A Poor Brother's Hymnal
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
  Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord
“This is My body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24



Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord;
And drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
Saved by that body and that holy blood,
With souls refreshed, we render thanks to God.

Salvation’s Giver, Christ, the only Son,
By His dear cross and blood the victory won.
Offered was He for greatest and for least,
Himself the Victim, and Himself the Priest.

Victims were offered by the law of old,
Which in a type this heavenly mystery told.
He, Ransomer from death, and Light from shade,
Now gives His holy grace His saints to aid.

Approach ye then with faithful hearts sincere,
And take the safeguard of salvation here.
He, that His saints in this world rules and shields,
To all believers life eternal yields.

With heavenly bread makes them that hunger whole,
Gives living waters to the thirsting soul,
Alpha and Omega, to Whom shall bow
All nations at the doom, is with us now.

Words: From the An­ti­phon­ar­i­um Ben­cho­ren­se, a late 7th Cen­tu­ry man­u­script from the Mon­as­te­ry of Ban­gor, Coun­ty Down, Ire­land (Sanc­ti ve­ni­te, cor­pus Christi su­mite); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, Med­iæ­val Hymns, 1851.

Music: Pen­i­ten­tia, Ed­ward Dearle, 1874 (MI­DI, score). Al­ter­nate tunes:

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Sunday, July 01, 2007
  The Hymn for Conquering Martyrs Raise
“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children.” Jeremiah 31:15

Words: From Cas­san­der’s Hymni Ec­cles­i­as­ti­ci (Köln, Ger­ma­ny: 1556) (Hymn­um can­en­tes mar­tyr­um), where it is at­trib­ut­ed to the Ven­er­a­ble Bede (673-735). John M. Neale trans­lat­ed it from La­tin to Eng­lish in Med­iaev­al Hymns, 1851; Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern al­tered Neale’s trans­la­tion to “A hymn for mar­tyrs sweet­ly sing.”

Music: Wer da Wo­net, from Ve­he’s Ge­sang­büch­lein, 1537 (MI­DI, score).


The hymn for conquering martyrs raise,
The victor innocents we praise,
Whom in their woe earth cast away,
But Heav’n with joy received today;
Whose angels see the Father’s face
World without end, and hymn His grace;
And while they chant unceasing lays,
The hymn for conquering martyrs raise.

A voice from Ramah was there sent,
A voice of weeping and lament,
When Rachel mourned the children’s care
Whom for the tyrant’s sword she bare.
Triumphal is their glory now,
Whom earthly torments could not bow,
What time, both far and near that went,
A voice from Ramah there was sent.

Fear not, O little flock and blest,
The lion that your life opprest!
To heavenly pastures ever new
The heavenly Shepherd leadeth you;
Who, dwelling now on Zion’s hill,
The Lamb’s dear footsteps follow still;
By tyrant there no more distrest,
Fear not, O little flock and blest.

And every tear is wiped away
By your dear Father’s hands for ay;
Death hath no power to hurt you more,
Whose own is life’s eternal store.
Who sow their seed, and sowing weep,
In everlasting joy shall reap,
What time they shine in heavenly day,
And every tear is wiped away.

O city blest o’er all the earth,
Who gloriest in the Savior’s birth,
Who are His earliest martyrs dear,
By kindred and by triumph here;
None from henceforth may call thee small,
Of rival towns thou passest all:
In whom our Monarch had His birth,
O city blest o’er all the earth!


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Another Version:

1. A Hymn for Martyrs sweetly sing;
For Innocents your praises bring;
Of whom in tears was earth bereaved,
Whom heaven with songs of joy received;
2. Whose Angels see the Father's face
World without end, and hymn His grace;
And, while they praise their glorious King,
A hymn for Martyrs sweetly sing.
3. A voice from Ramah was there sent,
A voice of weeping and lament,
While Rachel mourned her children sore,
Whom for the tyrant's sword she bore.
4. After brief taste of earthly woe
Eternal triumph now they know;
For whom, by cruel torments rent,
A voice from Ramah was there sent.
5. And every tear is wiped away
By your dear Father's hands for aye:
Death hath no power to hurt you more;
Your own is life's eternal shore.
6. And all who, good seed bearing, weep,
In everlasting joy shall reap,
What time they shine in heavenly day,
And every tear is wiped away.


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Friday, May 18, 2007
  A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing
A hymn of glory let us sing,
new hymns throughout the world shall ring;
by a new way none ever trod
Christ takes his place--the throne of God!

You are a present joy, O Lord;
you will be ever our reward;
and great the light in you we see
to guide us to eternity.

O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
all praise to you let earth accord,
who are, while endless ages run,
with Father and with Spirit, One.

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Monday, April 02, 2007
  Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
“As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40

John of Damascus (675-749)

Words: John of Da­mas­cus (675-749) (Αισωμεν πάντες Λαοί); trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, 1859.

Music: St. Ke­vin, Ar­thur S. Sul­li­van, 1872 (MI­DI, score). Al­ter­nate tunes:

  • Ave Vir­go Vir­gin­um, Jo­hann Roh, 1544 (MI­DI, score)
  • Chestnut Hill, Will­iam P. Merr­ill, 1895 (MI­DI, score)
  • Spring of Souls, Lud­vig M. Lin­de­man (1812-1887) (MI­DI, score)
  • St. John Damascene, Ar­thur H. Brown, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861 (MI­DI, score)

Arthur S. Sullivan (1842-1900)

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought forth Israel into joy from sadness;
Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke Jacob’s sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters.

’Tis the spring of souls today; Christ has burst His prison,
And from three days’ sleep in death as a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying
From His light, to Whom we give laud and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, bright with the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts, comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem, who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus’ resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death, nor the tomb’s dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal hold Thee as a mortal;
But today amidst the twelve Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace which evermore passeth human knowing.

“Alleluia!” now we cry to our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars of the tomb’s dark portal;
“Alleluia!” with the Son, God the Father praising,
“Alleluia!” yet again to the Spirit raising.

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Thursday, March 02, 2006
  Christian, Dost Thou See Them
Words: An­drew of Crete, 7th Cen­tu­ry (Ού γαρ Βλέπεις τους ταρ­άτ­τον­τας); trans­lat­ed from Greek to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, Hymns of the East­ern Church, 1862.

Christian, dost thou see them on the holy ground,
How the powers of darkness rage thy steps around?
Christian, up and smite them, counting gain but loss,
In the strength that cometh by the holy cross.

Christian, dost thou feel them, how they work within,
Striving, tempting, luring, goading into sin?
Christian, never tremble; never be downcast;
Gird thee for the battle, watch and pray and fast.

Christian, dost thou hear them, how they speak thee fair?
“Always fast and vigil? Always watch and prayer?”
Christian, answer boldly: “While I breathe I pray!”
Peace shall follow battle, night shall end in day.

“Well I know thy trouble, O my servant true;
Thou art very weary, I was weary, too;
But that toil shall make thee some day all Mine own,
At the end of sorrow shall be near my throne.”

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All my favorite hymns. Most of them are from before the Reformation.

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