacred birth,
And the blest news to shepherds bring,
Filling their watchful souls with mirth.
The Son of God thus man became,
That men the sons of God might be,
And by their second birth regain
A likeness to His deity.
Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord (London: William Strahan, 1745), number 5. Music: St. John (Parish), Parish Choir, 1851; attributed to William H. Havergal (MIDI, score). |
Chords (Joan of Arc): C G F C / D G D C G / G Dm F C G
| Original Lyrics | Alternate (Joan of Arc) |
|---|---|
| Let earth and Heaven combine, He laid His glory by, See in that Infant’s face Unsearchable the love He deigns in flesh t’appear, Made perfect first in love, | And now, let earth and Heaven combine, Our God contracted to a span, See how He laid His glory by, Infinity in Infant face In vain; ye angels gaze no more, Unsearchable the holy love He deigns in frail flesh t’appear, And we the life of God shall know, For we, made perfect first in love, |
Labels: 18th c., christmas, wesley
¶ Tuesday, June 12, 2007 0 comments
Words: Thomas Pestel (1584-1659), in Sermons and Devotions Old and New, as stanzas 5-9 of “A Psalm for Christmas Day Morning” (starting “Fairest of morning lights appear”).
Music: This Endris Nyght, 15th Century (MIDI, score).
C G Am Em / F E / F C Dm Am / C G C
Behold the great Creator makes
Himself a house of clay,
A robe of virgin flesh He takes
Which He will wear for ay.
Hark, hark, the wise eternal Word,
Like a weak infant cries!
In form of servant is the Lord,
And God in cradles lies.
This wonder struck the world amazed,
It shook the starry frame;
Squadrons of spirits stood and gazed,
Then down in troops they came.
Glad shepherds ran to view this sight;
A choir of angels sings,
And eastern sages with delight
Adore this King of kings.
Join then, all hearts that are not stone,
And all our voices prove,
To celebrate this holy One
The God of peace and love.
This hymn is from a poem by Thomas Pestel[l] (c1586-1667), in Sermons and Devotions Old and New (1639). The above are stanzas 5-9 of A Psalm for Christmas Day Morning. The first 4 verses (printed in a book of his poems in 1940) are as follows:Fairest of morning lights, appear,
Thou blest and gaudy day,
On which was born our Saviour dear;
Arise and come away.
See, see, our pensive breasts do pant,
Like gasping land we lie,
Thy holy dews our souls do want.
We faint, we pine, we die.
Let from the skies a joyful rain
Like mel or manna fall
Whose searching drops our sins may drain,
And quench our sorrows all.
This day prevents His day of doom;
His mercy now is nigh;
The mighty God of Love is come,
The dayspring from on high.
[Gaudy = feast; mel = honey; prevents = comes before; doom = judgment]
Labels: 17th c., chords, christmas
¶ Tuesday, June 12, 2007 0 comments
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matthew 13:46
I've found the Pearl of greatest price,
My heart doth sing for joy;
And sing I must, for Christ is mine;
Christ shall my song employ.
Christ is my Prophet, Priest and King;
A Prophet full of light,
My great High Priest before the throne,
My King of heav'nly might.
For He indeed is Lord of lords,
And He the King of kings;
He is the Sun of righteousness,
With healing in His wings.
Christ is my Peace; He died for me,
For me He gave His blood;
And as my wondrous Sacrifice,
Offered Himself to God.
Christ Jesus is my All in all,
My Comfort and my Love,
My Life below, and He shall be
My Joy and Crown above.
Words: Possibly John Mason (circa 1645-1694).
Music: "Martyrdom," Hugh Wilson, 1800; arranged by Ralph E. Hudson, circa 1885
Labels: 17th c.
¶ Tuesday, June 12, 2007 0 comments
| Latin lyrics | Literal English translation |
|---|---|
| Salve virgo virginum | Hail virgin of virgins |
The Lord by right of the lords of earth
Let angels sing of a king newborn
The world is weaving a crown of thorn
A crown of thorn for that infant head
Cradled soft in a manger bed.
Infant hands in a mother's hand,
For none but Mary can understand
Whose are the hands and the fingers curled
But his who fashioned and made our world:
And through those hands in the hour of death
Nails shall strike to the wood beneath. ¶ Friday, June 08, 2007 0 comments
with all the works of God proclaim
the Child of Bethlehem who came
for love and love alone.
Come earth and air and sky and sea,
bear witness to his deity
who lived, the Man of Galilee,
for love and love alone.
By faith behold the Crucified,
his arms of mercy open wide,
the Lamb of Calvary, who died
for love and love alone.
Let every eye his glories see,
who was, and is, and is to be;
who reigns as Christ in Majesty
for love and love alone.
O world, by strife and sorrow torn,
new hope is yours on Christmas morn,
the Prince of Peace a child is born,
for love and love alone. ¶ Friday, June 08, 2007 0 comments
 François H. Barthélémon (1741-1808) | Words: Paraphrase of Psalm 69; author unknown. Music: Ballerma, François H. Barthélémon (1741-1808), adapted by Robert Simpson in A Selection of Original Sacred Music, 1833 (MIDI, score). |
Though I am poor and sorrowful,
Hear Thou, O God, my cry;
Let Thy salvation come to me
And lift me up on high.
Then will I praise my God with song,
To Him my thanks shall rise,
And this shall please Jehovah more
Than offered sacrifice.
The meek shall see it and rejoice;
Ye saints, no more be sad;
For lo, Jehovah hears the poor
And makes his His prisoners glad.
Let Heaven and earth and seas rejoice,
Let all therein give praise,
For Zion God will surely save,
Her broken walls will raise.
In Zion they that love His Name
Shall dwell from age to age,
Yea, there shall be their lasting rest,
Their children’s heritage.
 Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) | Words: Francis of Assisi, circa 1225 (Cantico di fratre sole, Song of Brother Sun). He wrote this hymn shortly before his death, but it was not published for almost 400 years. Translated to English by William H. Draper for a children’s Whitsuntide festival in Leeds, England; first appeared in the Public School Hymn Book, 1919. Music: Lasst Uns Erfreuen, Ausserlesene Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesäng (Köln, Germany: Peter von Brachel, 1623); harmony by Ralph Vaughan Williams in The English Hymnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1906), number 519 (MIDI, score). |  Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) |
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D Bm A x2
D G D Bm E A
D Bm A x2
G A D Em G Bm
Bm E A x2 G A D
C Am G x2
C F C Am D G
C Am G x2
F G C Dm F Am
Am D G x2 F G C
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
The Canticle of the Sun
by Francis of Assisi
Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.
Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.
Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.
Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.
Labels: 13th c., chords, creation
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments
 Martin F. Shaw (1875-1958) | Words: Cecil F. Alexander, Hymns for Little Children, 1848. Alexander is thought to have written these lyrics at Markree Castle, near Sligo, Ireland. Music: Royal Oak, 17th Century English melody; arranged by Martin F. Shaw, 1915 (MIDI, score). Alternate tunes:
|  Cecil F. Alexander (1818-1895) |
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Labels: 19th c., chords, creation
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments
 Conrad Kocher (1786-1872) |
Music: Dix, Conrad Kocher, 1838 (MIDI, score). Alternate tunes:
- England’s Lane, English melody, adapted by Geoffrey Shaw, 1919 (MIDI, score)
- Jesu, Meine Zuversicht, Johann Crüger (1598-1662), adapted by Johann S. Bach (1685-1750) (MIDI, score)
- Ratisbon, Johann G. Werner, 1815 (MIDI, score)
- Warden, James Turle, in A Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, by Turle and E. Taylor, 1844 (MIDI, score)
This hymn was sung in the 1994 version of the movie Little Women, which was nominated for several Academy Awards.
If you have access to a picture of Folliot Pierpoint that we could put online, please click here.
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E A E A B E
E B E A F#m7 B E
D G D G A D
D A D G Em A D
C F C Am F G C
C G C F Dm G C
Labels: 19th c., chords, creation
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments
 Richard S. Willis (1819-1900) | Words: Written by German Jesuits as Schönster Herr Jesu in the 17th Century. Published in the Münster Gesangbuch, 1677, and translated from German to English by Joseph A. Seiss, 1873. Music: Crusader’s Hymn Silesian folk song from Schlesische Volkslieder, 1842; arranged by Richard S. Willis, 1850 (MIDI, score). |  Joseph A. Seiss (1823-1904) |
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The lyrics above are the ones shown in most hymnals. However, Seiss’ original translation is somewhat different; he titled it “Beautiful Savior.” It is found under this name in many Lutheran hymnals.
Beautiful Savior, King of Creation
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love Thee, truly I’d serve Thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
Fair are the meadows, Fair are the woodlands,
Robed in the flowers of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
Fair is the sunshine, Fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels in the sky.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, Praise, adoration
Now and forevermore be Thine!
C Am Dm G C C Am Dm G C
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
C F C G7 C G
O Thou of God and man the Son;
C F C A7 Dm C Dm G7 C
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor
Am F C G7 C
Thou my soul's glory, joy and crown.Labels: 17th c., chords, creation
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments
- Charles Spurgeon in "The Treasury of David
And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
- Luk 19:40
C F C Am F G / C F C Am Bb D / G F C
D G D Bm G A / D G D Bm C E / A G D
G C G Em C D / G C G Em F A / D C G
What are the words?
What are they saying?
If I am still
I, too, can hear;
The skies are singing
The breezes whisper
"Make friends with silence,
Stop and draw near"
Our God is true
Our Lord is mighty
Glorious Jehovah
Is calling you.
Now through the thunder
Now through the raining
Now through the laughter
Now through the pain."
Chorus
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Labels: chords, creation, modern
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments
LET ALL THINGS NOW LIVING
Words: Kathrine K. Davis, 1939
Tune: Ash Grove, Traditional Welsh Melody
Season: Thanksgiving
Chords in D
Verses: A7 D A7 D Bm Em A7 (D Em A7)
A7 D G D A7 D (D G A7 D)
Chorus: D Bm A7 D (D A7)
A7 D Bm A7 Em A (Bm Em A)
Chords in C
C Dm G7 / C F G7 C
C G7 / Am Dm G
Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God's banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.
His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a Song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!"
Labels: chords, creation, modern
¶ Monday, June 04, 2007 0 comments