"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"

Last year, I noticed a few features in "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright."  Because it's an Epiphany hymn, though, I waited to write about it until it was seasonally appropriate.

It's sung to the tune "Wie schön leuchtet."  Here's the third musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "A ray of purest pleasure."  It's sung to a generally descending phrase, so there's a sense of its "fall[ing]," which is described in the previous line:  "At once there falls from God above."  (Years ago, I noted that the second half of the line "At once there falls from God above" also descends, matching the "fall[ing]" there.)

Here's the last musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here, apparently still describing the Morning Star, is "Rule and might o'er all possessing!"  Pitch-wise, "Rule" (sung to a D) and "might" (sung to a B) really are over "all" (sung to a G).

LSB #765 "God Moves in a Mysterious Way"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 11:33, Isaiah 38:17, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11

Romans 11:33:  "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!"

Isaiah 38:17:  "Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back."

Romans 8:28:  "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Jeremiah 29:11:  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

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The text is public domain:

1 God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

2 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

Faith sees a smiling face.

3 His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding ev'ry hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flow'r.

4 Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

5 You fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy and will break

In blessings on your head.

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Romans 11:33 (particularly "how inscrutable his ways") appears in the first two lines:  "God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform."

Isaiah 38:17 seems to appear in the third verse; the hymn uses a similar description ("a bitter taste").

Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 seem to be combined in the second half of the second verse ("Behind a frowning providence / Faith sees a smiling face") and the entirety of the fifth verse.

"From God the Father, Virgin-Born"

Last year, I noticed a handful of small features in "From God the Father, Virgin-Born," but since it's an Epiphany hymn, I had to wait until it was seasonally appropriate to write about.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Deus tuorum militum."  Here's the first musical phrase:

In the sixth verse, the text here is "To You, O Lord, all glory be."  The phrase "all glory" is sung to notes of all different pitches (F Eb D C), and "glory" is sung with a melisma (Eb D C), and both of these features provide a sense of the entirety of that "all."

The third musical phrase:

In the sixth verse, the text here is "To God, whom all His hosts adore," and it exhibits the same sort of feature:  "hosts" is sung with a melisma (Eb D), giving a sense of that "all."

The fourth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "And take away the stain of sin."  "Away" is sung with a melisma (Bb F Eb), giving a sense of movement, although more metaphorical than literal.

In the fifth verse, the text is "From ev'ry harm Your people shield."  The phrase "ev'ry harm" is sung with a melisma and to all different pitches (G A Bb | F Eb), so as with "all glory" above, there's a sense of entirety or breadth.

LSB #764 "When Aimless Violence Takes Those We Love"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 4:12-14, 19; Psalm 9:9-10

2 Corinthians 1:3-5:  "3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."

1 Peter 2:21-24: "21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed."

1 Peter 4:12-14:  "12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."

1 Peter 4:19:  "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."

Psalm 9:9-10:  "9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."

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The suffering mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 and 1 Peter 4:12-14, 19 appears throughout the hymn, but especially in the first verse, and the comfort in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 is referred to at the ends of the fourth and fifth verses ("Your loving presence [is] near, always the same" and "To rest our souls in Your supporting love, / And find our hope within Your mercy sure.").  The passage from 1 Peter 2 is the basis for the fourth verse ("Because Your Son knew agony and loss..."), and the last part of Psalm 9:10 appears throughout:  "We know, O God, You leave us not alone" at the end of the first verse, "Dear Lord, You do not stand from us apart" at the end of the second, "Yet You, O God, are with us in our pain" in the third, and "We know You will be with us, come what may" in the fourth.  1 Peter 4:19 and Psalm 9:9-10 (specifically "entrust[ing] their souls" and "put their trust in you") both appear in the fifth verse:  "help us, dear Lord, / To trust Your grace for courage to endure."

"Let Our Gladness Have No End"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 11th, which had a lessons and carols sort of format.  One of the hymns was "Let Our Gladness Have No End," and I noticed a small feature in it.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Narodil se Kristus Pán."  Here's the second phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "For to earth did Christ descend, alleluia!"  The first half of the phrase descends, giving a sense of the text's meaning.

LSB #763 "When Peace, like a River"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 26:3, Luke 2:29, Romans 5:1, Colossians 3:15

Isaiah 26:3:  "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

Luke 2:29:  "'Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word'"

Romans 5:1:  "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Colossians 3:15:  "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful."

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The text is public domain:

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.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

3 He lives - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;

My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

4 And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend;

Even so it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

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All of the cited passages mention peace, which appears in the first line and more generally in the refrain.  Romans 5:1 may also appear (but only generally) in the second and third verses.  The simile in the title line ("peace, like a river") seems to come from part of Isaiah 66:12:  "For thus says the LORD:  'Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream....'"

Parts of the fourth verse come from Revelation 6:14 ("The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.") and 1 Corinthians 15:52 ("in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.").

"Praise the Almighty"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 15th.  The hymn was "Praise the Almighty," and although the whole hymn wasn't included in the recording, I found a small feature to note.  When I lookt in my hymnal, I also discovered that I'd previously markt something else that I'd neglected to write about.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Lobe den Herren, o meine Seele," and both of the features I noticed are in the first musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "Blessed, oh, blessed are they forever" (the sense continues into the next line:  "Whose help is from the Lord Most High").  "Forever" is sung with a melisma (C C B A), and since it's stretched out, there's a sense of that duration.

In the fifth verse, the text is "Praise, all you people, the name so holy."  Here, "holy" is sung with a melisma (C B A), giving a sense of degree (for "so").

LSB #762 "There Is a Time for Everything"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Psalm 33:13-15, Galatians 4:4-5

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:  "1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."

Psalm 33:13-15:  "13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds."

Galatians 4:4-5:  "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

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The text from Ecclesiastes 3 is paraphrased in the first two verses, although not in the same order, and also appears in the last line of the hymn:  "There is a time for ev'rything!"

The passage from Psalm 33 appears at the beginning of the third verse:  "Eternal Lord, Your wisdom sees / And fathoms all life's tragedies; / You know our grief, You hear our sighs...."

Galatians 4:4-5 is referred to in the first half of the fourth verse:  "Before all time had yet begun, / You, Father, planned to give Your Son; / Lord Jesus Christ, with timeless grace, / You have redeemed our time-bound race."

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The line "From evil times, You bring great good" in the third verse could come from Romans 8:28 ("And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.") or part of Genesis 50:20 (where Joseph tells his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.").

The lines "Though dimly now life's path we trace, / One day we shall see face to face" at the end of the third verse are drawn from 1 Corinthians 13:12:  "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

Saint-Saëns: Christmas Oratorio, Op. 12: V. Duo (soprano & bass)

In looking into the Latin Vulgate recently, I found the source of the text for the fifth movement of Saint-Saëns' Christmas Oratorio, Op. 12.  Of course, sections of the text are repeated, but it's basically:  "Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini!  Deus Dominus, et illuxit nobis.  Deus meus es tu, et confitebor tibi.  Deus meus es tu, et exaltabo te."  This comes from parts of Psalm 118:26-28:  "26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!  We bless you from the house of the LORD.  27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.  Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!  28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you."

LSB #761 "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Corinthians 10:4, John 19:34, Hebrews 9:14, Ezra 36:25

1 Corinthians 10:4:  "and all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."

John 19:34:  "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water."

Hebrews 9:14:  "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."

Ezra has only ten chapters; the intended citation seems to be Ezekiel 36:25:  "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you."

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The text is public domain:

1 Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee;

Let the water and the blood,

From Thy riven side which flowed,

Be of sin the double cure:

Cleanse me from its guilt and pow'r.

2 Not the labors of my hands

Can fulfill Thy Law's demands;

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone;

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3 Nothing in my hand I bring;

Simply to Thy cross I cling.

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless, look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly;

Wash me, Savior, or I die.

4 While I draw this fleeting breath,

When mine eyelids close in death,

When I soar to worlds unknown,

See Thee on Thy judgement throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee.

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1 Corinthians 10:4 appears in the title "Rock of Ages" in first and fourth verses.  John 19:34 is combined with this in the description "cleft for me" and also appears in the middle of the first verse:  "Let the water and the blood, / From Thy riven side which flowed."  Hebrews 9:14 and Ezekiel 36:25 round out the rest of the first verse ("Let the water and the blood... Be of sin the double cure: / Cleanse me from its guilt and pow'r") and are briefly alluded to again in the third ("Foul, I to the fountain fly; / Wash me, Savior, or I die.").

"Once He Came in Blessing"

Last week, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 2nd.  The hymn was "Once He Came in Blessing," apparently from a hand-out rather than from a hymnal, since the versions in TLH, LW, and LSB all have four verses each, but six verses were sung in the service.  In any case, I noticed a couple small features.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Gottes Sohn ist kommen."  Here are the first two musical phrases:

In the first verse, the text here is "Once He came in blessing, / All our sins redressing" (TLH has "all our ills").  The phrase "all our sins" is sung to notes of all different pitches (C D Eb), giving a sense of the breadth or entirety of that "all."

Here are the last two musical phrases:

In the third verse, the text here is "With the faithful sharing / Joy beyond comparing."  "Sharing" is sung with a melisma (Bb C Bb), and since it's spread across more notes than usual, there's something of a sense of its meaning.

I wrote about a couple small features in this hymn a few years ago, too.

LSB #760 "What God Ordains Is Always Good"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 8:28, Psalm 92:15, Deuteronomy 32:4, Lamentations 3:19-26

Romans 8:28:  "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

Psalm 92:15:  "to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

Deuteronomy 32:4:  "'The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice.  A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.'"

Lamentations 3:19-26:  "19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!  20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.  21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

"22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  24 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'

"25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.  26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."

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The text is public domain:

1 What God ordains is always good:

His will is just and holy.

As He directs my life for me,

I follow meek and lowly.

My God indeed

In ev'ry need

Knows well how He will shield me;

To Him, then, I will yield me.

2 What God ordains is always good:

He never will deceive me;

He leads me in His righteous way,

And never will He leave me.

I take content

What He has sent;

His hand that sends me sadness

Will turn my years to gladness.

3 What God ordains is always good:

His loving thought attends me;

No poison can be in the cup

That my physicians sends me.

My God is true;

Each morning new

I trust His grace unending,

My life to Him commending.

4 What God ordains is always good:

He is my friend and Father;

He suffers naught to do me harm

Though many storms may gather.

Now I may know

Both joy and woe;

Someday I shall see clearly

That He has loved me dearly.

5 What God ordains is always good:

Though I the cup am drinking

Which savors now of bitterness,

I take it without shrinking.

For after grief

God gives relief,

My heart with comfort filling

And all my sorrow stilling.

6 What God ordains is always good:

This truth remains unshaken.

Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,

I shall not be forsaken.

I fear no harm,

For with His arm

He shall embrace and shield me;

So to my God I yield me.

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Romans 8:28, Psalm 92:15, Deuteronomy 32:4, and Lamentations 3:25 all seem to be combined in the line "What God ordains is always good" at the beginning of each verse, although Romans 8:28 seems to be the most prominent.  Psalm 92:15 and Deuteronomy 32:4 also seem to appear in the second line of the first verse:  "His will is just and holy."

The passage from Lamentations 3 is alluded to at the end of the third verse ("Each morning new / I trust His grace unending, / My life to Him commending.") and more generally in the fifth verse.

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The line "And never will He leave me" in the second verse seems to come ultimately from part of Joshua 1:5:  "'I will not leave you or forsake you.'"

The lines "His hand that sends me sadness / Will turn my years to gladness" at the end of the second verse bear some resemblance to Psalm 30:11:  "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness."

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Each verse begins with the title phrase, and this provides a sense of the steadfastness that's also mentioned in the sixth verse:  "This truth remains unshaken."