Hail to the Lord's Anointed (Tune: ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGLEIN)

Hail to the Lord's Anointed,
great David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed,
his reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression,
to set the captive free,
to take away transgression,
and rule in equity.

He comes, with succour speedy,
to those who suffer wrong;
to help the poor and needy,
and bid the weak be strong;
to give them songs for sighing,
their darkness turn to light,
whose souls, condemned and dying,
were precious in his sight.

He shall come down like showers
upon the fruitful earth;
love, joy, and hope, like flowers,
spring in his path to birth;
before him, on the mountains,
shall peace the herald go;
and righteousness, in fountains,
from hill to valley flow.

Kings shall fall down before him,
and gold and incense bring;
all nations shall adore him,
his praise all people sing;
to him shall prayer unceasing
and daily vows ascend,
his kingdom still increasing,
a kingdom without end.

O'er every foe victorious,
he on his throne shall rest;
from age to age more glorious,
all-blessing and all-blest.
the tide of time shall never
his covenant remove;
his name shall stand for ever,
his changeless Name of love.

Paraphrase of Psalm 72

Text: James Montgomery (1821)
Tune: ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGLEIN 76 76 D

And I saw a new heaven (Edgar Bainton)

In memory of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, 15 April 2013











And I saw a new heaven and a new earth
For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away
and there was no more sea, And I John saw the holy city,
Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying,
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men
and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them and be their God
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying
neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away.

Text: Revelation 21:1-4
Music: Edgar Bainton (1880-1956)

Blízko je Pán (Taizé)

Blízko je Pán a Jeho den. 
Blízko je Pán, v Něm síla má.

See also the English original: Wait for the Lord

Music: Jacques Berthier (English bio) (French bio)

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

O quanta, qualia sunt illa sabbata

O quanta, qualia sunt illa sabbata
Quae semper celebrat superna curia.
Quae fessis requies, quae merces fortibus,
Cum erit omnia Deus in omnibus.

Vere Ierusalem est illa civitas,
Cuius pax iugis est, summa iucunditas,
Ubi non praevenit rem desiderium,
Nec desiderio minus est praemium.

Quis rex, quae curia, quale palatium,
Quae pax, quae requies, quod illud gaudium,
Huius participes exponant gloriam,
Si quantum sentiunt, possint exprimere.

Nostrum est interim mentem erigere
Et totis patriam votis appetere,
Et ad Ierusalem a Babylonia
Post longa regredi tandem exilia.

Illic molestiis finitis omnibus
Securi cantica Sion cantibimus,
Et iuges gratias de donis gratiae
Beata referet plebs tibi, Domine.

Illic ex sabbato succedet sabbatum,
Perpes laetitia sabbatizantium,
Nec ineffabiles cessabunt iubili,
Quos decantabimus et nos et angeli.

Perenni Domino perpes sit gloria,
Ex quo sunt, per quem sunt, in quo sunt omnia;
Ex quo sunt, Pater est; per quem sunt, Filius;
In quo sunt, Patris et Filii Spiritus.

Text: Peter Abelard (1079-1142)

Jerusalem The Golden (EWING / THAXTED)

TUNE I: EWING






TUNE II: THAXTED










Jerusalem the golden,
with milk and honey blest,
beneath thy contemplation
sink heart and voice oppressed:
I know not, oh, I know not,
what joys await us there;
what radiancy of glory,
what bliss beyond compare!

They stand, those halls of Zion,
all jubilant with song,
and bright with many an angel,
and all the martyr throng:
the Prince is ever in them,
the daylight is serene;
the pastures of the blessèd
are decked in glorious sheen.

There is the throne of David;
and there, from care released,
the shout of them that triumph,
the song of them that feast;
and they who with their Leader
have conquered in the fight,
for ever and for ever
are clad in robes of white.

Oh, sweet and blessèd country,
the home of God's elect!
Oh, sweet and blessèd country,
that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us
to that dear land of rest,
who art, with God the Father,
and the Spirit, ever blest.

Text: Bernard of Cluny (1145), trans. John Mason Neale (1851, 1859)
Tune: (i) EWING 76.76D, (ii) THAXTED 76.76D

Lord Let Me Know Mine End

Lord, let me know mine end and the number of my days,
That I may be certified how long I have to live.
Thou hast made my days as it were a span long;
And mine age is as nothing in respect of Thee,
And verily, ev'ry man living is altogether vanity,
For man walketh in a vain shadow
And disquieteth himself in vain,
He heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them.
And now, Lord, what is my hope?
Truly my hope is even in Thee.
Deliver me from all mine offences
And make me not a rebuke to the foolish.
I became dumb and opened not my mouth
For it was Thy doing.
Take Thy plague away from me,
I am even consumed by means of Thy heavy hand.
When Thou with rebukes does chasten man for sin
Thou makest his beauty to consume away
Like as it were a moth fretting a garment;
Ev'ry man therefore is but vanity.
Hear my pray'r, O Lord
And with Thy ears consider my calling,
Hold not Thy peace at my tears!
For I am a stranger with Thee and a sojourner
As all my fathers were.
O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength before I go hence
And be no more seen.

Paraphrase of Psalm 39

No. 6 from Songs of Farewell

Composer: Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918)

At the Name of Jesus

At the Name of Jesus

every knee shall bow,

every tongue confess him

King of glory now;

'tis the Father's pleasure

we should call him Lord,

who from the beginning

was the mighty Word.



At his voice creation

sprang at once to sight,

all the angel faces,

all the hosts of light,

Thrones and Dominations,

stars upon their way,

all the heavenly orders,

in their great array.



Humbled for a season,

to receive a Name

from the lips of sinners,

unto whom he came,

faithfully he bore it

spotless to the last,

brought it back victorious,

when from death he passed;



Bore it up triumphant,

with its human light,

through all ranks of creatures,

to the central height,

to the throne of Godhead,

to the Father's breast;

filled it with the glory

of that perfect rest.



Name him, brothers, name him,

with love as strong as death,

but with awe and wonder

and with bated breath;

he is God the Savior,

he is Christ the Lord,

ever to be worshiped,

trusted, and adored.



In your hearts enthrone him;

there let him subdue

all that is not holy,

all that is not true;

crown him as your Captain

in temptation's hour;

let his will enfold you

in its light and power.



Brothers, this Lord Jesus

shall return again,

with his Father's glory

with his angel train;

for all wreaths of empire

meet upon his brow,

and our hearts confess him

King of glory now.



Text: Caroline M. Noel (1870)

Tune: KING'S WESTON 65.65 D

God Himself Is With Us

God himself is with us: let us now adore him,
and with awe appear before him.
God is in his temple, all within keep silence,
prostrate lie with deepest reverence.
him alone God we own, him our God and Savior;
praise his Name forever.

God himself is with us: hear the harps resounding!
see the crowds the throne surrounding!
"Holy, holy, holy," hear the hymn ascending,
angels, saints, their voices blending!
bow thine ear to us here: hear, O Christ, the praises
that thy church now raises.

O thou fount of blessing, purify my spirit;
trusting only in thy merit,
like the holy angels who behold thy glory,
may I ceaselessly adore thee,
and in all, great and small, seek to do most nearly
what thou lovest dearly.

Words: Gerhardt Tersteegen (1729), trans. Frederick William Foster and John Miller (1789)

Advent Matin Responsory (I Look From Afar)

V: I look from afar:
R: And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.

V: Go ye out to meet him and say:
R: Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?

V: High and low, rich and poor, One with another,
R: Go ye out to meet him and say:

V: Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
R: Tell us, art thou he that should come?

V: Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come
R: To reign over thy people Israel.

V: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R: I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.

V: Go ye out to meet him and say:
R: Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?

The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns

The King shall come when morning dawns
and light triumphant breaks;
when beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.

Not, as of old, a little child,
to bear and fight and die,
but crowned with glory like the sun
that lights the morning sky.

The King shall come when morning dawns
and earth's dark night is past;
O haste the rising of that morn,
the day that e'er shall last;

And let the endless bliss begin,
by weary saints foretold,
when right shall triumph over wrong,
and truth shall be extolled.

The King shall come when morning dawns
and light and beauty brings:
Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,
come quickly, King of kings.

Words: Greek; trans. John Brownlie (1907)

Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding

Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding.
"Christ is nigh," it seems to say;
"Cast away the works of darkness,
O ye children of the day."

Wakened by the solemn warning,
let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.

Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,
comes with pardon down from heaven;
let us all, with tears of sorrow,
pray that we may be forgiven;

that when next he comes with glory,
and the world is wrapped in fear,
with his mercy he may shield us,
and with words of love draw near.

Honor, glory, might, and blessing
to the Father and the Son,
with the everlasting Spirit,
while eternal ages run.

Text: Latin, sixth century, trans. Hymns Ancient & Modern (1861)
Tune: MERTON 87.87, by William Henry Monk (1823-1889)

Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying

See also the German Original: Wachet auf; ruft uns die Stimme

Wake, awake, for night is flying;
the watchmen on the heights are crying:
awake, Jerusalem, at last!
Midnight hears the welcome voices
and at the thrilling cry rejoices;
come forth, ye virgins, night is past;
the Bridegroom comes, awake;
your lamps with gladness take;
Hallelujah!
And for his marriage feast prepare
for ye must go and meet him there.

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
and all her heart with joy is springing;
she wakes, she rises from her gloom;
for her Lord comes down all glorious,
the strong in grace, in truth victorious.
her Star is risen, her Light is come.
Ah come, thou blessèd One,
God's own belovèd Son;
Hallelujah!
We follow till the halls we see
where thou hast bid us sup with thee.

Now let all the heavens adore thee,
and men and angels sing before thee,
with harp and cymbal's clearest tone;
of one pearl each shining portal,
where we are with the choir immortal
of angels round thy dazzling throne;
nor eye hath seen,
nor ear hath yet attained to hear
what there is ours,
but we rejoice and sing to thee
our hymn of joy eternally.

See also the German Original: Wachet auf; ruft uns die Stimme

Text: Wachet auf; ruft uns die Stimme, by Philipp Nicolai (1599), trans. Catherine Winkworth (1858)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

See also the Latin Version: Veni, Veni Emmanuel
O come, O come Emmanuel!
Redeem thy captive Israel,
That into exile drear is gone,
Far from the face of God’s dear son,

Refrain:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou branch of Jesse! Draw
The quarry from the lion’s claw,
From the dread caverns of the grave,
From nether hell, thy people save.

O come, O come, thou dayspring bright!
Pour on our souls thy healing light,
Dispel the long night’s lingering gloom,
And pierce the shadows of the tomb.

O come, thou lord of David’s key!
The royal door fling wide and free;
Safeguard for us the heavenward road,
And bar the way to death’s abode.

O come, O come, Adonai,
Who in thy glorious majesty,
From that high mountain clothed with awe,
Gavest thy folk the elder law.

See also the Latin Version: Veni, Veni Emmanuel

Words: circa 9th century, trans. Thomas Alexander Lacey (1906)
Music: Plainchant, Mode I

Wayfaring Stranger

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
A-traveling through, this world of woe.
Yet there's no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright land, to which I go.
I'm going there to see my father
I'm going there no more to roam;
I'm just go-ing over Jordan
I'm just go-ing over home.

I know dark clouds will gather round me
I know my way is rough and steep;
Yet beauteous fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed, their vigils keep
I'm going there to see my mother
She said she'd meet me when I come;
I'm just go-ing over Jordan
I'm just go-ing over home.

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger
I'm just go-ing over home.

American folk gospel/spiritual

Rejoice The Lord Is King

TUNE I: GOPSAL



TUNE II: DARWALL'S 148TH







Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Your Lord and King adore;
mortals, give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore.

Refrain

Lift up your heart,
lift up your voice; rejoice;
again I say, rejoice.

Jesus the Saviour reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above. (Refrain)

His kingdom cannot fail;
he rules o'er earth and heaven;
the keys of earth and hell
are to our Jesus given. (Refrain)

He sits at God's right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
and fall beneath his feet (Refrain)

Rejoice in glorious hope!
Jesus the Judge shall come
and take his servants up
to their eternal home (Refrain)

Text: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Tune: GOPSAL or DARWALL'S 148TH, 66.66.88

To Jesus Christ Our Sovereign King

To Jesus Christ, our Sovereign King,
Who is the world's salvation,
All praise and homage do we bring,
And thanks and adoration.

Refrain:

Christ Jesus Victor,
Christ Jesus Ruler!
Christ Jesus, Lord and Redeemer!

Thy reign extend, O King benign,
To every land and nation,
For in thy kingdom, Lord divine,
Alone we find salvation. (Refrain)

To thee and to thy Church, great King,
We pledge our hearts' oblation,
Until before thy throne we sing,
In endless jubilation. (Refrain)

Text: Martin B. Hellrigel (1891-1981)
Tune: ICH GLAUB An GOTT, 8.7.8.7 + Refrain (Mainz Gesangbuch, 1870)

Ye Holy Angels Bright (Tune DARWALL'S 148TH)

Ye holy angels bright,
who wait at God's right hand,
or through the realms of light
fly at your Lord's command,
assist our song,
for else the theme
too high doth seem
for mortal tongue.

Ye blessed souls at rest,
who ran this earthly race
and now, from sin released,
behold your Savior's face,
his praises sound,
as in his sight
with sweet delight
ye do abound.

Ye saints, who toil below,
adore your heavenly King,
and onward as ye go
some joyful anthem sing;
take what he gives
and praise him still,
through good or ill,
who ever lives!

My soul, bear thou thy part,
triumph in God above:
and with a well-tuned heart
sing thou the songs of love!
Let all thy days
till life shall end,
whate'er he send,
be filled with praise!

Text: Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
Tune: DARWALL'S 148th 6.66.44.44, by John Darwall (1731-1789)

Jerusalem, My Happy Home

Jerusalem, my happy home,
when shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end?
Thy joys when shall I see?

Thy saints are crowned with glory great;
they see God face to face;
they triumph still, they still rejoice
most happy is their case.

There David stands with harp in hand
as master of the choir:
ten thousand times that man were blessed
that might this music hear.

Our Lady sings Magnificat
with tune surpassing sweet,
and all the virgins bear their part,
sitting at her feet.

There Magdalen hath left her moan,
and cheerfully doth sing
with blessèd saints, whose harmony
in every street doth ring.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
God grant that I may see
thine endless joy, and of the same
partaker ever be!

Text: F.B.P. (ca. 16th c.)
Tune: LAND OF REST, CM

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For All The Saints

For all the saints, who from their labours rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;
thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the apostles' glorious company,
who bearing forth the cross o'er land and sea,
shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,
like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,
is fair and fruitful, be thy Name adored.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,
saw the bright crown descending from the sky,
and seeing, grasped it, thee we glorify.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win, with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
we feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
and singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Words: William Walsham How, 1864
Tune: SINE NOMINE 10.10.10.4.4, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1906)

Wait for the Lord (Taizé)

Wait for the Lord,
whose day is near.
Wait for the Lord,
keep watch, take heart.

Music: Jacques Berthier (English bio) (French bio)

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English