"Neander" (TLH #257)

"I Lie, O Lord, within Your Care"

Last year, I noticed a small feature in "I Lie, O Lord, within Your Care."  The first line of the third verse is "When shadows fall, I will not dwell" (the sense is completed by the following line:  "On troubles that distress me"), sung to this phrase from the tune "Ich liege, Herr, in deiner Hut":

"Shadows fall" is sung to a descending group of notes (D C Bb), so there's a musical sense of that "fall[ing]."

LSB #635 "O Gracious Lord, I Firmly Am Believing"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 22:1-14, Revelation 19:9, 17

Matthew 22:1-14:  "1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 'The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.  4 Again he sent other servants, saying, "Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready.  Come to the wedding feast."  5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.  7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.  8 Then he said to his servants, "The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find."  10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.  So the wedding halls was filled with guests.

"11 'But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.  12 And he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?"  And he was speechless.  13 Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  14 For many are called, but few are chosen.'"

Revelation 19:9:  "And the angel said to me, 'Write this:  Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'  And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God.'"

Revelation 19:17:  "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, 'Come, gather for the great supper of God,'"

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I'm not sure that any of these passages are the best citations for this hymn.  The parable of the wedding feast in Luke 14 is more relevant than the parable from Matthew 22 is.  In Luke, Jesus says, "'But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher."  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.'" (verse 10).  This seems to be what the hymn references in the lines "You see my sin yet seat me at Your table; / Lord, as a guest, I surely am the least" in the third verse.  Revelation 19:9 has some applicability here, but "the great supper of God" in Revelation 19:17 is quite different.  The following verses explain that at this feast, the birds are eating the flesh of the unrighteous who rebelled against God.

There are references to the Lord's Supper in the first verse ("As from this altar we are here receiving / Your body and Your blood to make us whole") and in the fifth verse ("Heavenly Bread, my life and benediction, / This cup You give can take away each ill").  Any of the Words of Institution (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25) could be cited for these.  The title "Heavenly Bread" in the fifth verse is drawn from John 6:35, 38.

"Winchester New" (TLH #256)

Transposed from Bb major to C major

"Beautiful Savior"

On Worship Anew this week, Pastor Ahlersmeyer mentioned and sang some of "Beautiful Savior" in his sermon.  I noticed a few features in the fourth and fifth lines, sung to these phrases from the tune "Schönster Herr Jesu":

In the second verse, the text here is "Jesus is fairer, / Jesus is purer," and in the third verse, the text is "Jesus shines brighter, / Jesus shines purer."  "Fairer," "brighter," and both "purer"s are all sung with melismas (Bb G Ab for the first two, Ab F G for the second two).  These articulations emphasize these comparative adjectives and comparative adverbs.  It's as if there are more notes to indicate these higher degrees.

LSB #634 "The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, 1 Corinthians 10:16, 1 Peter 1:18-19

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.'"

1 Corinthians 11:27-29:  "27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself."

1 Corinthians 10:16:  "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"

1 Peter 1:18-19:  "18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."

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The text is public domain:

The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord,

We celebrate with one accord;

It is our comfort in distress,

Our heart's sweet joy and happiness.

He blotted out with His own blood

The judgement that against us stood;

For us He full atonement made,

And all our debt He fully paid.

That this forever true shall be

He gives a solemn guarantee:

In this His holy Supper here

We taste His love so sweet, so near.

His Word proclaims and we believe

That in this Supper we receive

His very body, as He said,

His very blood for sinners shed.

We dare not ask how this can be,

But simply hold the mystery

And trust this word where life begins:

"Give and shed for all your sins."

They who this word do not believe

This food unworthily receive,

Salvation here will never find -

May we this warning keep in mind!

But blest is each believing guest

Who in these promises finds rest;

For Jesus shall in love remain

With all who here His grace obtain.

Help us sincerely to believe

That we may worthily receive

Your Supper and in You find rest.

Amen! They who believe are blest.

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The passages from Matthew 26:26-29 and 1 Corinthians 10:16 are the main sources for the hymn and are referred to in most of the verses.  1 Corinthians 11:27-29 appears in the sixth and eighth verses, and Peter 1:18-19 appears in the second.

"St. Louis"

This tune is #361 in The Lutheran Service Book, #60 in Lutheran Worship, and #647 in The Lutheran Hymnal.  (That's the order of the arrangements in my recording.)  I had to transpose the TLH version from G major to F major to match the LSB and LW versions.

"O quanta qualia" (TLH #255)

"The Church's One Foundation"

"The Church's One Foundation" was a hymn in a church service I watched a couple months ago.  Later, I was thinking about the hymn and noticed a couple features.

The first two lines of the second verse are "Elect from ev'ry nation, / Yet one o'er all the earth," sung to these phrases from the tune "Aurelia":

The phrase "o'er all the earth" is sung to all different pitches (B A G F#), musically giving a sense of that breadth.

The fifth (and last) verse ends with the lines "That we, like saints before us, / May see You face to face," sung to these phrases:

The two "face"s are both sung to the same pitch (D), so even musically, they're on the same level, eye-to-eye, as it were.

LSB #633 "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Exodus 12:22, Matthew 26:26-28, John 6:32-35, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Exodus 12:22:  "Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin.  None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning."

Matthew 26:26-28:  "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.'"

John 6:32-35:  "32 Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.'  34 They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread always.'

"35 Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"

1 Corinthians 15:54-57:  "54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:  'Death is swallowed up in victory.'  55 'O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?'  56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

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The text is public domain:

At the Lamb's high feast we sing

Praise to our victorious King,

Who has washed us in the tide

Flowing from His pierced side.

Alleluia!

Praise we Him, whose love divine

Gives His sacred blood for wine,

Gives His body for the feast -

Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

Alleluia!

Where the paschal blood is poured,

Death's dread angel sheathes the sword;

Israel's hosts triumphant go

Through the wave that drowns the foe.

Alleluia!

Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,

Paschal victim, paschal bread;

With sincerity and love

Eat we manna from above.

Alleluia!

Mighty Victim from the sky,

Hell's fierce pow'rs beneath You lie;

You have conquered in the fight,

You have brought us life and light.

Alleluia!

Now no more can death appall,

Now no more the grave enthrall;

You have opened paradise,

And Your saints in You shall rise.

Alleluia!

Easter triumph, Easter joy!

This alone can sin destroy;

From sin's pow'r, Lord, set us free,

Newborn souls in You to be.

Alleluia!

Father, who the crown shall give,

Savior, by whose death we live,

Spirit, guide through all our days:

Three in One, Your name we praise.

Alleluia!

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Most of the first verse comes from Revelation 7:9-17.  The lines "Who has washed us in the tide / Flowing from His pierced side" combine part of Revelation 7:14 ("'They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'") with John 19:34 ("But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.").

The second and fourth verses come from Matthew 26:26-28 and John 6:32-35.  The passage from Matthew is more prominent in the second verse, and the passage from John is more prominent in the fourth verse.

Exodus 12:22 appears in the third verse, but I think the citation should be broader than just this single verse.  The lines "Where the paschal blood is poured, / Death's dread angel sheathes the sword" actually bear more resemblance to Exodus 12:13:  "'The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are.  And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.'"  The second half of the verse ("Israel's hosts triumphant go / Through the wave that drowns the foe") summarizes Exodus 14.

The fifth and sixth verses (and possibly even the seventh) are drawn from 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.

The relative clause "who the crown shall give" in the last verse seems to refer to James 1:12:  "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

"St. John"

This tune is in The Lutheran Hymnal (#380) and in The Lutheran Service Book (#565).  The keys are different, but the arrangement is the same.  I used the TLH version (so I could include the Amen cadence), but I transposed it from D major to C major.

"Old Hundredth" (TLH #254)

"The Tree of Life"

When I wrote a post on the Biblical sources for "The Tree of Life" last year, I noticed a small connection between the text and the tune, the similarly titled "Tree of Life."

The first two lines of the fourth verse are "Now from that tree of Jesus' shame / Flows life eternal in His name."  The second of these lines is sung to this musical phrase:

"Eternal" is sung with a melisma (A G G F), and this elongation gives a sense of that duration.

LSB #632 "O Jesus, Blessed Lord, to Thee"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  2 Corinthians 9:15, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 1 John 4:13

2 Corinthians 9:15:  "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"

1 Corinthians 11:23-26:  "23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.'  25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'  26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

2 Corinthians 8:9:  "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich."

1 John 4:13:  "By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit."

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The text is public domain:

O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee

My heartfelt thanks forever be,

Who hast so lovingly bestowed

On me Thy body and Thy blood.

Break forth, my soul, for joy and say:

What wealth is come to me this day!

My Savior dwells within my heart:

How blessed am I! How good Thou art!

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The sources for this hymn text are very easy to distinguish:  the first half of the first verse is from 2 Corinthians 9:15; the second half is from the passage from 1 Corinthians 11; the first half of the second verse is drawn from 2 Corinthians 8:9; and the second half is from 1 John 4:13.

"Resurgenti Nazareno" (TLH #253)

"Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee"

The second verse of "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" begins:

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,

Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays,

Stars and angels sing around Thee,

Center of unbroken praise.

The last of these lines is sung to this musical phrase from the tune "Hymn to Joy":

"Center" is sung to two G notes, and since this is the tonic note, there's a musical sense of this centrality.