Hymns4Him

When we think of Pentecost Sunday, our minds naturally focus on the event as recorded by Luke in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.  But we ought also to recall Jesus’ promise to give the Spirit as the “other” comforter in His Upper Room Discourse in John 14 and 16.   And we should certainly also turn to the statement in John 20:22, that “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

The concept of His breathing matches the Hebrew (ruach) and Greek (pneuma) words for spirit which have the root meaning of wind or breath.  And it is that imagery which we find in the hymn “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” by Edwin Hatch (1835-1889), first published privately in 1878 in a pamphlet entitled “Between Doubt and Prayer,” giving it the Latin title of “Spiritus Dei” (Spirit of God).  It was later published publicly in 1886 in Henry Allen’s “The Congregational Psalmist Hymnal,” and then republished posthumously by Hatch’s widow in 1890 in “Towards Fields of Light: Sacred Poems.”

Continue Reading…

Of all the Christ-centered events in the biblical account of Jesus’ life, probably the one least celebrated in the Church Year is that of His ascension.  The details of the event are clearly described in Scripture as the concluding step in His earthly ministry, and also as the culmination of that work of redemption in His heavenly ministry.  We find it in the Gospels, in Acts, and in the epistles.  It is especially prominent in the book of Hebrews as the author relates it to Jesus’ coronation and continuing intercession for us, as a Savior, who in Herman Bavinck’s words, has much remaining to do for the kingdom.

Continue Reading…

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is often sung on patriotic occasions across America.  The music, especially in the famous anthem arrangement by Peter Wilhousky, is absolutely thrilling!  When choir and brass and percussion unite in this awesome setting, nationalistic pride swells in our hearts.  It’s a delight to sing, and to hear.  But is it an appropriate hymn for a Christian worship service?  Is it faithful to Scripture?  Does the text correctly portray the attributes of God?  Does it exalt the Lord Jesus Christ?  Is it accurate in presenting the gospel?  Will someone who sings and/or hears it have a clear understanding of the central message of the gospel?

When questions like these are faced, the song falls woefully short.  That’s why in many instances it has not been included in hymnals and is deemed unacceptable for singing in a Christian worship service.  In fact, a closer examination of the text (and the author’s intent) leads to the possible twin charges of idolatry and blasphemy.  Idolatry because it makes the military force of a nation at war the object of devotion of a kind due only to the Lord.  And blasphemy because it makes the arrival of such an army synonymous with the coming of Jesus in conquering victory.

Continue Reading…

When we are in the midst of some terribly painful experience, we find great comfort from a friend who stays nearby.  It may be our pain while suffering in a hospital bed, or our grief while weeping beside the casket of a loved one, or our heartache while realizing that a close friend has turned against us.  In any of those hard times we gain strength from that special, loyal friend whose presence assures us that we don’t have to deal with this alone. 

That principle has been pointed out many times by those who have taught from the book of Job.  The enormous pain that crushed that godly man’s soul, emotionally (and then his body, physically) motivated his friends to come near and sit with him (Job 2:11-13).  He was helped, though very imperfectly and sometimes incorrectly, not by what they said, but just by not leaving him alone in his hurt.  We have all known how much having a friend stay with us amidst our tragedies has meant to us.

The best friend we could possibly have is Jesus.  In John 15:15, He has called us His friends. In Hebrews 13:5 He promises never to leave us.  In Ephesians 1:11, He assures us that He is in total control. In Romans 8:28, He promises that He will cause all things to work out for His glory and our good.  His friendship is better than any mere human being.  He doesn’t just make us feel better by His presence, but with power and love actually works to carry us through our hard times, and to bring good from our troubles.  And so we sing of that in such hymns as “Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners” and “I’ve Found a Friend, O Such a Friend.”

Continue Reading…

God is the author of the Psalms, through the Holy Spirit’s work of inspiration, guiding the human authors to write what He intended, as we read in 2 Peter 1:20-21 … ^“knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” And in addition to that, through divine providence He is also the arranger of the contents of the Psalms.  It is by His design that the collection of 150 Psalms is divided into five groups, with chapters 1-2 serving as an introduction. The rest of psalms are arranged as Book 1 (3-41), Book 2 (42-72), Book 3 (73-89), Book 4 (90-106), and Book 5 (107-150).  And each book concludes with some kind of doxology.

And it is also by His design that Psalms 1 and 150 are placed where they are, as an introduction and conclusion to the whole collection.  Our praises begin by acknowledging that the only path to blessing is that which honors the Lord by loving and walking in accord with His Word. Doing so will insure that we will eternally enjoy the favor of the Lord.  And our praises end with the jubilant praise in His presence that will last into eternity, praise that is supported by glorious music from every kind of musical instrument, indeed, from everything that has breath! All of the Psalms, like all of scripture, are ultimately Messianic, in part, because Jesus not only sang all these Psalms in His day in Israel, but as God, He actually wrote them!

Continue Reading…

Self-examination is one of the most valuable dimensions of spiritual health.  Psalm 139 concludes with the request that God would search our hearts.  When we make that request, it implies that we will embark on such an examination ourselves, trusting that He would guide us to see what He sees.  What are the things we should be looking for?  Like a doctor diagnosing a patient, we should be alert to the negative side (our shortcomings) as well as the positive side (our progress).  What sins are we still struggling with?  What dimensions of the fruit of the spirit are we seeing increase?  What deeds of the flesh do people still see in us? What marks of godliness are we consciously cultivating?

But certainly the most important thing for us, is to do all of this with the desire that the Lord would show us what He sees within our hearts.  We are too prone to look too shallowly and just see things on the surface.  We are too prone to excuse ourselves and think too highly of ourselves.  We are too likely to deceive ourselves and to accept the kind words others say about us as fully trustworthy and sufficiently accurate. But the Lord sees us as we truly are.  Of course, that knowledge can be quite painful.  But it brings the sorrow that leads to further and deeper repentance.

What’s wonderful about all this is not only that He sees deeply and correctly, including all the faults and failures we try to cover up, but that He loves us in spite of all those blemishes, and is ready to help us overcome them and make more progress in lives of holiness.  As Dane Ortlund has written so helpfully in his marvelous book, “Gentle and Lowly” (as he reflects on the book by the Puritan author, Thomas Goodwin), Jesus is the physician who doesn’t turn away the sick until they heal themselves, He is the physician who is glad to heal when they come to Him. Satan tempts us to think that Jesus would be angry at us when we sin, and so we feel too embarrassed to come to Him in that condition.  But that’s exactly when He most wants us to come and most lovingly and helpfully welcomes us when we do.

Continue Reading…

People around the world associate Handel’s great masterpiece “Messiah,” with Christmas.   But it was originally an Easter composition in three parts.  The oratorio’s structure follows the liturgical year.  Part 1 corresponds with Advent, Christmas, and the life of Jesus.  Part II deals with Lent, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost.  Part III then continues with the end of the church year and to the end of time and the final consummation, with the chorus singing heaven’s anthem, “Worthy Is the Lamb” and “Amen!” The birth and death of Jesus are told in the words of the prophet Isaiah, the most prominent source for the libretto. The only true “scene” of the oratorio is the annunciation to the shepherds, which is taken from the Gospel of Luke. The imagery of shepherd and lamb features prominently in many movements, for example: in the aria “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd” (the only extended piece to talk about the Messiah on earth), in the opening of Part II (“Behold the Lamb of God”), in the chorus “All we like sheep,” and in the closing chorus of the work (“Worthy is the Lamb”).

It was first performed in the Music Hall in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742, almost 300 years ago. The audience swelled to a record 700, and ladies had heeded pleas by management to wear dresses “without Hoops” in order to make “Room for more company.” The men and women in attendance sat mesmerized from the moment the tenor followed the mournful string overture with his piercing opening line: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” It has been “Messiah” which has elevated Handel to musical superstar status, with Beethoven himself calling Handel “the greatest composer that ever lived.”  Since most of Handel’s work was in secular music and opera, many would prefer to accord that status to Johann Sebastian Bach, whose music was primarily written for use in worship.

Continue Reading…

Christians around the world mark the end of the week prior to Resurrection Sunday (a better title for it than “Easter”), with special services drawing meditative attention to the conclusion of that week in Jesus’ earthly life.  One of the highest, or perhaps we should say the deepest points in those observances is Good Friday.  In a now classic “BC” cartoon, one character says,
“I hate the term ‘Good Friday’.” Another asks, “Why?” to which the first responds, “My Lord was hanged on a tree on that day.” This response follows: “If you were going to be hanged on that day, and He volunteered to take your place, how would you feel?”  And the obvious answer then comes, “Good.”  It concludes, “Have a nice day.”

The doctrine of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement is absolutely foundational for biblical Christian faith.  Jesus’ death on the cross was not a sentimental gesture of concern for others that we are to imitate. It was God, in the person of the Son, taking on Himself the guilt of His elect (“He who knew no sin became sin,” 2 Corinthians 5:21) and suffering in their place the wrath of God which they deserved.  This concept of substitution is unmistakable throughout the Bible.  In the Old Testament, sinners placed their hands on the sacrificial animal, symbolically transferring their sin to that victim which was then killed as their substitute (Leviticus 16).  And in Isaiah’s fourth servant song (Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12), the refences to Jesus dying as a substitute (“the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all,” vs. 6) is found at least ten times.

Continue Reading…

England’s cathedrals have been the sites of some of the most wonderful preacher/theologians of all time.   Among them must be named John Donne (St. Paul’s, London) and J. C. Ryle (Liverpool). Others who never served in cathedral positions would certainly include John Stott and Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  One of the less-known settings is Bristol Cathedral, where the Puritan era preacher was Samuel Crossman (1624-1683), the author of one of the most wonderful passion hymns of all time, “My Song Is Love Unknown.” It was written in 1664 as a tribute to George Herbert (1593-1633), another of the great Puritan preacher/theologian/poets, one from the Shakespearean era.  Though never a clergyman in a cathedral, his ministry is remembered today through such works as his 77 stanza poem “The Temple,” and the hymn, “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing,” which is based on his writings.

Samuel Crossman was born in the town of Bradfield St. George in Suffolk, England. He received a bachelor of divinity degree at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was grounded in Puritan theology.  As an Anglican Puritan minister, he served both an Anglican parish at All Saints, Sudbury, while simultaneously preaching to a Puritan congregation.  He took part in the non-conformist’s Savoy Conference, but was among the 2000 clergy ejected from the Church of England due to their refusal to submit to the 1662 Act of Uniformity, which demanded use of the official “Book of Common Prayer” for the liturgy in worship.  The Savoy Conference was a failed attempt to re-write the “Book of Common Prayer” that would be acceptable to Puritans as well as Anglicans.  It was during his exile from the Church of England that he wrote “My Song Is Love Unknown” as a poem in 1664. It was first published in “The Young Man’s Meditation” and then became published as an Anglican hymn in 1684, just two years after his death. The last verse of the hymn was written as an imitation of themes from George Herbert’s poem, “The Temple,” as a tribute by Crossman to Herbert.  After being expelled, Crossman recanted and was soon ordained in 1665, becoming a royal chaplain. He was called to a position in Bristol in 1667 and became Dean of Bristol Cathedral in 1683.  While at Bristol, he wrote 9 hymns.  After his death, he was buried in the south aisle of the Cathedral.

Continue Reading…