Our closing hymn today at St. John, Charles Wesley's "Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go," was a great hymn of sending in response to the Matt. 21 vineyard parable of the two sons in the Gospel lesson. The hymn first appeared in 1749 in Charles Wesley's "Hymns and Sacred Poems." The wonderful tune LAKEWOOD by Barry Bobb was composed for this text at the ordination of Ronald Roma in 1980. Wesley's original hymn had six stanzas, however his third stanza was omitted by brother John Wesley in 1780 when John published his "A Collection of Hymns for the use of the People called Methodists." The omitted stanza reads: Preserve me from my calling's snare, And hide my simple heart above, Above the thorns of choking care, The gilded baits of worldly love.
1. Forth in Thy name, O Lord, I go,
My daily labor to pursue,
Thee, only Thee, resolved to know
In all I think or speak or do.
2. The task Thy wisdom has assigned,
O let me cheerfully fulfill;
In all my works Thy presence find,
And prove Thy good and perfect will.
3. Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see,
And labor on at Thy command,
And offer all my works to Thee.
4. Give me to bear Thy easy yoke,
And ev'ry moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to Thy glorious day.
5. For Thee delightfully employ
Whate'er Thy bounteous grace has giv'n,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with Thee to heav'n.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Oh, How Good and Truly Pleasant
Set to the tune BEACH SPRING, the text was written in 2007 for Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. God bring His healing to the MNS Distict.
1. Oh, how good and truly pleasant
When we dwell in unity:
Gentle sisters, caring brothers
Loving others selflessly!
This the oneness God desires
For the people called His own,
So that we, by our affection,
Might His love to all make known.
2. Like the oil of consecration
Running down from Aaron’s brow,
On his beard and sacred collar,
To his priestly role endow,
So our love, to God devoted,
Spreads His fragrance everywhere;
Royal priests by God anointed,
One in service, faith, and prayer.
3. Were the heavy dew of Hermon
On Mount Zion to descend,
There the Lord commands His blessing:
Life eternal without end;
So would God, from Calv’ry’s mountain,
Rain down love on desert lives,
Causing them to bud and flower
Till His grace our world revives.
4. Come, O precious Oil of Gladness,
Help us love and live as one,
As the Son is in the Father
And the Father in the Son,
You, as love from both proceeding,
Three in One and One in Three—
One in love at the beginning,
One in love eternally!
1. Oh, how good and truly pleasant
When we dwell in unity:
Gentle sisters, caring brothers
Loving others selflessly!
This the oneness God desires
For the people called His own,
So that we, by our affection,
Might His love to all make known.
2. Like the oil of consecration
Running down from Aaron’s brow,
On his beard and sacred collar,
To his priestly role endow,
So our love, to God devoted,
Spreads His fragrance everywhere;
Royal priests by God anointed,
One in service, faith, and prayer.
3. Were the heavy dew of Hermon
On Mount Zion to descend,
There the Lord commands His blessing:
Life eternal without end;
So would God, from Calv’ry’s mountain,
Rain down love on desert lives,
Causing them to bud and flower
Till His grace our world revives.
4. Come, O precious Oil of Gladness,
Help us love and live as one,
As the Son is in the Father
And the Father in the Son,
You, as love from both proceeding,
Three in One and One in Three—
One in love at the beginning,
One in love eternally!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Call Of God Ordained You
This text was written for the 25th ordination anniversary and retirement of Pastor Richard A. Bolland. It is set to the tune VON GOTT WILL ICH NICHT LASSEN (LSB 713)
1. The call of God ordained you
A watchman for the Lord!
Each day God has sustained you,
To be His people’s ward,
His counsel to proclaim:
The Law—its condemnation;
The Gospel—its salvation
For all in Jesus’ name.
2. The Lord does not desire
That any die in sin;
Instead He would inspire
True change of heart within,
And so He sends His Word—
That all might be repenting,
Their judgment thus preventing
For wickedness incurred.
3. How unforeseen that power
Christ resurrected showed,
When in that evening hour
His Spirit He bestowed:
“The sins that you forgive,
They truly are forgiven,
On earth and high in heaven.”
Each penitent shall live!
4. “The sins you are retaining
Before the Father’s face,
Are debts by those disdaining
My Father’s heart of grace.”
Yet these Christ would receive:
“How often, yes, how often,
I prayed your heart would soften
And you your sin would leave.”
5. The watchman’s voice is crying,
“Turn from your evil way!”
Still some, his call defying,
Resist and disobey.
You died for these, Lord, too!
Your mercy is most shocking;
It seeks to save the mocking
Who know not what they do.
6. The watchman’s sacred duty
Proclaims good news from God;
His feet are rare with beauty
And with the Gospel shod.
God’s spokesman lifts his voice:
“Those marred by sin’s defiling,
God’s grace is reconciling.
Return! Believe! Rejoice!”
7. You, son of man, unswerving,
Have spoken for the Lord.
We, whom you have been serving,
Thank God with one accord!
We say so gratefully:
“Dear watchman, you have led us;
Dear pastor, you have fed us—
To God all glory be!”
1. The call of God ordained you
A watchman for the Lord!
Each day God has sustained you,
To be His people’s ward,
His counsel to proclaim:
The Law—its condemnation;
The Gospel—its salvation
For all in Jesus’ name.
2. The Lord does not desire
That any die in sin;
Instead He would inspire
True change of heart within,
And so He sends His Word—
That all might be repenting,
Their judgment thus preventing
For wickedness incurred.
3. How unforeseen that power
Christ resurrected showed,
When in that evening hour
His Spirit He bestowed:
“The sins that you forgive,
They truly are forgiven,
On earth and high in heaven.”
Each penitent shall live!
4. “The sins you are retaining
Before the Father’s face,
Are debts by those disdaining
My Father’s heart of grace.”
Yet these Christ would receive:
“How often, yes, how often,
I prayed your heart would soften
And you your sin would leave.”
5. The watchman’s voice is crying,
“Turn from your evil way!”
Still some, his call defying,
Resist and disobey.
You died for these, Lord, too!
Your mercy is most shocking;
It seeks to save the mocking
Who know not what they do.
6. The watchman’s sacred duty
Proclaims good news from God;
His feet are rare with beauty
And with the Gospel shod.
God’s spokesman lifts his voice:
“Those marred by sin’s defiling,
God’s grace is reconciling.
Return! Believe! Rejoice!”
7. You, son of man, unswerving,
Have spoken for the Lord.
We, whom you have been serving,
Thank God with one accord!
We say so gratefully:
“Dear watchman, you have led us;
Dear pastor, you have fed us—
To God all glory be!”
Thursday, June 23, 2011
When God Made Earth
This hymn was written for my daughter Stephanie and her husband, Justin's wedding on June 18th. It was sung to the tune RATHERVUE by Alfred Fedak.
1. When God made earth, the sun was warming
A pristine world unmarred by death;
From dust with care the LORD was forming
A man, in whom He breathed life's breath:
Then Adam rose from holy ground,
But for him no fit help was found.
2. So God caused man to sleep, removing
A rib from lonely Adam's side;
And from that bone, His wisdom proving,
God fashioned Eve as Adam's bride:
Her flesh, his flesh; her bone, his bone,
And man no longer was alone.
3. She was the half, his half completing,
The complement that made him whole;
She was the heart that set his beating,
That sounded depths within his soul;
She was the gift that graced his eyes,
That perfect one for him to prize.
4. Thus shall a man leave father, mother;
With tender joy embrace his wife,
For she alone, she and no other,
Shall be his help, his love, his life--
No longer two, but joined as one,
Their pledge of lifelong love begun.
5. Come now, O Lord, their promise sealing;
Bind heart and hand with living grace,
Each day Your love for them revealing,
The shining brightness of Your face;
Grant peace and joy in mind and heart,
That nothing break their bond apart.
1. When God made earth, the sun was warming
A pristine world unmarred by death;
From dust with care the LORD was forming
A man, in whom He breathed life's breath:
Then Adam rose from holy ground,
But for him no fit help was found.
2. So God caused man to sleep, removing
A rib from lonely Adam's side;
And from that bone, His wisdom proving,
God fashioned Eve as Adam's bride:
Her flesh, his flesh; her bone, his bone,
And man no longer was alone.
3. She was the half, his half completing,
The complement that made him whole;
She was the heart that set his beating,
That sounded depths within his soul;
She was the gift that graced his eyes,
That perfect one for him to prize.
4. Thus shall a man leave father, mother;
With tender joy embrace his wife,
For she alone, she and no other,
Shall be his help, his love, his life--
No longer two, but joined as one,
Their pledge of lifelong love begun.
5. Come now, O Lord, their promise sealing;
Bind heart and hand with living grace,
Each day Your love for them revealing,
The shining brightness of Your face;
Grant peace and joy in mind and heart,
That nothing break their bond apart.
Friday, May 27, 2011
God Laid the Earth's Foundation
This text was written for First Lutheran Church in Boston and will be sung this coming Sunday in their worship service. Set to the strong tune MOVILLE, the text expands upon the thought of the final stanza, "Sing to the LORD a new song..." (Ps. 96:1-3) The response to God's great works throughout Scripture has been a new song, declaring all that our triune God has done. Of course His greatest work accomplished was that which was completed through His only Son, the eternal Word made flesh, who came fulfilling all that was foreshadowed in the Old Testament.
1. God laid the earth's foundation;
He placed its cornerstone.
Do you have understanding
Of such great knowledge shown?
God set the bounds for water,
Devised how clouds would hang,
While morning stars of heaven
For joy together sang!
2. Proud Pharaoh's raging army
Lay drowned beneath the sea;
Great Moses and all Israel
Praised God triumphantly.
Then Miriam and the women,
With tambourines raised high,
All danced in joyful tribute
Beneath the desert sky.
3. God sent a greater Moses
To free our captive race:
Pure from the womb of Mary,
Enfleshed as truth and grace.
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"
Thus sang the heaven-sent angels
The night of Jesus' birth.
4. Joshua fought and conquered,
When he to Canaan came.
God's Son, incarnate Savior,
Fought fierce our rest to claim:
No seven-fold blast of trumpets,
No shout tore evil down,
For Jesus chose as weapons
A cross and thorny crown.
5. Ark of God's holy presence,
Before whom angels fall--
How could the Lord of heaven
Face scorn and spit and gall?
Yet this High Priest most holy,
Behind the veil went in;
His own pure blood there sprinkled
To cover human sin.
6. Christ cried out, "It is finished!"
And with His final breath,
Committed to the Father
His spirit at His death.
Dark, rumbled dazed creation:
"God died? How can this be?"
While foul, demonic minions
Squealed loud cacophony.
7. Sealed in the tomb, Christ rested--
One final Sabbath day!
Fulfilled the prophet's promise:
"He shall not see decay."
Our Lord to hell descended,
Declaring victory,
Then rising led hosts vanquished
In full captivity!
8. For forty days appearing
To His own chosen band,
Then Christ to heav'n ascended
To rule at God's right hand.
Soon to the ones He promised,
The Holy Spirit came;
With tongues they spoke God's wisdom
'Mid rushing wind and flame.
9. God laid a new foundation
With Christ as Cornerstone;
On prophets and apostles
Through whom the Christ was known:
One body and one Spirit,
One Lord--one God of all,
One faith that rests securely
On one baptismal call!
10. Sing to the LORD a new song!
Applaud His selfless fame;
Declare among the nations
The glory due His name!
Now roar, O seas, His power!
Now wave, O fields, His worth!
With righteousness and justice,
He comes to judge the earth!
1. God laid the earth's foundation;
He placed its cornerstone.
Do you have understanding
Of such great knowledge shown?
God set the bounds for water,
Devised how clouds would hang,
While morning stars of heaven
For joy together sang!
2. Proud Pharaoh's raging army
Lay drowned beneath the sea;
Great Moses and all Israel
Praised God triumphantly.
Then Miriam and the women,
With tambourines raised high,
All danced in joyful tribute
Beneath the desert sky.
3. God sent a greater Moses
To free our captive race:
Pure from the womb of Mary,
Enfleshed as truth and grace.
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"
Thus sang the heaven-sent angels
The night of Jesus' birth.
4. Joshua fought and conquered,
When he to Canaan came.
God's Son, incarnate Savior,
Fought fierce our rest to claim:
No seven-fold blast of trumpets,
No shout tore evil down,
For Jesus chose as weapons
A cross and thorny crown.
5. Ark of God's holy presence,
Before whom angels fall--
How could the Lord of heaven
Face scorn and spit and gall?
Yet this High Priest most holy,
Behind the veil went in;
His own pure blood there sprinkled
To cover human sin.
6. Christ cried out, "It is finished!"
And with His final breath,
Committed to the Father
His spirit at His death.
Dark, rumbled dazed creation:
"God died? How can this be?"
While foul, demonic minions
Squealed loud cacophony.
7. Sealed in the tomb, Christ rested--
One final Sabbath day!
Fulfilled the prophet's promise:
"He shall not see decay."
Our Lord to hell descended,
Declaring victory,
Then rising led hosts vanquished
In full captivity!
8. For forty days appearing
To His own chosen band,
Then Christ to heav'n ascended
To rule at God's right hand.
Soon to the ones He promised,
The Holy Spirit came;
With tongues they spoke God's wisdom
'Mid rushing wind and flame.
9. God laid a new foundation
With Christ as Cornerstone;
On prophets and apostles
Through whom the Christ was known:
One body and one Spirit,
One Lord--one God of all,
One faith that rests securely
On one baptismal call!
10. Sing to the LORD a new song!
Applaud His selfless fame;
Declare among the nations
The glory due His name!
Now roar, O seas, His power!
Now wave, O fields, His worth!
With righteousness and justice,
He comes to judge the earth!
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