Sunday's Hymn: In Bunhill Fields

Susanna Wesley is another of the well-known people buried in Bunhill Fields. As far as I know, she didn’t write any hymns, but three of her sons did. Susanna was the one who educated all her children, so I’m betting some of their hymn-writing abilities came from her. This Sunday, I’m featuring a hymn written by the least famous of her hymn writing sons, Samuel Wesley, Jr.

 

Hail, Father, Whose Creating Call

 

Hail, Father, whose creating call

Unnumbered worlds attend;
Jehovah, comprehending all,
Whom none can comprehend!

In light unsearchable enthroned,
Whom angels dimly see,
The fountain of the Godhead owned,
And foremost of the Three.

From Thee, through an eternal now,
The Son, Thine offspring, flowed;
An everlasting Father Thou,
An everlasting God.

Nor quite displayed to worlds above,
Nor quite on earth concealed;
By wondrous, unexhausted love,
To mortal man revealed.

Supreme and all-sufficient God,
When nature shall expire,
And worlds created by Thy nod
Shall perish by Thy fire.

Thy Name, Jehovah, be adored
By creatures without end,
Whom none but Thy essential Word
And Spirit comprehend.

Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• The Fifth Sunday After Easter at Magic Statistics
• In the Cross of Christ I Glory at The Happy Wonderer
• Blessed Lord, in Thee Is Refuge at Hiraeth
  
• Jesus, Your Name at Seasoning of the Heart
• Immortal Honors Rest on Jesus’ Head at Whatever Things…
• Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns at Field Stone Cottage
• Lord’s Day 17, 2008 at The Thirsty Theologian
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives at JoythruChrist
• Sing with All the Saints in Glory at Conjubilant With Song.

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

CD Review: Indelible Grace V

Wake Thy Slumbering Children

The church has a glorious heritage in the hymns of those saint who went before us, and I’d hate for all that that richness to be lost as generations pass and music styles change. That’s why I appreciate the work of Indelible Grace Music, known for putting old hymns to new music in order

to rekindle a love of hymns and to invite many who would never associate rich passion with hymns to actually read the words.

The most recently released CD from Indelible Grace is Indelible Grace V: Wake Thy Slumbering Children. It’s a collection that reminds me, oddly enough, of a gray-haired lady who sings and accompanies herself on her guitar at my dad’s country church. I suppose that’s because the songs are not too polished, a little down-home bluesy, and genuine. What you get here, most of all, is truth and sincerity, and that’s a really fine thing.

My favorite songs?

• Go to Dark Gethsemane, Sandra McCracken. This hymn by James Montgomery has poetic words that beg to be revived, and the simple gentleness of this rendition seems exactly right for them.
• In the Hours, Emily DeLoach. Bluesy, with a little black gospel sound, and more quality poetry, this time by Helen L. Parmlee.
  
• Beneath the Cross of Jesus, Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken. A perfect example of how a familiar hymn with familiar words can takes on fresh meaning with new music.

My nitpicks, which are small, but I’ll mention them anyway.

• Face to Face is set to music in a minor key. Minor keys are perfect for words of lament, but when we behold Jesus face to face, it will be a glorious time, a time of rejoicing, and this music seems like a poor fit.
  
• Slow can be good, but there are a couple of pieces that do seem go overboard in the slow department.
• I’d like to throw in a few changing dynamics, too, so there is more variation throughout the multiple verses of a few songs.
  

Thanksgiving Hymn

I skipped yesterday’s Sunday’s Hymn for the first time in a quite a while. I was too busy cooking a turkey dinner and recovering from my cold. Since today is Thanksgiving Day for Canadians, I think I’ll make up for yesterday’s shortcomings by posting a hymn of thanksgiving.

 

This is one of Fanny Crosby’s hymns. Fanny Crosby is the 19th century prolific hymn writer who wrote Blessed Assurance and To God Be the Glory.

 

Bountiful Harvest

We praise Thee, O Lord, for the bountiful harvest
That now has been gathered and garnered with care;
Rewarding the toil of the sower and reaper,
While all in its blessings may share.

Refrain

For the bountiful harvest
We praise Thee, we thank Thee
and bless Thee, O Lord:
For the bountiful harvest
We praise Thee and bless Thee, O Lord.

We praise Thee, O Lord, for the bountiful harvest,
We praise Thee for sunshine, the dew and the rain;
For soft summer breezes so gracefully bending
The bright golden billows of grain.

We praise Thee, O Lord, for the wonderful token
That shines as it shone on Thy servants of old,
The pledge and assurance that seedtime and harvest
From earth Thou wilt never withhold.

We praise Thee, O Lord, for Thy wonderful mercies,
And while to Thy glory our voices we raise,
O Thou that regardest the prayers of Thy people,
Accept our thanksgiving and praise.