LSB #385 "From East to West"

Biblical citations in the hymnal: Luke 1:26-31; 2:7-11; Psalm 95:1-6; Philippians 2:5-7

Luke 1:26-31:  "26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  And the virgin's name was Mary.  28 And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!'  29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  30 And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.'"

Luke 2:7-11:  "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.'"

Psalm 95:1-6:  "1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!  3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.  5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our maker!"

Philippians 2:5-7:  "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."

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The text is public domain:

From east to west, from shore to shore
Let ev'ry heart awake and sing
The holy child whom Mary bore,
The Christ, the everlasting king.

Behold, the world's creator wears
The form and fashion of a slave;
Our very flesh our maker shares,
His fallen creatures all to save.

For this how wondrously He wrought!
A maiden, in her lowly place,
Became, in ways beyond all thought,
The chosen vessel of His grace.

And while the angels in the sky
Sang praise above the silent field,
To shepherds poor the Lord Most High,
The one great Shepherd, was revealed.

All glory for this blessed morn
To God the Father ever be;
All praise to You, O Virgin-born,
And Holy Ghost eternally.

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The beginning of the first verse seems to come from Psalm 95, but there isn't much resemblance as far as specific word choice.  The distance between "the depths of the earth [and] the heights of the mountains" and between "the sea" and "the dry land" seems to be what the hymn references in the line "From east to west, from shore to shore."  Both Psalm 95 and this first verse also invite us to "sing to the LORD."

The hymn's second verse comes from the Philippians text.  Christ's "taking the form of a servant [and] being born in the likeness of men" is rendered as: "the world's creator wears / The form and fashion of a slave; / Our very flesh our maker shares."

The third and fourth verses come from the two sections of Luke that are cited.  The third verse (God's choosing Mary) is from Luke 1:26-31, and the fourth verse (the angel's announcing Jesus' birth to the shepherds) from Luke 2:7-11.

"Wie schön leuchtet" (TLH #23)

In The Lutheran Hymnal, "Wie schön leuchtet" is in Eb major, and while I think I've recorded hymn tunes in Eb major before, I raised this a half-step to E major, partially because I do prefer E major to Eb major but mostly because there's a low Eb in the bass part and a bass in standard tuning goes down only to E.

I also discovered that the rhythm in The Lutheran Hymnal arrangement is a bit different from the rhythm I'm used to from the arrangements in Lutheran Worship and The Lutheran Service Book.  Without even realizing it, the first few times I played through the TLH version, I was reading only the pitches, not the note values.

"Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray"

A couple months ago, I sang "Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray" in church and noticed a small thing about the fourth verse, specifically the lines: "Pride and sin / Lurk within, / All your hopes to shatter."  The last of these three lines is sung to this melody:

(The tune is "Straf mich nicht.")

The "shatter[ing]" that the text mentions is represented musically here.  The word "shatter" itself is sung to three syllables rather than the two it's spoken with, and "hopes" - what pride and sin wish to shatter - is sung with two syllables rather than the single syllable it's spoken with.

LSB #384 "Of the Father's Love Begotten"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Timothy 3:16, Revelation 1:8, John 1:1, Philippians 2:11

1 Timothy 3:16:  "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."

Revelation 1:8:  "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'"

John 1:1:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Philippians 2:11:  "...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

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The text is public domain:

Of the Father's love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.

Oh, that birth forever blessed,
When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bore the Savior of our race,
And the babe, the world's Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face
Evermore and evermore.

This is He whom seers in old time
Chanted of with one accord,
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord
Evermore and evermore.

O ye heights of heav'n, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing.
Pow'rs, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Ev'ry voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.

Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore.
Amen.

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There aren't many phrases in the hymn that come directly from the cited texts, which makes identifying them a bit difficult.  Revelation 1:8 is clearly referenced in the phrase "Alpha and Omega."  The three temporal elements ("who is and who was and who is to come") are also included, although they don't have the same focus.  Instead of talking about God Himself, the hymn names Him as "the source [and] the ending... Of the things that are, that have been, / And that future years shall see."

The line "Ere the worlds began to be" seems to come from John 1:1, specifically "In the beginning." 

"Every tongue confess[ing] that Jesus Christ is Lord" from Philippians 2:11 is rephrased as "Let no tongue on earth be silent."

That leaves only the verse from 1 Timothy.  This seems to be the main referent, although I'm not sure if every part of the verse is represented in the hymn.  Christ's being "Of the Father's love begotten" seems to be (at least part of) the "mystery of godliness" that's described.  The hymn's second verse describes His being "manifested in the flesh."  The seers' chanting and prophets' promising in the third verse could be the being "proclaimed among the nations."  Either the other sections of the verse aren't referenced in the hymn or I'm unable to find them.

"St. Flavian" (TLH #22)

I skipt #21 for a few reasons: I wasn't familiar with the tune (which has been the case for the last few tunes, so I wanted one I did know), and I couldn't get a good sense of what it was supposed to sound like because it consists of long note values and rests.  So I did "St. Flavian" instead because it's the next hymn tune and because I am familiar with it.

It's probably just coincidental, but it occurred to me that "St. Flavian" starts with the same four notes as "Tallis' Canon."

"If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee"

A couple months ago, one of the hymns in church was "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee" (sung to the tune "Wer nur den lieben Gott"), and I noticed a small connection between the music and the text.  A pair of lines in the sixth verse are "'Tis easy for our God, we know, / To raise thee up, though low thou liest."  The second of these two lines is sung to this musical phrase:

There's an ascent for "To raise thee up," and a descent to describe "though low thou liest."

I also noticed that there's an accidental (an F# in G minor) for the second syllable of "evil" and for "it" (whose antecedent is "each dark moment").  However, these errant notes don't represent sin and its results in every instance.  This same accidental (in other musical phrases) also falls on the first syllable of "gladness" and on "rock" in "the rock that naught can move" (which represents "God's unchanging love").  Clearly, the implications of this accidental must be lookt at on a case-by-case basis.  Many of these little things I notice in hymns seem coincidental, but this especially so.

LSB #383 "A Great and Mighty Wonder"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  John 1:14, Luke 2:1-20, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Hebrews 2:14-15

John 1:14:  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

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."

1 Timothy 2:5-6:  "5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."

Hebrews 2:14-15:  "14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."

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The text is public domain:

A great and mighty wonder,
A full and holy cure:
The virgin bears the infant
With virgin honor pure!

Proclaim the Savior's birth:
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"

The Word becomes incarnate
And yet remains on high,
And cherubim sing anthems
To shepherds from the sky.

Proclaim the Savior's birth:
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"

While thus they sing your Monarch,
Those bright angelic bands,
Rejoice, O vales and mountains,
And oceans, clap your hands.

Proclaim the Savior's birth:
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"

Since all He comes to ransom,
By all be He adored,
The infant born in Bethl'em,
The Savior and the Lord.

Proclaim the Savior's birth:
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"

All idols then shall perish
And Satan's lying cease,
And Christ shall raise His scepter,
Decreeing endless peace.

Proclaim the Savior's birth:
"To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth!"

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The text from Luke is the basis of the hymn, particularly the refrain, which is a paraphrase of verse 14.

"The Word becomes incarnate" at the beginning of the second verse comes from John 1:14.  Hebrews 2:14 says the same sort of thing, but the verse from John has "the Word" specifically.

The beginning of the fourth verse ("Since all He comes to ransom") comes from the 1 Timothy text:  "Christ Jesus... gave himself as a ransom for all."

Finally, the Hebrews text, particularly Christ's "destroy[ing] the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil," appears in the fifth verse.

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The second half of the third verse ("Rejoice, O vales and mountains, / And oceans, clap your hands.") bears some resemblance to Psalm 98:8:  "Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together."  Both are images of creation praising God and - specifically - of a body of water clapping.

"Ratisbon" (TLH #20)

This is an-other tune I wasn't familiar with.

"Christ Is Our Cornerstone"

A couple months ago, I happened to think of the first phrase in "Christ Is Our Cornerstone," and I realized a connection between the text and the music.  The first line is the same as the title ("Christ is our cornerstone"), and the first music phrase (of the tune "Darwall's 148th") is:

The tune is in C major, and there are three C notes (in two octaves) in this opening phrase.  C is the note that C major is based on, and when "Christ is our cornerstone" is sung to this phrase, those important C notes coincide with "Christ," "our," and the "-stone" of "cornerstone."  The hymn text plainly proclaims that "Christ is our cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20), but since these words connect with the musical foundation of the tune, this conviction is emphasized by the music.

LSB #382 "We Praise You, Jesus, at Your Birth"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Luke 2:7-14, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 1:1-3

Luke 2:7-14:  "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!'"

1 Timothy 3:16:  "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."

1 John 1:1-3:  "1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us - 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."

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The text from Luke is the main referent, particularly in the first three verses ("The virgin bears a sinless boy," "Now in the manger we may see / God's Son from eternity," and so on).  However, the other two texts that are cited also seem to be present in lines like "Clothed in flesh You came to earth" and "Here clothed in our poor flesh and bone."

The fourth verse mentions Jesus as "the Light Eternal":

The Light Eternal, breaking through,
Made the world to gleam anew;
His beams have pierced the core of night,
He makes us children of the light.
Alleluia!

While this could have a number of Biblical sources, I first thought of John 8:12:  "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"  However, the phrase "children of the light" comes from Ephesians 5:8:  "for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light."

"Lobet den Herrn, ihr" (TLH #19)

This is an-other tune I wasn't familiar with, but I didn't find it too difficult.

I'm assuming the title is an abbreviation of the original German text because otherwise it's a rather curt "Praise the Lord, you."

"Lord God, to Thee We Give All Praise"

A few months ago, I transcribed "Lord God, to Thee We Give All Praise" and noticed a small connection between the text and the tune.  I should note that this is specific to the tune "Erhalt uns, Herr," which is the tune this text is paired with in The Lutheran Service Book.  In Lutheran Worship, it's paired with "Komm, Gott Schöpfer."

The first two lines are "Lord God, to Thee we give all praise, / With grateful hearts our voices raise."  The second musical phrase - to which "With grateful hearts our voices raise" is sung - ascends:

It's just a small point, but there's a musical ascent to mirror the "rais[ing]" in the text.

LSB #381 "Let Our Gladness Have No End"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 5:11, 8:32-33; John 1:14; Genesis 3:15

Romans 5:11:  "More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

Romans 8:32-33:  "32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?  It is God who justifies."

John 1:14:  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Genesis 3:15:  "'I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.'"

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The text is public domain:

Let our gladness have no end, alleluia!
For to earth did Christ descend, alleluia!

On this day God gave us
Christ, His Son, to save us;
Christ, His Son, to save us.

Prophesied in days of old, alleluia!
God has sent Him as foretold, alleluia!

On this day God gave us
Christ, His Son, to save us;
Christ, His Son, to save us.

See, the loveliest blooming rose, alleluia!
From the branch of Jesse grows, alleluia!

On this day God gave us
Christ, His Son, to save us;
Christ, His Son, to save us.

Into flesh is made the Word, alleluia!
He, our refuge and our Lord, alleluia!

On this day God gave us
Christ, His Son, to save us;
Christ, His Son, to save us.

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Both of the texts from Romans seem to be referenced in the refrain.  "We have now received reconciliation" (from Romans 5:11) and "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all" (from Romans 8:32) both describe the same thing as "On this day God gave us / Christ, His Son, to save us."  Romans 5:11 - specifically "we also rejoice" - might also be behind the first line, "Let our gladness have no end."  It's a similar sentiment, although there isn't a resemblance as far a word choice.

Genesis 3:15 is cited although there aren't phrases in the hymn that resemble it.  I think this verse, specifically "he shall bruise your head," is listed for the source of the lines "Prophesied in days of old" and "God has sent Him as foretold," although those lines could easily refer to a number of other Bible verses.

John 1:14 is the source for the first line of the fourth verse: "Into flesh is made the Word."

"The loveliest blooming rose... from the branch of Jesse" in the third verse comes from (the un-cited) Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit."