"All' Ehr' und Lob" (TLH #236)

"Lord of All Hopefulness"

A little over a year ago, I noticed a small musical feature in "Lord of All Hopefulness," sung to the tune "Slane."  Here's the first musical phrase:

Every verse begins with a similar address:  "Lord of all hopefulness," "Lord of all eagerness," "Lord of all kindliness," "Lord of all gentleness."  In each of these, "all" is sung with a melisma (F Eb), musically giving a sense of that entirety.

LSB #613 "To Thee, Omniscient Lord of All"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 51:1-11, Ezra 9:15, Hebrews 9:14, Luke 18:13

Psalm 51:1-11:  "1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

"3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement.  5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

"7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me."

Ezra 9:15:  "'O LORD, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today.  Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.'"

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."

Luke 18:13:  "'But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"'"

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The text is public domain:

To Thee, omniscient Lord of all,

In grief and shame I humbly call;

I see my sins against Thee, Lord,

The sins of thought and deed and word.

They press me sore; I cry to Thee:

O God, be merciful to me!

O Lord, my God, to Thee I pray:

O cast me not in wrath away!

Let Thy good Spirit ne'er depart,

But let Him draw to Thee my heart

That truly penitent I be:

O God, be merciful to me!

O Jesus, let Thy precious blood

Be to my soul a cleansing flood.

Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away,

But grant that justified I may

Go to my house at peace with Thee:

O God, be merciful to me!

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The recurring line "O God, be merciful to me" comes from Luke 18:13, but otherwise, the hymn comes primarily from the passage from Psalm 51.  Verses 10 and 11 appear most clearly in the second verse.

Ezra 9:15 appears in the first verse, and Hebrews 9:14 in the third, although there's a bit of overlap here with verses 2 and 7 in Psalm 51.

"St. Dunstan's"

This is twice through the arrangement from Lutheran Worship (#384), but I transposed it from G major to F major to make the alto part easier to play.  This is in 6/4, but there's an extra beat in the last measure.

"Wie schön leuchtet" (TLH #235)

Transposed from Eb major to F major

"No Temple Now, No Gift of Price"

When I wrote a post about the Biblical sources for "No Temple Now, No Gift of Price," I noticed a small musical feature to note.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Kirkwood."  Here's the third phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "The road that Jesus trod."  Aside from the first note, the melody is conjunct (going step-wise down the scale), and there's a connection between these musical steps and the walking mentioned in the text.

LSB #612 "As Rebels, Lord, Who Foolishly Have Wandered"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Luke 15:11-24, Matthew 26:26-29

Luke 15:11-24:  "11 And he said, 'There was a man who had two sons.  12 And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me."  And he divided his property between them.  13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.  14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.  15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

"17 'But when he came to himself, he said, "How many of the father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son.  Treat me as one of your hired servants.'"  20 And he arose and came to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  21 And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son."  22 But the father said to his servants, "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."  And they began to celebrate.'"

Matthew 26:26-29:  "26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.'  27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'"

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The text from Luke is the primary source for the hymn, and it appears throughout.  The passage from Matthew is referred to at the end of the third verse.

Perhaps coincidentally, the relative clause "who foolishly have wandered" bears some resemblance to "All we like sheep have gone astray" from Isaiah 53:6.

"St. Denio"

I combined arrangements from Lutheran Worship (#451) and The Lutheran Service Book (#802).

"Light Divine" (TLH #234)

I transposed this from Eb major to F major, and since it's a shorter tune, I went through it three times.

"All for Christ I Have Forsaken"

Last year, I noticed a couple features in "All for Christ I Have Forsaken," sung to the tune "Restoration."  Here's the first musical phrase:

The first line of the second verse is "Who is sweeter than Christ Jesus?"  "Sweeter" is sung with a melisma (E D B D), giving a sense of the comparative nature of this adjective (more notes for a greater degree).

The third musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "Strong in Christ through death's dark valley."  "Valley" is sung to a group of descending notices (G E D), giving something of a sense of its depth.

LSB #611 "Chief of Sinners Though I Be"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 5:8-11, 1 John 4:10, Hebrews 4:15-16, Ephesians 3:17b-18

Romans 5:8-11:  "8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

1 John 4:10:  "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Hebrews 4:15-16:  "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."

Ephesians 3:17b-18:  "that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth"

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The text is public domain:

Chief of sinners though I be,

Jesus shed His blood for me,

Died that I might live on high,

Lives that I might never die.

As the branch is to the vine,

I am His, and He is mine.

Oh, the height of Jesus' love,

Higher than the heav'ns above,

Deeper than the depths of sea,

Lasting as eternity!

Love that found me - wondrous thought!

Found me when I sought Him not.

Only Jesus can impart

Balm to heal the wounded heart,

Peace that flows from sin forgiv'n,

Joy that lifts the soul to heav'n,

Faith and hope to walk with God

In the way that Enoch trod.

Chief of sinners though I be,

Christ is all in all to me;

All my wants to Him are known,

All my sorrows are His own.

He sustains the hidden life

Safe with Him from earthly strife.

O my Savior, help afford

By Your Spirit and Your Word!

When my wayward heart would stray,

Keep me in the narrow way;

Grace in time of need supply

While I live and when I die.

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Romans 5:8-11 and 1 John 4:10 both appear in the first verse, although the text from Romans is a bit more prominent.  The phrase "chief of sinners" may come from 1 Timothy 1:15:  "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."  "As the branch is to the vine" refers to the beginning of John 15.

Ephesians 3:17b-18 appears at the beginning of the second verse, and Hebrews 4:15-16 is in the middle of the fourth verse:  "All my wants to Him are known, / All my sorrows are His own."

"In the way that Enoch trod" at the end of the third verse refers to Genesis 5:22-24:  "22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.  23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.  24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him."

"St. Crispin"

The arrangements in Lutheran Worship and The Lutheran Service Book are the same.  I went through one verse of that arrangement (LW #362) and one verse of the arrangement from The Lutheran Hymnal (#245), which I had to transpose from Eb major to D major to match the key of the LW arrangement.

"Komm, Gott Schöpfer" (TLH #233)

"We All Believe in One True God"

Last year, I found a number of features to note in "We All Believe in One True God" (LSB #954) sung to the tune "Wir glauben all' (Chant)."  Here's the first phrase:

The first verse begins, "We all believe in one true God"; the second, "We all believe in Jesus Christ"; and the third, "We all confess the Holy Ghost."  In each, "all" is sung with a melisma (A G A E F), musically giving a sense of entirety.

The fourth musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Source of ev'ry grace and blessing."  "Blessing " is sung with a melisma (D C D), giving a sense of number for that "ev'ry."  In the third verse, the text is "Comforts us beyond all telling."  "Telling" is sung with the same melisma, giving a sense of the entirety of "all."

The ninth phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Was crucified for all our sin."  "Sin" is sung with a melisma (spanning nearly an octave:  C B A G F E D), giving a sense of the entirety of "all."  In the third verse, the text is "All flesh shall rise, and we shall be."  Here, "flesh" is sung with a melisma (F ED C), giving a sense of "all."  There's also a temporal merism here in the first verse:  "He careth for us day and night."

LSB #610 "Lord Jesus, Think on Me"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 51:6-12, Hebrews 4:15-16, Psalm 119:133, Luke 23:42-43

Psalm 51:6-12:  "6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

"7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."

Hebrews 4:15-16:  "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."

Psalm 119:133:  "Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me."

Luke 23:42-43:  "42 And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'  43 And he said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'"

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The text is public domain:

Lord Jesus, think on me

And purge away my sin;

From worldly passions set me free

And make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me,

By anxious thoughts oppressed;

Let me Your loving servant be

And taste Your promised rest.

Lord Jesus, think on me

Amid the battle's strife;

In all my pain and misery,

O be my health and life!

Lord Jesus, think on me

Nor let me go astray;

Through darkness and perplexity

Point out Your chosen way.

Lord Jesus, think on me

That, when this life is past,

I may the eternal brightness see

And share Your joy at last.

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The text from Hebrews seems to be the basis for the hymn, specifically the repeated "Lord Jesus, think on me" at the beginning of each verse of the hymn.

The first verse comes from Psalm 51, specifically verses 7 and 10.  The "promised rest" in the second verse seems to refer to Matthew 11:28:  "'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'"

Psalm 119:133 appears in the fourth verse, and the fifth verse seems to come from Luke 23:42-43.

"St. Columba"

This tune is in both Lutheran Worship (#412) and The Lutheran Service Book (#709), but the arrangement is the same.  I transposed it from Eb major to D major.