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Sunday Hymn: A Mighty Fortress is Our God

As we get closer to October 31st, this is the one Martin Luther hymn we can’t miss. It is still one of my favorites. I can still remember hearing this song for the first time as a young Christian, whose introduction to church music involved mostly contemporary songs, and feeling as though I had entered another world; it was so unlike anything I had ever experienced. We sang it at my wedding. And not many days go by when I’m not singing it to myself. I can’t think of anything that goes better with an old fashion pipe organ either! Enjoy:

Sunday Hymn: From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee

Since it’s October, I am sharing hymns that came out of the Protestant Reformation (beginning October 31, 1517) in the 16th Century. From Depths of Woe I Raise to Thee is an English rendering of Martin Luther’s paraphrase of Psalm 130.

For the record, this is an amazing version of the song to sing congregationally; it is also relatively easy to play on a guitar. Here’s a video with the lyrics below:

From depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth:
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His Word
Upholds my fainting spirit:
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.

What though I wait the livelong night,
And till the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might;
It doubteth not nor feareth:
Do thus, O ye of Israel’s seed,
Ye of the Spirit born indeed;
And wait till God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes,
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free.
From all their sin and sorrow.

Sunday Hymn: I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art

It’s October, the time of year when convinced Protestants think of the events of October 31, 1517. So, this month, why not remember some hymns from the Reformation? I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art came out of Strasbourg in the mid-16th Century. It is believed to have been written, in French (Je Te Sa­lue Mon Cer­tain Re­demp­teur or Salutation à Jesus-Christ), by none other than John Calvin (though there is some question about his authorship). Enjoy:

Sunday Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty contains one of my favorite lines (in the second stanza), one that I run over in my mind often as I consider God’s good providence: “Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er hath been granted in what he ordaineth?”. The line is reminiscent of Psalm 37:4, “Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” If you are delighting in Christ, your desires will be godly, and therefore granted (hence the Beatitudes).

The version I am sharing here has slightly different lyrics and omits several stanzas, but it is a beautiful rendition:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
The King of creation;
O my soul, praise Him
For He is thy health and salvation.
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near,
Join me in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord,
Who o’er all things so wonderfully reigneth;
Shelters thee under His wings
Yea, so gladly sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen how thy glories [desires] e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth!

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him;
All that hath life and breath
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the ‘amen’ sound from His people again;
Gladly for e’er we adore Him!