Eternal God, Whose Power Upholds

Eternal God, Whose Power Upholds

Text written in 1929 by Henry H. Tweedy (1868-1953)

Sung to FOREST GREEN, a traditional English melody arranged in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

V. 1 Eternal God, whose power upholds

Both flower and flaming star,

To whom there is no here nor there,

No time, no near nor far,

No alien race, no foreign shore,

No child unsought, unknown:

O send us forth, Your prophets true,

To make all lands Your own!

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. 

V. 2 O God of truth, whom science seeks

And reverent souls adore,

Illumine every earnest mind

Of every clime and shore:

Dispel the gloom of error's night,

Of ignorance and fear,

Until true wisdom from above

Shall make life's pathway clear!

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due His name; worship Yahweh in the splendor of His holiness.

V. 3 O God of beauty, oft revealed

In dreams of human art,

In speech that flows to melody,

In holiness of heart:

Teach us to ban all ugliness,

And all disharmony,

Till all shall know the loveliness

Of lives made fair and free!

John 4:34 “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work,” Jesus told them. 

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?"

V. 4 O God of righteousness and grace,

Seen in the Christ, Your Son,

Whose life and death reveal Your face,

By whom Your will as done;

Help us to spread Your gracious reign

Till greed and hate shall cease,

And kindness dwell in human hearts,

And all the earth find peace!

Jesus Is All the World to Me

Jesus Is All the World to Me

Text written by Will L. Thompson (1847-1909)

Sung to ELIZABETH Irregular, composed in 1904 by Will L. Thompson

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 

V. 1 Jesus is all the world to me,

My life, my joy, my all;

He is my strength from day to day,

Without Him I would fall.

When I am sad to Him I go,

No other one can cheer me so;

When I am sad He makes me glad,

He's my Friend.

Matthew 5:45 ...that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

V. 2 Jesus is all the world to me,

My Friend in trials sore;

I go to Him for blessings, and He gives them o'er and o'er.

He sends the sunshine and the rain,

He sends the harvest's golden grain;

Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain,

He's my Friend.

V. 3 Jesus is all the world to me,

And true to Him I'll be;

O how could I this Friend deny,

When He's so true to me?

Following Him I know I'm right,

He watches o'er me day and night;

Following Him by day and night,

He's my Friend.

Psalm 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God;

I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

V. 4 Jesus is all th eworld to me,

I want no better friend;

I trust Him now, I'll trust Him when

Life's fleeting days shall end.

Beautiful life with such a Friend;

Beautiful life that has no end;

Eternal life, eternal joy,

He's my Friend.

A Mighty Fortress

A Mighty Fortress

Text written in 1529 by Martin Luther (1483-1546), translated in 1852 by Frederick H. Hedge (1805-1890)

Sung to EIN' FESTE BURG, composed in 1529 by Martin Luther

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

V. 1 A mighty fortress is our God,

A bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great;

And armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

James 5:4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 

V. 2 Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing,

Were not the right man on our side,

The man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He,

Lord Sabaoth His name,

From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment....

V. 3 And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim,

We tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure,

For lo! his doom is sure,

No little word shall fell him.

Daniel 7:27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.

1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

v. 4 That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Through Him who with us sideth;

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill;

God's truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Text written in 1923 by Thomas O. Chisholm (1866-1960)

Sung to FAITHFULNESS, composed in 1925 by William M. Runyan

Lamentations 3:22, 23 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: 

great is thy faithfulness.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, 

neither shadow of turning.

V. 1 Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain: Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,

Great is Thy faithfulness! Lord unto me!

Psalm 36:5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

V. 2 Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Refrain

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

V. 3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all min, with ten thousand beside.

Refrain

How Sweet the Name!

How Sweet the Name!

Text written in 1779 by John Newton (1725-1807)

Sung to ST. PETER, composed in 1836 by Alexander R. Reinagle (1799-1877)

Song of Solomon 1:3  Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you!

V. 1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

Proverbs 18:14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?

V. 2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

'Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest.

Psalm 3:3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

V. 3 Dear name, the rock on which I build,

My shield and hiding place, 

My never-failing treasury, filled

With boundless stores of grace.

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

Matthew 21:5 Say to Daughter Zion, "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

John 6:14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 

John 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Hebrews 7:26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 

V. 4 Jesus! my Shepherd, Guardian, Friend,

My Prophet, Priest, and King!

My Lord, my life, my way, my end!

Accept the praise I bring.

V. 5 Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as Thou art,

I'll praise Thee as I ought.

Gracious Father, Guard Thy Children

Gracious Father, Guard Thy Children

Text is Anonymous

Sung to the hymn tune ELLESDIE, arranged from Mozart in 1873 by Hubert P. Main (1839-1926)

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Jude 24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy....

V. 1 Gracious Father, guard Thy children

From the foe's destructive power;

Save, O save them, Lord, from falling

In this dark and trying hour.

Thou wilt surely prove Thy people,

All our graces must be tried;

But Thy word illumes our pathway,

And in God we still confide.

Psalm 60:4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.

1 Corinthians 1:7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

Colossians 3:24 ...since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

V. 2 We are in the time of waiting;

Soon we shall behold our Lord,

Wafted far away from sorrow,

To receive our rich reward.

Keep us, Lord, till Thine appearing,

Pure, unspotted from the world;

Let Thy Holy spirit cheer us

Till Thy banner is unfurled.

Leviticus 25:10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your family property and to your own clan. 

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 8:2 ...because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 

V. 3 With what joyful exultation

Shall the saints Thy banner see,

When the Lord for whom we've waited

Shall proclaim the jubilee!

Freedom from this world's pollutions;

Freedom from all sin and pain;

Freedom from the wiles of Satan,

And from death's destructive reign.