Joshua fit de battle (African American Spiritual)

Joshua fit de battle ob Jericho, Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit de battle ob Jericho
An’ de walls come tumblin’down.

You may talk about yo’ king ob Gideon
You may talk about yo’ man ob Saul
Dere’s none like good ole Joshua
At de battle ob Jerico

Up to de walls ob Jericho
He marched with spear in han’
“Go blow dem ram horns”, Joshua cried,
“Kase de battle am in my han’.”

Den de lam’ ram sheep begin to blow,
Trumpets begin to soun’
Joshua commanded de children to shout
An’ de walls come tumblin’ down
Dat mornin’

Joshua fit the battle ob Jericho, Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fit de battle ob Jericho
An’ de walls come tumblin’down.

Historical Information

Traditional African American Spiritual
 

O Spirit, All Embracing (THAXTED)

1 O Spirit, all-embracing and counselor all-wise,
Unbounded splendor gracing a shoreless sea of skies:
Unfailing is your treasure, unfading your reward;
Surpassing worldly pleasure, the riches you afford.
Come, stream of endless flowing, and rescue us from death;
Come, wind of springtime blowing, and warm us by your breath.

2 O Beauty, ever-blazing in flower, field and face,
You show yourself amazing in unexpected place.
We see you and remember what once our dreams had been;
You fan the glowing ember and kindle hope within.
Come, fire of glory gracious, bless all who trust in you;
Undying flame tenacious, burn in your church anew.

3 Come, passion’s power holy, your insight here impart,
And give your servants lowly an understanding heart
To know your care more clearly when faith and love are tried,
To seek you more sincerely when false ideals have died:
For vision we implore you, for wisdom’s pure delight;
In prayer we come before you to wait upon your light.

Text: Delores Dufner (2001)
Tune: THAXTED 13 13 13 13 13 13, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Give Me Jesus (Jeremy Camp)

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise

Refrain:

Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus.
You can have all this world,
Just give me Jesus.

When I am alone,
When I am alone,
When I am alone,
Give me Jesus.

When I come to die,
When I come to die,
When I come to die,
Give me Jesus.

Composer: Jeremy Camp (b. 1978)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series.

Perfect Praise (Oh Lord How Excellent!) [Brenda Joyce Moore]

Oh Lord How excellent! How excellent! How excellent!
How excellent is Thy name

There is none like you, none like you, none like you
Jesus excellent is Thy name

In all the earth, in all the earth, in all the earth
Jesus excellent is Thy name

In all the Earth, in all the earth, in all the earth,
Jesus excellent is Thy name

Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord
Jesus excellent is Thy name

Composer: Brenda Joyce Moore

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series.   

Walk Together Children

Walk together children
Don' you get weary
Walk together children
Don't you get weary
Oh, talk together children
Don't you get weary
There's a great camp meeting in the promised land

Sing together children
Don' you get weary
Sing together children
Don't you get weary
Oh, shout together children
Don't you get weary
There's a great camp meeting in the promised land

Gwineter mourn and never tire
Mourn and never tire
Mourn and never tire
There's a great camp meeting in the Promised Land

Traditional African American Spiritual

O Beautiful for Spacious Skies (Tune: MATERNA)

O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain,
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved,
and mercy more than life!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control,
thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years
thine alabaster cities gleam,
undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.


Text: Katherine Lee Bates (1859-1929)
Tune: MATERNA, CMD, by Samuel Augustus Ward (1848-1903)

This is my song, O God of all the nations (Tune: FINLANDIA)

In celebration of Independence Day, 4th July 2013

1. This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is;
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

2. My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,
And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine.
But other lands have sunlight too and clover,
And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.
O hear my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for their land and for mine.

3. This is my prayer, O Lord of all earth's kingdoms:
Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.
Let Christ be lifted up till all shall serve him,
And hearts united learn to live as one.
O hear my prayer, thou God of all the nations;
Myself I give thee, let thy will be done.

Text: vv. 1-2 Lloyd Stone (1912-1993), v.3 Georgia Harkness (1939)
Tune: FINLANDIA 11 10. 11 10. 11 10, by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

God of Our Fathers

In celebration of Independence Day, 4th July 2013

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
leads forth in beauty all the starry band
of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,
our grateful songs before thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
in this free land by thee our lot is cast;
be thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay,
thy word our law, thy paths our chosen way.

From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence,
be thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
thy true religion in our hearts increase,
thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.

Refresh thy people on their toilsome way,
lead us from night to never-ending day;
fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
and glory, laud, and praise be ever thine.

Words: Daniel Crane Roberts (1876)
Tune: NATIONAL HYMN 10.10.10.10

Heralds of Christ (NATIONAL HYMN)

1. Heralds of Christ, who bear the King's commands,
immortal tidings in your mortal hands,
pass on and carry swift the news you bring;
make straight, make straight the highway of the King.

2. Through desert ways, dark fen, and deep morass,
through jungles, sluggish seas, and mountain pass,
build now the road, and falter not, nor stay;
prepare across the earth the King's highway.

3. Lord, give us faith and strength the road to build,
to see the promise of the day fulfilled,
when war shall be no more, and strife shall cease
upon the highway of the Prince of Peace.

Text: Laura S. Copenhaver (1868-1941)
Tune: NATIONAL HYMN, 10 10.10 10

When we are called to sing your praise (KINGSFOLD)

1. When we are called to sing your praise with hearts so filled with pain
That we would rather sit and weep or stand up to complain,
Remind us, God, you understand the burdens that we bear;
You, too, have walked the shadowed way and known our deep despair.

2. When we are called to sing your praise and cannot find our voice,
Because our losses leaves us now no reason to rejoice.
Remind us, God, that you accept our sad laments in prayer;
You, too, have walked the shadowed way and known our deep despair.

3. When we are called to sing your praise and life ahead looks grim,
Still give us faith and hope enough to break forth in a hymn,
A thankful hymn, great God of Love, that you are everywhere;
You walk the shadowed way with us and keep us in your care.

Text: Mary Nelson Keithahn (b. 1934)
Tune: KINGSFOLD, CMD

When we all get to heaven

Refrain:

When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
we'll sing and shout the victory!

1. Sing the wondrous love of Jesus;
sing his mercy and his grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed
he'll prepare for us a place. (Refrain)

2. While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
clouds will overspread the sky;
but when traveling days are over,
not a shadow, not a sigh. (Refrain)

3. Let us then be true and faithful,
trusting, serving every day;
just one glimpse of him in glory
will the toils of life repay. (Refrain)

4. Onward to the prize before us!
Soon his beauty we'll behold;
soon the pearly gates will open;
we shall tread the streets of gold. (Refrain)

Text: Eliza E. Hewitt
Tune: HEAVEN, 87.87 with Refrain. By Emily D. Wilson

His eye is on the sparrow

1. Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shaddows come?
Why should my heart be lonely
and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is he:
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.

Refrain:

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
for his eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me.

2. "Let not your heart be troubled,"
his tender word I hear,
and resting on his goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
though by the path he leadeth
but one step I may see:
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me. (Refrain)

3. Whenever I am tempted,
whenever clouds arise,
when song gives place to sighing,
when hope within me dies;
I draw the closer to him,
from care he sets me free:
His eye is on the sparrow,
and I know he watches me. (Refrain)

Historical Background 

Text: Civilia D. Martin (1866-1948)
Tune: Charles H. Gabriel (1856-1932)

Here at the Table of Love (Dana Mangel)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series.  

All because of Jesus

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series. 

Hymn of Promise (Natalie Sleeth)

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Composer: Natalie Sleeth (1986)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series. 

Love Never Fails (David Haas)

1. If I speak with the tongues of the earth, if the angels fill my mouth,
yet do not have love, I am but a sound.
If I prophesy and understand all things, if mountains shake by my faith,
without love I am nothing at all.

Refrain:

Love is patient; love is kind. Love rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, it hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.

2. If I give away everything I own, give my body to be burned,
yet do not have love, I gain nothing more. Prophecies will cease;
tongues will be silent. Knowledge will be no more, the partial pass away.

3. When I was a child, I talked, thought, and live like a child.
But now that I have grown, I have put these things aside.
My knowledge is imperfect now, then I'll know as I am known:
that faith, hope and love remain, and the greatest of these is love.

Composer: David Haas (2001)

 See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

All That I Am / Magnificat (David Haas)

Refrain:

All that I am sings of the God who brings new life to birth in me.
My spirit soars on the wings of my Lord.

1. My soul gives glory to the Lord, rejoicing in my saving God,
who looks upon me in my state, and all the world will call me blest;
For God works marvels in my sight, and holy, holy is God's name.

2. God's mercy is from age to age, on those who follow in fear;
Whose arm is power and strength, and scatters all the proud of heart;
Who casts the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly ones!

3. God fills the starving with good things, the rich are left with empty hands;
Protecting all the faithful ones, remembering Israel with mercy,
the promise known to those before and to their children for ever!

Composer: David Haas

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Yahweh, the Faithful one (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:
Yahweh's love will last forever,
His faithfulness till the end of time.
Yahweh is a loving God, Yahweh, the faithful one.

1. Have no fear for I am with you, I will be your shield.
Go now and leave your homeland.
For I will give your home (Refrain)

2. You shall be my chosen people and I will be your God.
I will bless your name forever and keep you from all harm. (Refrain)

3. Look up and see the heavens and count the stars if you can.
Your name will be even grearter, greater than all these stars. (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Come to Me (David Haas)

1. Ask and you shall receive
Seek and you shall find
Knock - it shall be opened
The goodness of the Lord.
For the one who asks, receives
The one who seeks shall find
The one who knocks will enter
And see the face of God.

Refrain:

Come to me all who weary
I will refresh you
Learn from me
My yoke is easy, my burden light.

2. See the birds in the sky,
They neither sow nor reap
And still our God cares for them
Will not the Lord care for you.
See the lilies in the field
They do not work or sleep
If they are clothed in splendor
God will provide for you. (Refrain)

3.Do not worry about your life
What to eat or wear
Is not your life for greater things
Is not your life for the Lord?
Seek the One who knows your need
And all things will be yours
Worry not of tomorrow
Let tomorrow find its way. (Refrain)

Composer: David Haas (1989)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Holy Darkness (Dan Schutte)

Refrain

Holy darkness, blessed night,
heaven's answer hidden from our sight.
As we await you, O God of silence,
we embrace your holy night.

1. I have tried you in fires of affliction;
I have taught your soul to grieve.
In the barren soil of your loneliness,
there I will plant my seed.

2. I have taught you the price of compassion;
you have stood before the grave.
Though my love can seem
like a raging storm,
this is the love that saves.

3. Were you there
when I raised up the mountains?
Can you guide the morning star?
Does the hawk take flight
when you give command?
Why do you doubt my pow'r?

4. In your deepest hour of darkness
I will give you wealth untold.
When the silence stills your spirit,
will my riches fill your soul.

5. As the watchman waits for morning,
and the bride awaits her groom,
so we wait to hear your footsteps
as we rest beneath your moon.

Inspired by St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)

Composer: Dan Schutte (1988)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.