Our Favorite Hymns

my best loved hymn:

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

 

I guess I'd have to go with this one. I know there are some here who believe we must be stiff necked, rigid, and only intellectually contemplative about the subject matter of our singing, so I hope I don't offend by saying that the fourth verse sometimes reduces me to tears.


And can it be that I should gain

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

 

That's a great hymn, but it's not from Appalachia. It was written by Joseph Hart (click for CyberHymnal bio page), who was born and died in London, England. Now, both of the tunes the Cyber Hymnal gives (Click for page with MIDI links) for the hymn, Restoration (from The Southern Harmony) and Beach Spring (from The Sacred Harp) are from Appalachia or somewhere near by it, and it may be the tune you meant. Which one do you use?

Haruo
Esperanto online hymnal editor

 

Love this one,too!

 

Bob, if you can find it, Julie Miller has a beautiful version of "I Will Arise (and Go To Jesus)" on her debut album, "Meet Julie Miller".

 

Haruo, in my church experience, we have sung "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy" mostly to the tune "Restoration." In the Sacred Harp, as you mention, we sing it to "Beach Spring," and we also sing one version of "Come, Thou fount of every blessing" set to "Restoration," with the chorus "I will rise and go to Jesus." I don't think that chorus is part of the original hymn by Hart.

I'm really couldn't say the hymn below is my favorite. But it is a recently-learned one (not part of my church background or tradition, though it has recently been added back to our Sacred Harp book with the tune "Vernon" by Lucius Chapin) which I find very moving. The text by Charles Wesley is based on Gen 32:24-32, and was found in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1742). It is told that Isaac Watts said that this one single hymn by Wesley was worth all the hymns which he (Watts) had written. That is sincere and high praise (in my estimation based on how well I think of Watts' hymns).

WRESTLING JACOB (8s. 6 lines)

Come, O thou Traveler unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see!
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.

I need not tell Thee who I am,
My misery and sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name,
Look on Thy hands, and read it there;
But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou?
Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.

In vain Thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold!
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of Thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal
Thy new, unutterable Name?
Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell;
To know it now resolved I am;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.

'Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue
Or touch the hollow of my thigh;
Though every sinew be unstrung,
Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly;
Wrestling I will not let Thee go
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

What though my shrinking flesh complain,
And murmur to contend so long?
I rise superior to my pain,
When I am weak, then I am strong
And when my all of strength shall fail,
I shall with the God-man prevail.

Contented now upon my thigh
I halt, till life's short journey end;
All helplessness, all weakness I
On Thee alone for strength depend;
Nor have I power from Thee to move:
Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

My strength is gone, my nature dies,
I sink beneath Thy weighty hand,
Faint to revive, and fall to rise;
I fall, and yet by faith I stand;
I stand and will not let Thee go
Till I Thy Name, Thy nature know.

Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer;
Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if Thy Name is Love.

'Tis Love! 'tis Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear Thy whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee,
Pure, universal love Thou art;
To me, to all, Thy bowels move;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

My prayer hath power with God; the grace
Unspeakable I now receive;
Through faith I see Thee face to face,
I see Thee face to face, and live!
In vain I have not wept and strove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

I know Thee, Savior, who Thou art.
Jesus, the feeble sinner’s friend;
Nor wilt Thou with the night depart.
But stay and love me to the end,
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

The Sun of righteousness on me
Hath rose with healing in His wings,
Withered my nature's strength; from Thee
My soul its life and succor brings;
My help is all laid up above;
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

Lame as I am, I take the prey,
Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o'ercome;
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
And as a bounding hart fly home,
Through all eternity to prove
Thy nature and Thy Name is Love.

 

How Great Thou Art gets my vote..the words move me every time...

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow’r thro’out the universe displayed.

Chorus
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Though art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.
How great Though art! How great Thou art!

When thro’ the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,

Chorus

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Chorus

When Christ shall come with should of acclamation
And take me home, what joys shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: my God, how great Thou art!

Chorus

 

It's difficult to narrow the choice down to just one, but if I had to choose it would be this one:

Love Lifted Me

I was sinking deep in sin
Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within
Sinking to rise no more.
But the Master of the sea
Heard my dispairing cry,
From the waters lifted me
Now safe am I.

CHORUS

Love lifted me, Love lifted me
When nothing else could help,
Love lifted me
Love lifted me, Love lifted me,
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me

Souls in danger, look above
Jesus completely saves
He will lift you, by His love
Out of the angry waves.
He's the Master of the sea
Billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be
Be saved today.

All my heart to Him I give,
Ever to Him I'll cling,
In His Blessed Presence live,
Ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true
Merits my soul's best songs
Faithful loving service too
To Him Belongs!

I have been singing this song for as far back as I can remember, and the message it conveys is timeless.

 

I do not know all the words to these so I will not post them as of yet. But my favorite hymns are:

Nothing but the Blood
There is a fountain filled with Blood
When we all get to Heaven
Keep on the Firing Line
Ill Fly Away
Sweet Hour of Prayer

These songs are a blessing!

 

That's the one I was going to post! And Can It Be, by Charles Wesley, is by far my favorite, however Luther's, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, may be a close second:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.


SDG,
Chris

 

Thanks for the uplifting story. You call this an "old standard hymn", but frankly I've never heard of it before. I see in the Cyber Hymnal that it's a translation from the Swedish. Anybody know what the Swedish title/incipit is? (Or the whole Swedish text, for that matter?)

Haruo
polyglot hymnnut

 

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
And ye who tread where He hath trod, crown Him the Son of Man;
Who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
And takes and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, Who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of peace, Whose power a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round His piercèd feet
Fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.

Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.

_-_-_-_-_-_

I just MIGHT have mentioned this one once or twice

Pete

 

Thanks! I've never heard that one either (and still haven't since you don't say what the tune is!). On an Anglican hymn site I find the lyrics with the following notice:
"Copyright 1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music,
PO Box 75, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NW , U.K.
Hymn 224 in the Irish Church Hymnal 5th Edition"

... which suggests if we had the Irish Church Hymnal V we could look up the tune. Anybody? Any of you UK folks have access to that hymnal?

Haruo