This week’s listener requests include a Brendan Taaffe’s contemporary folk hymn To the hills, a harvest anthem by English composer John Rutter, and Isaac Watt’s well-loved hymn When I survey the wondrous cross.
Holy Trinity Cathedral Photo: RNZ / Paul Bushnell
SONG: GLORIOUS THINGS OF THEE ARE SPOKEN
Artist: Choir of the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, Andrew Cantrill (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: John Newton/Joseph Haydn
Recording: Private 581
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
See! the streams of living waters,
springing form eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Saviour, if of Zion's city,
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
SONG: ONE BREAD, ONE BODY
Words/Music: Father John Foley
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Recording: Journeysongs Vol 3 2012
Refrain:
One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
one cup of blessing which we bless,
and we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.
Refrain:
SONG: TO THE HILLS
Artist: The Bright Wings Chorus
Words/Music: from Psalm 121 adapted by Ali Burns/music and additional text by Brendan Taaffe
Recording: Basin Farm Records 2023
To the hills I will lift mine eyes
and I am not, not afraid
(rpt twice)
In the sun by day or the moon by night
my courage will not fade
In sun by day or the moon by night
I am not afraid
To the hills I will lift mine eyes
and I am not, not afraid
In the morningʼs smile or the eveningʼs veil
my courage will not fade
In the morningʼs smile or the eveningʼs veil
I am not afraid
To the hills I will lift mine eyes
and I am not, not afraid
O guide my feet an guard my way
my courage will not fade
O guide my feet and guard my way,
I am not afraid
To the hills I will lift mine eyes
and I am not, not afraid
SONG: O LOVE THAT WILT NOT LET ME GO
Artist: BBC Radio 4 Daily Service Singers
Words/Music: George Matheson/Albert Peace
Recording: BBC
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that followest all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
SONG: LOOK AT THE WORLD
Artist: Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia, John Rutter (dir)
Words/Music: John Rutter
Recording: Collegium COLCD129
Look at the world: Everything all around us
Look at the world: and marvel everyday
Look at the world: So many joys and wonders
So many miracles along our way
Praise to thee o lord for all creation
Give us thankful hearts that we may see
All the gifts we share and every blessing
All things come of thee
Look at the earth: Bringing forth fruit and flower
Look at the sky: The sunshine and the rain
Look at the hills, look at the trees and mountains
Valley and flowing river field and plain
Praise to thee o lord for all creation
Give us thankful hearts that we may see
All the gifts we share and every blessing
All things come of thee
Think of the spring, Think of the warmth of summer
Bringing the harvest before the winters cold
Everything grows, everything has a season
Til' it is gathered to the fathers fold
Praise to thee o lord for all creation
Give us thankful hearts that we may see
All the gifts we share and every blessing
All things come of thee
Every good gift, all that we need and cherish
Comes from the lord in token of his love
We are his hands, stewards of all his bounty
His is the earth and his the heavens above
Praise to thee, o lord for all creation
Give us thankful hearts that we may see
All the gifts we share, and every blessing
All things come of thee
All things come of thee
SONG: JESUS, REMEMBER ME
Artist: St Thomas’ Music Group
Words/Music: Jacques Berthier
Recording: Alliance Music
Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me
when you come in to your kingdom.
SONG: WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
Artist: Huddersfield Choral Society
Words/Music: Isaac Watts/Edward Miller
Recording: EMI 746202
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
save in the death of Christ, my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them through his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
SONG: REJOICE! THE LORD IS KING
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, James O’Donnell (dir), Robert Quinney (organ)
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/George Frederic Handel
Recording: Hyperion 712801
Rejoice, the lord is king!
Your lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When he had purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heav’n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
He sits at God’s right hand
Till all his foes submit,
And bow to his command,
And fall beneath his feet:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
