Seven seals - a literal hymn.

[Covenanter]

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Praise the Lord of heaven and earth.
Jesus, Lion, stands in triumph,
Jesus, Lamb, the sacrifice.
Blessing, honour, glory, power
To the Father and Son on the throne;
Now sealed scrolls will all be opened;
Now God's plans will be made known.
2.
Who do we see as seals are opened?
Christ the victor on the white horse.
Now are judged who then rejected
Christ the Saviour and his Gospel call.
Angel horsemen ride at his bidding,
War and famine, death and hell;
See the martyrs watching, praying,
There with Jesus, his praise to tell.
3.
Signs on earth and signs in heaven
Warn of wrath about to fall.
Where can rebels flee from judgment?
Turn, repent, on Jesus call!
Sinners will try to hide from his coming;
Dens and caves and rocks and hills;
Calling on rocks to hide from Jesus;
Christ the Lamb now coming in wrath.
4.
One four four thousand of God's servants;
Remnant by grace of Israel's twelve tribes;
Sealed from his wrath on 'this generation'
Sealed by God their Saviour's name.
These are come out of tribulation;
Washed and white in the Lamb's precious blood;
Jesus the Lamb will be their Shepherd;
Every tear be dried by our God.

(C) Ian Day
March 2017

I have a 7777D tune in mind. I'll post it when I get back to my computer.

 

[rlvaughn]

Interesting hymn. Curious about the tune.

 

[Covenanter]

I need a tune and metre when I start to write a song. When I wake, I always wake up to music, never a dream.

The Shakers were an interesting sect with blasphemous doctrine, but very creative musically in their farming communities. They were the first to market packet seeds.

I had a harvest song in mind. It's 7777D with lots of slurred notes which tolerate the irregular lines. A regular 7777 tune as used e.g. for "Loving Shepherd of Thy sheep" doesn't work.

I'm away this week looking after 20 month Alexandra Elizabeth and will add the tune next week.

 

[rlvaughn]

I think the few Shaker tunes we have in the Sacred Harp are 7s.&6s. or 8s.&7s.

Morning Mediation is a minor key 7777D tune, but no slurred notes (though you could probably add some).

 

[Covenanter]

I woke up writing another verse.

Wonderful blessings for all who love Jesus,
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
He is our God and we are his people:
Covenant promise there in his Word.
Now is the time, the day of salvation,
Glory awaits us, new heaven and earth.
Turn from your sin and trust your Saviour:
Jesus gives eternal life.

 

[Covenanter]

I think the few Shaker tunes we have in the Sacred Harp are 7s.&6s. or 8s.&7s.

Morning Mediation is a minor key 7777D tune, but no slurred notes (though you could probably add some).

I don't think a minor key is fitting. The treble goes too high. The bass is singable, but rather low. D minor would be better for normal voices.

 

[Alcott]

 

[rlvaughn]

I don't think a minor key is fitting. The treble goes too high. The bass is singable, but rather low. D minor would be better for normal voices.

That is not one we sing all that much. Just noticed it has the right meter. Most of the songs we sing in a lower key than written, but when the range is on the extremes it makes them harder to get in a good singable key. (We are singing these a cappella, so the key is "relative" rather than absolute.) Probably in this case it would be lowered and the basses could couldn't get down there would sing the low notes up an octave.

 

[Covenanter]

Alexandra Elizabeth has been singing "Twinkle twinkle little star" and I realized that tune would be just possible! Extended to AABA.

 

[Covenanter]

Now a verse from Revelation 2-3

In the world we have tribulation,
Jesus has overcome the world.
Jesus has words for all the churches,
May we have ears to heed his words.
Love him first and love each other,
Trust and witness, watch and pray.
Jesus is King and Lord and Saviour,
He'll be with us all the way.

Six verses should be enough.
It needs the tune I've written it for.

 

[Covenanter]

I can now upload the tune & me singing it. No I can't. My phone recording has an unacceptable extension. I've scanned the prints. Note that I ignore the repeats in the music. Use the slurs to sing the longer lines.

 

[Covenanter]

And the final (?) words. Perhaps verse 5 should come first.

 

[rlvaughn]

...I've scanned the prints. Note that I ignore the repeats in the music. Use the slurs to sing the longer lines.

Thanks. I printed it out so I can look at it at a more convenient time when I'm not on the computer.

 

[Covenanter]

I've started recording - on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10213070629629186

 

[rlvaughn]

Will check it out, thanks.

 

[Covenanter]

I've now uploaded to youtube

Sorry it's sideways - I'll try to straighten it. Doesn't need the video - but youtube does.

 

[Covenanter]

I've modified the tune - the range was too great.
Use the first three lines, and finish with the second line.

Then play it in F, not D. Range C - D' starting on F

I'm away again with Alexandra Elizabeth, but I will try to record an authentic version.

 

[Covenanter]

The Futurists see the four horsemen as the despicable Antichrist and his minions, to make their appearance during a yet future great tribulation.

The opening chapter makes it clear that the prophecies are at hand, and relate to the destruction. God is revealing his plan to his servant John. Amos 3:7

The four judgments against Jerusalem correspond to Ezekiel 14:21 Revelation 6:8

I'm looking for an opportunity to introduce my hymn.

 

[Covenanter]

I have now revised the hymn to a standard 8787D meter such as "Ode to Joy" or "Converse" - "What a Friend we have in Jesus"

Revelation - Seven Seals



1. Revelation 4-5

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
Praise the Lord of heaven and earth.
Jesus, Lion, stands in triumph,
Jesus, Lamb, the sacrifice.
Blessing, honour, glory, & power
To the Father and the Son;
Now sealed scrolls will all be opened;
Now God's plans will be made known.


2. Revelation 6, seals 1-5
Who do we see as seals are opened?
Christ triumphant on white horse.
Now are judged who then rejected
Christ the Saviour's Gospel call.
Angel horsemen ride in judgement,
War and famine, death and hell;
See the martyrs watching, praying,
There with Christ, his praises tell.


3. Revelation 6, seal 6
Signs on earth and signs in heaven
Warn of wrath about to fall.
Where can rebels flee from judgement?
Turn, repent, on Jesus call!
Sinners try to hide from his coming;
Dens and caves and rocks and earth;
Call on rocks to hide from Jesus;
Christ the Lamb now come in wrath.


4. Revelation 7, 14
Twelve twelve thousands of God's servants;
First fruits of Israel's twelve tribes;
Sealed from wrath on 'this generation'
Sealed by God their Saviour's name.
These come out of tribulation;
Washed and white in Jesus' blood;
Christ the Lamb will be their Shepherd;
Every tear be dried by God.


5. John 16, Revelation 1-3
In the world we've tribulation,
Christ has overcome the world.
He has words for all the churches,
We have ears to hear his words.
Love him first and love each other,
Trust and witness, watch and pray.
Christ is King and Lord and Saviour,
He'll be with us all the way.


6. Revelation 21-22

Richly blessed are all in Jesus,
Blessed the dead who die in him.
He's our God and we his people:
Covenant promise in his Word.
Now's the time, the day of salvation,
We will see new heaven and earth.
Turn from sin and trust your Saviour:
Jesus gives eternal life.

(C) Ian Day
March 2017

Tune “Ode to Joy” 8787D