"Of the Father's Love Begotten"

A couple months ago, one of the hymns in Worship for Shut-Ins was "Of the Father's Love Begotten."  Listening to it, I realized that the melody to which the line "Pow'rs, dominions, bow before Him" is sung descends.  That descent musically illustrates the "bow[ing]."  Here's the melody; it's the third phrase of the tune "Divinum Mysterium":

LSB #376 "Once in Royal David's City"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Luke 2:4-7, Hebrews 4:14-16, Job 19:25-27, Revelation 7:9-12

Luke 2:4-7:  "4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn."

Hebrews 4:14-16:  "14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Job 19:25-27:  "25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another."

Revelation 7:9-12:  "9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'  11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, 'Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.'"

+++

The text is public domain:

Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for His bed;
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor and mean and lowly
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

For He is our childhood's pattern,
Day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feels for all our sadness,
And He shares in all our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heav'n above;
And he leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor, lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
Shall we see Him, but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high.
Then like stars His children, crowned,
All in white, His praise will sound!

+++

The Biblical references here are clearly divided among the verses.  The Luke 2 text is the basis of the whole hymn but is most prominent in the first two verses.  The third verse expands on a section of Hebrews 4:15: "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses."  The beginning of the fourth verse ("And our eyes at last shall see Him") echoes Job, and the end of the fifth verse describes the scene in the Revelation text.

"Winchester New" (TLH #12)

I was familiar with this tune, but not the hymn it's used with ("This Day at Thy Creating Word").  I was very surprised to find that there's a fermata in the music.  I don't think I've ever seen a fermata in a hymnal before.

"Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord"

A couple months ago, I transcribed "Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord" (coincidentally, it was the day after I'd sung it in church on Pentecost Sunday).  While transcribing it, I noticed a small connection between the text and the tune.

The first three lines are "Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord, / With all Your graces now outpoured / On each believer's mind and heart."  The tune to which the hymn is sung is "Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott," and the second musical phrase of that tune descends at the end:

To some degree, the "outpour[ing]" in the text is represented by the descending phrase to which it's sung.

---

For what it's worth:  "Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott" is essentially "Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord" in German.  It's actually "Come, Holy Ghost, Lord God," so it seems that the English just shuffles this a bit and inserts "and" in order to get an extra syllable for that first phrase.

LSB #375 "Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Luke 1:68-71, Isaiah 61:1, Psalm 107:10-22

Luke 1:68-71:  "68 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.'"

Isaiah 61:1:  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."

Psalm 107:10-22:  "10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.  12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.  13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.  15 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

"17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.  19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.  20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.  21 Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!  22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!"

+++

The only specific Biblical references I can find in the hymn text are the end of the third verse ("Breaking all the pow'rs of hell") and the entirety of the fourth verse:

From the bondage that oppressed us,
From sin's fetters that possessed us,
From the grief that sore distressed us,
We, the captives, now are free.

These could reference either the verse from Isaiah or the text from Psalm 107 (or both).  The cited Biblical verses mention Christ's freeing us from the captivity of sin, and the hymn uses the same imagery.

The texts from Luke and the Psalms have the same general idea: praise God because He has freed us from sin, which is the same idea that the hymn expands upon:  "Loudly sing His love amazing" for He has "saved us from the wily foe."

+++

Reading over the hymn verses, I also found some interesting features with regard to the rhyme scheme.  It's AAAB, and in two verses, there's a significant shift in the text between the three A rhymes and the one B rhyme.  In the second verse, the first three lines describe Christ, and the fourth (unrhyming) line mentions "the wily foe":

Christ, from heav'n to us descending
And in love our race befriending;
In our need His help extending,
Saved us from the wily foe.

Similarly, in the fourth verse, the first three lines describe the bondage of sin (a description that's enhanced by the lines' having parallel structure).  The fourth line, which proclaims our freedom from sin, breaks the recurring A rhymes:

From the bondage that oppressed us,
From sin's fetters that possessed us,
From the grief that sore distressed us,
We, the captives, now are free.

The rhymes in this verse are mosaic rhymes (rhymes comprised of more than one word), which further illustrates our erstwhile captivity to sin.  These mosaic rhymes work because two words (one of which is "us") are joined together.  The last verse "burst[s the] bonds apart," to borrow a phrase from Psalm 107.

This is an English translation of a German text, and I'm not sure if this feature of further portraying the message of the text by means of poetic devices is in the original, but it's a great feature all the same.

"Voller Wunder"(TLH #11)

This is an-other tune I wasn't familiar with.  It's not in LSB, but it is in LW.

"Holy Spirit, Light Divine"

A couple months ago, while transcribing "Holy Spirit, Light Divine," I noticed a couple instances where the text corresponds to the melody.  I've been transcribing the hymns as they appear in The Lutheran Service Book, but if they're in Lutheran Worship too, I also transcribe those versions.  There are quite a few differences between the LSB "Holy Spirit, Light Divine" (#496) and the LW "Holy Spirit, Light Divine" (#166).

The two things I found both correspond to the third musical phrase in the oddly titled "Song 13."  The LSB notation is in D major, but the LW notation is in Eb major.  I find the sharp keys easier than the flat keys, so I'm using D major:

In the fifth verse of the LSB version of "Holy Spirit, Light Divine," the text sung to this phrase is "Cast down ev'ry idol throne."  "Ev'ry idol throne" is sung to those descending notes, so they're literally cast down as far as musical pitch.

In the third verse of the LW version of "Holy Spirit, Light Divine," the text sung to this phrase is "Send your radiance from above."  In that version, the descent represents the Holy Spirit's radiance's coming down "from above."

Notwithstanding the key, I prefer the LW version of "Holy Spirit, Light Divine" because all of the verses begin with some variation of the titular "Holy Spirit, light divine."  There's "light divine," "grace divine," "truth divine," "pow'r divine," and "peace divine," and in the final verse, these culminate in "all divine."

In the LSB version, however, the second verse begins with "Let me see my Savior's face."  Certainly, I have nothing against that sentiment, but it interrupts the anaphoric vocatives in the LW version.

LSB #374 "Gentle Mary Laid Her Child"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Luke 2:1-20, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 John 3:5

Luke 2:1-20:  "1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

"8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  10 And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.'  13 And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'

"15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.'  16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."

Philippians 2:5-11:  "5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

1 John 3:5:  "You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin."

+++

The text is public domain:

Gentle Mary laid her child
Lowly in a manger;
There He lay, the Undefiled,
To the world a stranger.
Such a babe in such a place,
Can He be the Savior?
Ask the saved of all the race
Who have found His favor.

Angels sang about His birth,
Wise Men sought and found Him;
Heaven's star shone brightly forth
Glory all around Him.
Shepherds saw the wondrous sight,
Heard the angels singing;
All the plains were lit that night,
All the hills were ringing.

Gentle Mary laid her child
Lowly in a manger;
He is still the Undefiled
But no more a stranger.
Son of God of humble birth,
Beautiful the story;
Praise His name in all the earth;
Hail the King of glory!

+++

As is apparently the case for most Christmas hymns, the Luke 2 text is the primary source, with all three verses referring to it.

The Philippians text appears most obviously in "Son of God of humble birth."  It could be hinted at with the lines "Praise His name in all the earth; / Hail the King of glory!" although this could also be from the end of the Luke 2 text.

The parts of the hymn that come from the 1 John text don't retain its specific phrasing.  "You know that he appeared to take away sins" seems to be obliquely referred to with the lines "Can He be the Savior? / Ask the saved of all the race / Who have found His favor."  "In him there is no sin" is represented with the two lines that call Jesus "the Undefiled."

+++

Near the beginning of the second verse, the lines "Wise Men sought and found Him; / Heaven's star shone brightly forth / Glory all around Him" come from (the un-cited) Matthew 2, the account of the wise men following the star to Jesus.

Again, as seems common for Christmas hymns, the angels are portrayed as singing:  "Angels sang about His birth," and the shepherds "Heard the angels singing."  In the Luke text, however, a single angel announces the birth ("the angel said to them, 'Fear not...'"), and "a multitude of the heavenly host [appear] praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest....'"

"Nun danket all'" (TLH #10)

This tune is used for a number of hymns in LSB, but I wasn't familiar with it.  Because the note values are simple (they're all either quarter notes or half notes), I did the bass parts too.

"On Christ's Ascension I Now Build"

When I transcribed "On Christ's Ascension I Now Build" a few months ago, I noticed that - like a lot of hymns about the Ascension - lines that mention the Ascension are sung to ascending phrases.  "On Christ's Ascension I Now Build" is sung to the tune "Nun freut euch," the first two phrases of which are:

In the first verse, the text sung to these phrases is "On Christ's ascension I now build / The hope of my ascension," and in the third verse, "O grant, dear Lord, this grace to me, / Recalling Your ascension."  All of the "ascension"s in these lines are sung to groups of ascending notes.  The "ascension"s at the end of the second phrase are even sung with melismas, with the extra syllable emphasizing the ascending melody.

LSB #373 "See amid the Winter's Snow"

Biblical citations in the hymnal: Luke 2:1-20, John 1:29, Philippians 2:3-8

Luke 2:1-20:  "1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.  7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

"8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  10 And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.'  13 And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'

"15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.'  16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.  17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."

John 1:29:  "The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'"

Philippians 2:3-8:  "3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

+++

The text is public domain:

See amid the winter's snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years. 

Hail, O ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Lo, within a stable lies
He who built the starry skies,
He who, throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim. 

Hail, O ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Sacred Infant, all divine,
What a tender love was Thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this! 

Hail, O ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Teach, O teach us, holy Child,
By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee
In Thy sweet humility. 

Hail, O ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

+++

The Luke 2 text is the primary referent; elements from it appear in each of the verses and the refrain.  John 1:29 is in the first verse, in which Christ is called "the gentle Lamb."  The Philippians text shows up in the last two verses.  Christ's humility in making "himself nothing, taking the form of a servant" and "becoming obedient to the point of death" is referred to in the fourth verse as "Thy sweet humility" and in the third verse as "com[ing] from highest bliss / Down to such a world as this."

"Ellacombe" (TLH #9)

I recorded an amalgamation of the LW and LSB arrangements of "Ellacombe" a few months ago, and - while I didn't verify - I think the TLH arrangement is the same as at least one of those, so this wasn't too difficult.

"Entrust Your Days and Burdens"

Because I publish only one of these types of posts a week, there's a difference of a few months between when I notice something and when I actually write about it, and because of that, I can't quite remember the circumstances under which I lookt at "Entrust Your Days and Burdens" back in May (I think was a hymn I'd sung in church that week).

In any case, I noticed something about the line "Make His work your foundation" in the second verse.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Sufficientia," and that particular line is sung to this phrase (with the notes to which "foundation" is sung in brackets):

The tune is in C major, and the first and last syllables of "foundation" are sung to C notes.  C is the note that the key is based on, so there's a musical representation of that "foundation."