Christian Hymns

[Remnantrob]

Good Morning family,

 

I like everyone (I assume) enjoy a good christian song on the radio from time to time and for the most part it seems like our church's have caught on and used these songs during our worship services.  But there is something about a hymn that just lifts my soul to heaven.  I'd love it if you could post  some of your favorite hymns and why it's important to you.  For me, there's a lot of doctrine and meaning in hymns.  A preacher I like who is also a hymn guy once said think about the titanic.  When it was going down do you think people wanted to hear the music of the day or were the old hymns of Zion the thing that came to someone's mind?   My wife's favorite(and one I really like) from our hymnal is called "In Times like These"

In times like these you need a Savior,
In times like these you need an anchor; 
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these, O be not idle; 
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I'm very sure, I'm very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One,
This Rock is Jesus, the only One;
Be very sure, be very sure,
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

God bless!

Edited October 19, 2016 by Remnantrob
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[Littlelambseativy]

Oh how I agree with you!! The seeming chants, phrases, etc. cannot compare to the hymns that tell the story of the heart and the intervention of Jesus into a life. There are so many hymns born out of dispair and heartache that touch our hearts with the love of  God who wants to be part of our lives. I love them all...the old hymns.

 

[Remnantrob]

7 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Paul Gerhardt has been my favorite hymn writer and this is my favorite of his. He continually points us to Christ and His work in our stead....

 

Full Text

1 A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth,
The guilt of all men bearing;
'Tis laden with the sin of earth,
None else the burden sharing;
It goes its way, grows weak and faint,
To slaughter led without complaint,
Its spotless life to offer;
Bears shame, and stripes, and wounds, and death,
Anguish and mockery, and saith,
"Willing all this I suffer."

2 This Lamb is Christ, the soul's great Friend
And everlasting Savior;
Him, Him God chose, sin's reign to end
And bring us to His favor.
"Go forth, my Son!" He said, "and bail
The children, who are doomed to hell
But for Thine intercession.
The punishment is great, and dread
The wrath, but Thou Thy blood shalt shed,
And save them from perdition."

3 "Yea, Father, year, most willingly
I'll bear what Thou commandest;
My will conforms to Thy decree,
I do what Thou demandest."
O wondrous Love! what hast Thou done!
The Father offers up His Son,
The Son content descendeth!
O Love! O Love! how strong art Thou!
In shroud and grave Thou lay'st Him low
Whose word the mountains rendeth!

4 Thou lay'st him, Love, upon the cross,
With nails and spikes Him bruising;
Thou slay'st Him as a lamb, His loss,
From soul and body oozing;
From body 'tis the crimson flood
Of precious sacrificial blood,
From soul, the strength of anguish:
My gain it is; sweet Lamb to Thee
What can I give, whose love to me
For me doth make Thee languish?

5 Lord, all my life I'll cleave to Thee,
Thy love fore'er beholding,
Thee ever, as Thou ever me,
With loving arms enfolding.
Yea, Thou shalt be my Beacon-light,
To guide me safe through death's dark night,
And cheer my heart in sorrow;
Henceforth myself and all that's mine
to Thee, my Savior, I consign,
From whom all things I borrow.

6 By morn and eve my theme shall be
Thy mercy's wondrous measure;
To sacrifice myself to Thee,
My foremost aim and pleasure.
My stream of life shall flow for Thee,
Its steadfast current ceaselessly
In praise to Thee outpouring;
And all that Thou hast done for me,
I'll treasure in my memory,
Thy gracious love adoring.

7 Enlarge, shrine of my heart, and swell,
To Thee shall now be given
A treasure that doth far excel
The worth of earth and heaven.
Away with the Arabian gold,
With treasures of an earthly mold!
I've found a better jewel.
My priceless treasure, Lord my God,
Is Thy most holy, precious blood,
Which flowed from wounds so cruel.

8 This treasure ever I'll employ,
This ever aid shall yield me;
In sorrow it shall be my joy,
In conflict it shall shield me;
In joy, the music of my feast,
And when all else has lost its zest,
This manna still shall feed me;
In thirst my drink; in want my food;
My company in solitude,
To comfort and to lead me.

9 Death's poison cannot harm me now,
Thy blood new life bestoweth;
My Shadow from the heat art Thou,
When noonday's sunlight gloweth,
When I'm by inward grief opprest,
On Thee my weary soul shall rest,
As sick man on his pillows.
Thou art my Anchor, when be woe
My bark is driven to and fro
On trouble's restless billows.

10 And when Thy glory I shall see
And taste Thy kingdom's pleasure,
Thy blood my royal robe shall be,
And joy beyond at measure;
It then shall be my glorious crown
Thus I'll appear before the throne
Of God, and need not hide me;
And shall, by Him to Thee betrothed,
By Thee in bridal garments clothed,
Stand as a bride beside Thee.


Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #191

 

Ha! You wouldn't need a sermon after that!

I will have to look this one up.  looks good

[Dennis1209]

For myself, it would have to be "The Old Rugged Cross".

[Remnantrob]

9 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

For myself, it would have to be "The Old Rugged Cross".

Yes.  I love the part where its says: So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down.  I will cling to that old rugged cross and exchange it someday for a crown.  Powerful!!!

[PatrolMan]

I'll take the old hymns every time over this new praise music they are playing today.

[Remnantrob]

One thing that many don't realize is that there is a story behind a lot of the hymns we sing.  Here is one of my favorites along with the lyrics .  When you know the background it makes the words more powerful.

Horatio G. Spafford was a successful lawyer and businessman in Chicago with a lovely family — a wife, Anna, and five children. However, they were not strangers to tears and tragedy. Their young son died with pneumonia in 1871, and in that same year, much of their business was lost in the great Chicago fire. Yet, God in His mercy and kindness allowed the business to flourish once more.

On Nov. 21, 1873, the French ocean liner, Ville du Havre was crossing the Atlantic from the U.S. to Europe with 313 passengers on board. Among the passengers were Mrs. Spafford and their four daughters. Although Mr. Spafford had planned to go with his family, he found it necessary to stay in Chicago to help solve an unexpected business problem. He told his wife he would join her and their children in Europe a few days later. His plan was to take another ship.

About four days into the crossing of the Atlantic, the Ville du Harve collided with a powerful, iron-hulled Scottish ship, the Loch Earn. Suddenly, all of those on board were in grave danger. Anna hurriedly brought her four children to the deck. She knelt there with Annie, Margaret Lee, Bessie and Tanetta and prayed that God would spare them if that could be His will, or to make them willing to endure whatever awaited them. Within approximately 12 minutes, the Ville du Harve slipped beneath the dark waters of the Atlantic, carrying with it 226 of the passengers including the four Spafford children.

A sailor, rowing a small boat over the spot where the ship went down, spotted a woman floating on a piece of the wreckage. It was Anna, still alive. He pulled her into the boat and they were picked up by another large vessel which, nine days later, landed them in Cardiff, Wales. From there she wired her husband a message which began, “Saved alone, what shall I do?” Mr. Spafford later framed the telegram and placed it in his office.

Another of the ship’s survivors, Pastor Weiss, later recalled Anna saying, “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.”

Mr. Spafford booked passage on the next available ship and left to join his grieving wife. With the ship about four days out, the captain called Spafford to his cabin and told him they were over the place where his children went down.

According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born after the tragedy, Spafford wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” while on this journey.

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Chorus:

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul

Anna gave birth to three more children, one of which died at age four with dreaded pneumonia. In August 1881, the Spaffords moved to Jerusalem. Mr. Spafford died and is buried in that city.

1
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain
It is well with my soul,
it is well, it is well with my soul.

2
My sin–oh, the joy of this glorious thought–
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

3
And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts, your minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7.

 

[RustyAngeL]

I must be the odd girl out.  Yes I love the old hymns,they are so beautiful.  But I'm a praise and worship girl. I believe these too when sung unto the Lord makes Him smile.

[woundeddog]

I love the old hymns because they are so rich in doctrine-- not only do they praise God but they edify the believer--

 

I HATE with a passion the new trend of the contemporary " Jesus is my boy friend" tunes and 7-11 praise songs~~ same seven words eleven times~~~ all they do is put the listener in a trance so their brains are more open bad teaching

[HisFirst]

When I was young, probs about 6, there was a song we used to sing as a whole church - it wasn't a hymn, but I loved it but that was the only church I've been to that sang it. The Pastor and wife were Americans.

It went like this I think - (from Psalms)

The testimony of the Lord is pure making wise the simple,

Much sweeter than the honey from the honeycomb.

 

I have a feeling there's a line or two missing. But the tune has never left me.