In the days when bills came in envelopes through the letterbox, a young musician from Northern Ireland used the back of an electricity bill to write down some melody ideas. In this week’s programme, you can hear the powerful hymn it became.
Coventry Cathedral Interior, West Midlands, UK Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons.
SONG: IN CHRIST ALONE
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Stuart Townend, Keith Getty
Recording: Integrity Music
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all –
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The plan of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid –
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death –
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home –
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.
SONG: CHRIST IS OUR CORNERSTONE
Artist: Cantus Choro
Words/Music: Anon trans Chandler/SS Wesley
Recording: Move 743142
Christ is our corner-stone,
On Him alone we build;
With His true saints above
The courts of heaven are filled,
On His great love our hopes we place
Of present grace and joys above.
O then with hymns of praise
These hallowed courts shall ring;
Our voices we will raise
The Three in One to sing;
And thus proclaim in joyful song,
Both loud and long that glorious Name.
Here, gracious God, do Thou
For evermore draw nigh;
Accept each faithful vow,
And mark each suppliant sigh;
In copious shower on all who pray,
Each holy day, Thy blessings pour.
Here may we gain from heaven
The grace which we implore;
And may that grace, once given,
Be with us evermore,
Until that day when all the blest
To endless rest are called away.
SONG: PSALM 150
Artist: Winchester College Chapel Choir
Words/Music: Psalm 150/Charles Stanford
Recording: Convivium Records 2015
O praise God in his holiness praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him in his noble acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: praise him upon the lute and harp.
Praise him in the cymbals and dances: praise him upon the strings and pipe.
Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: praise him upon the loud cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath: praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
World without end. Amen
SONG: IT IS A THING MOST WONDERFUL
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir)
Words/Music: William Walsham How/Trad arr Ralph Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605-51248
It is a thing most wonderful,
Almost too wonderful to be,
That God’s own Son should come from Heav’n,
And die to save a child like me.
And yet I know that it is true;
He chose a poor and humble lot,
And wept, and toiled, and mourned, and died,
For love of those who loved Him not.
But even could I see Him die,
I could but see a little part
Of that great love, which, like a fire,
Is always burning in His heart.
It is most wonderful to know
His love for me so free and sure;
But ’tis more wonderful to see
My love for Him so faint and poor.
And yet I want to love Thee, Lord;
Oh, light the flame within my heart,
And I will love Thee more and more,
Until I see Thee as Thou art.
SONG: COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE
Artist: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow (dir)
Words/Music: Bianco da Siena/Ralph Vaughan Williams
Recording: Conifer 75605-51248
Come down, O love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine
own ardour glowing.
O comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
O let it freely burn,
til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes
in its heat consuming;
And let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness
become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power
of human telling;
For none can guess its grace,
till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.
SONG: ABERYSTWYTH
Artist: Woolston Brass, David Gallaher (dir)
Music: Joseph Parry arr James McGregor
Recording: Private
SONG: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Joseph Scriven/Charles Converse
Recording: Hyperion 711210
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield you;
you will find a solace there.
SONG: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
Artist: The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square
Words/Music: Thomas Chisholm/William Runyon
Recording: Bonneville 519602
"Great is thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee;
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Refrain:
"Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed thy hand hath provided,
"Great is thy faithfulness," Lord unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Refrain:
