Words: Jean de Brebeuf, circa 1643; translated from Huron to English by J. Edgar Middleton, 1926. |
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Labels: 17th c., chords, christmas
¶ Sunday, October 28, 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: 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
 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 Wesley (1707-1788) | Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. Music: Lenox, Lewis Edson, in The Chorister’s Companion, by Simeon Jocelyn and Amos Doolittle (New Haven, Connecticut: 1782) (MIDI, score).
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Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my surety stands,
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.
He ever lives above, for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race,
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”
The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.
G C G D G / Em Bm C D/ Em C Am Em / C D G
Labels: 17th c., chords, wesley
¶ Sunday, March 25, 2007 0 comments
I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because who love thee not
are lost eternally.
Thou, O Lord Jesus, thou didst me
upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear,
and manifold disgrace,
And griefs and torments numberless,
and sweat of agony;
yea, death itself; and all for me
who was thine enemy.
Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
should I not love thee well,
not for the sake of winning heaven,
nor any fear of hell;
not with the hope of gaining aught,
not seeking a reward;
but as thyself hast loved me,
O ever loving Lord!
So would I love thee, dearest Lord,
and in thy praise will sing,
solely because thou art my God
and my most loving King.
Words: Latin, seventeenth century;
Edward Caswall, 1849
Am G/B C Dm / C F G / Am G/B C Dm / C Dm Am
Em Am Dm C / C Am G / Am G/B C Dm / C Dm Am
Labels: 17th c., chords, latin
¶ Sunday, March 25, 2007 0 comments
which is my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive those sins through which I run,
and do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
for I have more.
Wilt thou forgive that sin, by which I won
others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did not shun
a year or two, but wallowed in a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
for I have more.
I have a sin of fear that when I've spun
my last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son
shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore.
And having done that, thou hast done,
I fear no more.
Words: John Donne (1673-1631)
Labels: 17th c., john donne
¶ Thursday, March 02, 2006 0 comments