Lead Me, Lord

Lead Me, Lord

Hymn tune composed by Samuel S. Wesley (1810-1876)

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 5:8 Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—

make your way straight before me.

Lead me, Lord, lead me in Thy righteousness;

Make Thy way plain before my face.

For it is Thou, Lord, Thou, Lord, only 

That makest me dwell in safety.

Now All the Woods Are Sleeping

Now All the Woods Are Sleeping

Text written by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), translated by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878)

Sung to INNSBRUCK, attributed to Heinrich Isaak (c. 1450-c. 1527), arranged by J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

V. 1 Now all the woods are sleeping,

And night and stillness creeping 

O'er city, man, and beast;

But thou, my heart, awake thee,

To pray'r awhile betake thee,

And praise thy Maker ere thou rest.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them.

V. 2 My Jesus, stay Thou by me,

And let no foe come nigh me,

Safe sheltered by Thy wing;

But would the foe alarm me,

O let him never harm me,

But still Thine angels round me sing!

Psalm 121:5 The Lord watches over you—

the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

V. 3 My loved ones, rest securely,

From every peril surely

Our God will guard your heads;

And happy slumbers send you,

And bid His hosts attend you,

And golden-armed watch o'er your beds.

Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness

Jesus, Your Blood and Righteousness

Text written by Nicolaus L. von Zinzendorf (1700-1760), translated by John Wesley (1703-1791)

Sung to GARDINER, from "Wm. Gardiner's Sacred Melodies," 1815

Psalm 3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

1 Corinthians 1:30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

V. 1 Jesus, Your blood and righteousness

My beauty are, my glorious dress;

Mid flaming worlds, in these arrayed,

With joy shall I lift up my head.

John 8:10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

V. 2 Bold shall I stand in that great day,

Cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay;

For by Your cross, absolved I am

From sin and guilt, from fear and shame.

Romans 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

V. 3 Lord, I believe Your precious blood,

Which at the mercy seat of God

Please for the captives' liberty,

Was also shed in love for me.

John 5:25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

V. 4 When from the dust of death I rise

To claim my mansion in the skies,

This then shall be my only plea:

Christ Jesus lived and died for me.

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)

Text written by William Whiting (1825-1878)

Sung to MELITA, composed by John B. Dykes (1823-1876)

Job 38:11 ...when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;

here is where your proud waves halt’?

Psalm 107:28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he brought them out of their distress.

! Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

V. 1 Eternal Father, strong to save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,

Who bid'st the mmighty ocean deep

Its own appointed limits keep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee

For those in peril on the sea.

Matthew 14:25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, 

walking on the lake.

Mark 4:38, 39 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

V. 2 O Christ, whose voice the waters heard,

And hushed their raging at Thy word,

Who walkedst on the foaming deep,

And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee

For those in peril on the sea.

Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

V. 3 O Holy Spirit, who didst brood

Upon the waters dark and rude,

And bid their angry tumult cease,

And give, for wild confusion, peace:

Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee

For those in peril on the sea.

Psalm 37:31 The law of their God is in their hearts;

their feet do not slip.

V. 4 O Trinity of love and power,

All trav'lers shield in danger's hour;

From rock and tempest, fire and foe,

Protect them wheresoe'er they go;

Thus evermore shall rise to Thee

Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Does Jesus Care?

Today, for me, is a bittersweet day of remembrance.  My baby sister died 40 years ago today.  She never got to experience any firsts.  No first smile...first word...first steps.  No first Christmas, or first day of school, or first kiss.  No wedding, or first baby.  She was cruelly taken from us when she was just 3 weeks old.  I often wonder what she would be like.  I know we would have loved each other deeply.  Sisters are like that.  I miss her, and I can't wait for that joyous Resurrection Day, when I will see her guardian angel place her lovingly in the arms of my parents, and we will be re-united eternally.  I rejoice that I have a God who cares, and who paid the price for my sins so that I will be able to have my sister in my life.

Does Jesus Care?

Text written by Frank E. Graeff (1860-1919)

Tune composed by J. Lincoln Hall (1866-1930)

V. 1 Does Jesus care when my heart is pained

Too deeply for mirth and song;

As the burdens press, and the cares distress,

And the way grows weary and long?

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Refrain: O yes He cares--I know he cares!

His heart is touched with my grief;

When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

I know my Saviour cares.

V. 2 Does Jesus care when my way is dark

With a nameless dread and fear:

As the daylight fades into deep night shades,

Does He care enough to be near?

Refrain

V. 3 Does Jesus care when I've said good-bye

To the dearest on earth to me,

And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks--

Is it aught to Him? does He see?

Refrain

Lord of the Sabbath

Lord of the Sabbath

Text is anonymous

Sung to PARK STREET, arranged c. 1810from Frederick M. A. Venua (1788-1872)

Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

V. 1 Lord of the Sabbath and its light,

I hail Thy hallowed day of rest;

It is my weary soul's delight,

The solace of my careworn breast, 

The solace of my careworn breast.

V. 2 O sacred day of peace and joy,

Thy hours are ever dear to me;

Ne'er may a sinful thought destroy

The holy calm I find in thee,

The holy calm I find in thee.

V. 3 How sweetly now they glide along!

How hallowed is the calm they yield!

Transporting is their rapturous song,

And heavenly visions seem revealed,

And heavenly visions seem revealed.

Genesis 2:3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Hebrews 4:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.

V. 4 O Jesus, let me ever hail

Thy presence with the day of rest;

Then will Thy servant never fail

To deem Thy Sabbath doubly blest,

To deem Thy Sabbath doubly blest.

Now Praise the Hidden God of Love

Now Praise the Hidden God of Love

Text written in 1975 by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000)

Sung to CANONBURY, composed by Robert Schumann (1910-1856)

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

V. 1 Now praise the hidden God of love

In whom we all must live and move,

Who shepherds us, at every stage

Thro' youth, maturity, and age.

1 John 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

V. 2 Who challenged us, when we were young

To storm the citadels of wrong;

In care for others taught us how

God's true community must grow.

John 9:4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

V. 3 Who bids us never lose our zest,

Tho' age is urging us to rest,

But proves to us that we have still

A work to do, a place to fill.

V. 4 Then talk no more of wasted time,

But Godward look, and upward climb,

Content to sleep, when day is done,

And rise refreshed, and travel on.