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."

"Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending"

Last week, "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending" was one of the hymns on Worship Anew and in a Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service, and I found a number of features to write about.

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

In the first verse, the text here is (of course) "Lo! He comes with clouds descending."  "Descending" is sung with a descending melisma (F# E D C B), giving a sense of its meaning.  "Comes" is also sung with a melisma (G F#), providing something of a sense of movement; appropriate for the context, these notes also descend, although only a half-step.

In the second verse, the text is "Ev'ry eye shall now behold Him."  The words "ev'ry eye" are sung with melismas (G B D | G F#), giving a sense of entirety or number.

In the fourth verse, the text is "Yea, amen, let all adore Thee."  Similar to the above, "all" is sung with a melisma (E F# G), lending a sense of entirety.

This same musical phrase is repeated as the third phrase, and in the first verse, the text here is "Thousand thousand saints attending."  The words "thousand thousand saints" are sung with melismas (G B D | G F# E D | E F# G), providing a sense of that multitude.

In the third phrase of the third verse, the text (describing the "dear tokens of His passion" from a previous line) is "Cause of endless exultation."  The words "endless exultation" are both sung with melismas (G F# E D | E F# G F# E D C B), and since they're stretched out, there's a sense of the duration of "endless."

Here's the second musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here (describing "Thee" from the previous line) is "High on Thine eternal throne."  Like "endless exultation," the words "eternal throne" are sung with melismas (A B D C B | B A), giving a sense of that duration.

LSB #759 "This Body in the Grave We Lay"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  John 5:24, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, 2 Corinthians 5:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

John 5:24:  "'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.  He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.'"

1 Corinthians 15:51-57:  "51 Behold!  I tell you a mystery.  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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.  53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  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."

2 Corinthians 5:4:  "For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened - not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallow up by life."

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14:  "13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."

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The text is public domain:

1 This body in the grave we lay

There to await that solemn day

When God Himself shall bid it rise

To mount triumphant to the skies.

2 And so to earth we now entrust

What came from dust and turns to dust

And from the dust shall rise that day

In glorious triumph o'er decay.

3 The soul forever lives with God,

Who freely hath His grace bestowed

And through His Son redeemed it here

From ev'ry sin, from ev'ry fear.

4 All trials and all griefs are past,

A blessed end has come at last.

Christ's yoke was borne with ready will;

Who dieth thus is living still.

5 We have no cause to mourn or weep;

Securely shall this body sleep

Till Christ Himself shall death destroy

And raise the blessed dead to joy.

6 Then let us leave this place of rest

And homeward turn, for they are blest

Who heed God's warning and prepare

Lest death should find them unaware.

7 So help us, Jesus, ground of faith;

Thou hast redeemed us by Thy death

From endless death and set us free.

We laud and praise and worship Thee.

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All of the cited passages inform the hymn (especially the fifth verse) in a more general way.  The passage from 1 Corinthians 15 seems to be alluded to in the phrase "glorious triumph o'er decay" at the end of the second verse, and John 5:24 seems to be the basis for most of the seventh verse.

The line "What came from dust and turns to dust" in the second verse could refer to either Ecclesiastes 3:20 ("All go to one place.  All are from the dust, and to dust all return.") or part of Genesis 3:19 ("'for you are dust, and to dust you shall return'").

"Holy God, We Praise Thy Name"

Years ago, I wrote about a number of features in "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," but when it was substituted for the "Te Deum" in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on the 7th, I noticed a few more.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Grosser Gott."  Here's the fourth musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here, describing the "Cherubim and seraphim" from the previous line, is "In unceasing chorus praising."  I'd previously noted that "unceasing" is sung with a melisma (A A G A), giving a sense of this duration, but the same is also true of "chorus" (sung to the notes C Bb A).

The fifth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Infinite Thy vast domain."  I'd noted before that "Infinite" is sung with a melisma (G A Bb A), giving a sense of that expanse, but the phrase "vast domain" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A Bb C), and this provides a sense of space, too.

In the second verse, the text is "Fill the heav'ns with sweet accord," and the same features are present:  "heav'ns" is sung with a melisma (Bb A), and the phrase "sweet accord" is sung to all different pitches (A Bb C).  Now, though, these features lend a sense of the expansion of that "fill[ing]."

LSB #758 "The Will of God Is Always Best"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 6:10; 26:39, 42; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 84:12

Matthew 6:10:  "'Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.'"

Matthew 26:39:  "And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'"

Matthew 26:42:  "Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'"

1 Corinthians 10:13:  "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Psalm 84:12:  "O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!"

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The text is public domain:

1 The will of God is always best

And shall be done forever;

And they who trust in Him are blest;

He will forsake them never.

He helps indeed

In time of need;

He chastens with forbearing.

They who depend

On God, their friend,

Shall not be left despairing.

2 God is my comfort and my trust,

My hope and life abiding;

And to His counsel, wise and just,

I yield, in Him confiding.

The very hairs,

His Word declares,

Upon my head He numbers.

By night and day

God is my stay;

He never sleeps nor slumbers.

3 Lord, this I ask, O hear my plea,

Deny me not this favor:

When Satan sorely troubles me,

Then do not let me waver.

O guard me well,

My fear dispel,

Fulfill Your faithful saying:

All who believe

By grace receive

An answer to their praying.

4 When life's brief course on earth is run

And I this world am leaving,

Grant me to say, "Your will be done,"

Your faithful Word believing.

My dearest Friend,

I now commend

My soul into Your keeping;

From sin and hell,

And death as well,

By You the vict'ry reaping.

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The three verses from Matthew (6:10; 26:39, 42) all appear in the first two lines and are referred to again in the line "Grant me to say, 'Your will be done'" in the fourth verse.

Psalm 84:12 is rendered as "And they who trust in Him are blest" in the first verse.

1 Corinthians 10:13 seems to be the basis for the third verse.

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The lines "The very hairs, / His Word declares, / Upon my head He numbers" in the second verse refer to Matthew 10:30:  "'But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.'"

The line "He never sleeps nor slumbers" at the end of the second verse comes from Psalm 121:4 ("Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep"), so it seems that the preceding lines ("By night and day / God is my stay") may be drawn at least partially from Psalm 121:6 ("The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night").  Incidentally, "night and day" is a merism.

The line "When life's brief course on earth is run" at the beginning of the fourth verse may allude to part of Hebrews 12:1:  "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

"Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower"

Earlier this month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 5th.  The hymn was "Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower," and I noticed a small feature in it.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Ich will dich lieben."  Here's the third musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "Uphold me when my feet would stumble."  The phrase "Uphold me" is sung to an ascending group of notes (D F# A), giving something of a sense of its meaning.

LSB #757 "Lord, It Belongs Not to My Care"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Philippians 1:21-26, Luke 23:43

Philippians 1:21-26:  "21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.  Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.  23 I am hard pressed between the two.  My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.  24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.  25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory of Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again."

Luke 23:43: "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:

1 Lord, it belongs not to my care

Whether I die or live;

To love and serve Thee is my share,

And this Thy grace must give.

2 If life be long, I will be glad

That I may long obey;

If short, yet why should I be sad

To soar to endless day?

3 Christ leads me through no darker rooms

Than He went through before;

He that unto God's kingdom comes

Must enter by this door.

4 Come, Lord, when grace has made me meet

Thy blessed face to see;

For if Thy work on earth be sweet,

What will Thy glory be!

5 Then shall I end my sad complaints

And weary, sinful days

And join with the triumphant saints

Who sing my Savior's praise.

6 My knowledge of that life is small,

The eye of faith is dim;

But 'tis enough that Christ knows all,

And I shall be with Him.

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Philippians 1:21-26 appears primarily in the first verse and perhaps also in the second, and Luke 23:43 appears at the end of the sixth verse ("And I shall be with Him").

1 Corinthians 13:12 seems to be a source, too:  "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."  There are similarities in the lines "Thy blessed face to see" in the fourth verse and "The eye of faith is dim" in the sixth.

The lines "He that unto God's kingdom comes / Must enter by this door" in the third verse may allude to John 10:9:  "'I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.'"

The lines "And join with the triumphant saints / Who sing my Savior's praise" may refer to Revelation 7:9-10:  "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!'"

"Seek Where You May to Find a Way"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 15th.  The hymn was "Seek Where You May to Find a Way," and I found a few instances where groups of words including "all" or "ev'ry" are sung to all different pitches, resulting in a sense of entirety or breadth.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Such, wer da will."  Here are the fourth and fifth musical phrases:

In the second verse, the text here is "All helpers failed / This man prevailed," with "all helpers" sung to all different pitches (A F# G).

The seventh and eighth musical phrases:

In the third verse, the text here is "In ev'ry need / Seek Him indeed," with "ev'ry need" sung to all different pitches (F# G A).

The ninth and tenth musical phrases:

In the third verse, the text here is "To ev'ry heart / He will impart" (the sense continues into the next line:  "His blessings without measure"), with "ev'ry heart" sung to all different pitches (G A B).

LSB #756 "Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Peter 1:6-9, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 4:12, Matthew 11:29-30

1 Peter 1:6-9:  "6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  8 Though you have not seen him, you love him.  Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

James 1:2-4:  "2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

1 Peter 4:12:  "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."

Matthew 11:29-30:  "29 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.'"

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Only the first three stanzas are public domain:

1 Why should cross and trial grieve me?

Christ is near

With His cheer;

Never will He leave me.

Who can rob me of the heaven

That God's Son

For me won

When His life was given?

2 When life's troubles rise to meet me,

Though their weight

May be great,

They will not defeat me.

God, my loving Savior, sends them;

He who knows

All my woes

Knows how best to end them.

3 God gives me my days of gladness,

And I will

Trust Him still

When He sends me sadness.

God is good; His love attends me

Day by day,

Come what may,

Guides me and defends me.

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1 Peter 1:6-9, James 1:2-4, and 1 Peter 4:12 all mention trial(s) and appear most clearly in the hymn's first line ("Why should cross and trial grieve me?"), but the whole hymn develops the ideas in these passages.

Matthew 11:29-30 seems to appear (in an inverted way) at the beginning of the second verse:  "When life's troubles rise to meet me, / Though their weight / May be great, / They will not defeat me."  Instead of the light burden of rest, the hymn talks about the great weight of troubles.

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The lines "For I am / His dear lamb, / He, my Shepherd ever" in the fourth verse borrow imagery from John 10 ("'I am the good shepherd.'")

"Day and night" in the fifth verse is a merism.

"Toplady" (TLH #376)

Primarily because I've been having some computer issues, I'm going to take a break from recording tunes from TLH.

"O Love, How Deep"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 10th.  The hymn was "O Love, How Deep," and I noticed a few features to write about.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Deo gracias."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Of higher or of lower place" (it continues the sense from the previous line:  "He sent no angel to our race").  "Higher" is sung with a melisma (C Bb G), giving something of a sense of its nature as a comparative adjective (more notes for a greater degree).  Additionally, the musical phrase illustrates the relative positions of "higher" (sung to higher notes) and "lower" (sung to lower notes).

In the seventh verse, the text is "For love so deep, so high, so broad" (stating the reason for giving "All glory to our Lord and God").  "Deep" and the second "so" are both sung with melismas (F G and F C, respectively), providing a sense of degree.  The words "so broad" are sung to half notes, and because these stand in contrast to the shorter quarter or eighth notes that precede them, there's a sense of the degree of "so" and the meaning of "broad."

LSB #755 "In the Very Midst of Life"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 14:7-8, 2 Corinthians 1:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54

Romans 14:7-8:  "7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's."

2 Corinthians 1:9-10:  "9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again."

1 Corinthians 15:53-54:  "53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  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.'"

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The passage from 2 Corinthians 1, specifically the reliance on God and His deliverance, appears in every verse:  "Who shall help us in the strife / Lest the foe confound us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only!" in the first, "Who will help when they assail, / Who secure will make us? / Thou only, Lord, Thou only!" in the second, and "Where shall we for refuge go, / Where for grace to bless us? / To Thee, Lord Jesus, only!" in the third.

It's unclear where exactly the other two passages show up.  My best guess is that both are behind the lines "Lord, preserve and keep us / In the peace that faith can give" near the end of the third verse.

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The line "Snares of death surround us" near the beginning of the first verse is drawn from Psalm 18:4-5:  "4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; 5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me."

The line "In the midst of death's dark vale" at the beginning of the second verse alludes to Psalm 23:4:  "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

"Nun freut euch" (TLH #375)

"Come, My Soul, with Every Care"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 3rd.  The hymn was "Come, My Soul, with Every Care," and I noticed an-other instance of a feature I've been finding a lot lately.

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

In the first verse, the text here is "Come, my soul, with ev'ry care."  The phrase "ev'ry care" is sung to notes of all different pitches (D C B), giving a sense of breadth.

LSB #754 "Entrust Your Days and Burdens"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 37:5; 125:1; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:6-7

Psalm 37:5:  "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act."

Psalm 125:1:  "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever."

Philippians 4:6-7:  "6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 5:6-7:  "6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

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The two verses from the Psalms and the verses from 1 Peter 5 all appear in the first few lines of the hymn:  "Entrust your days and burdens / To God's most loving hand; / He cares for you while ruling / The sky, the sea, the land."  The rest of the hymn expands upon this.

The text from Philippians 4 is referred to in the second verse:  "No anxious thought, no worry, / No self-tormenting care / Can win your Father's favor; / His heart is moved by prayer."

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The lines "For He who guides the tempests... Will find for you a pathway / And guide you all your days" at the end of the first verse may be drawn from Proverbs 3:5-6:  "5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

The lines "Take heart, have hope, my spirit, / And do not be dismayed; / God helps in ev'ry trial / And makes you unafraid" at the beginning of the third verse bear some resemblance to Isaiah 41:10:  "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

The line "When you with life are crowned" in the fifth verse could refer to either James 1:12 or Revelation 2:10.

"Energy" (TLH #374)

"Our Father, by Whose Name"

On Worship Anew a few weeks ago (6 October, Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost), one of the hymns was "Our Father, by Whose Name," and I noticed a small feature in it.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Rhosymedre."  Here's the fifth musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Our children bless in ev'ry place" (the structure is inverted so that the direct object comes first; in a more normal word order, it's "Bless our children in ev'ry place").  "Ev'ry place" is sung to notes of all different pitches (Bb A G), giving a sense of breadth.

This hymn was also in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on 7 October, and when I heard it again, I noticed that the same feature is also in the third verse.  In the lines "That ev'ry home by this release / May be the dwelling place of peace," the phrase "ev'ry home" is sung to notes of all different pitches (Bb A G).  Here's that musical phrase (the sixth):

LSB #753 "All for Christ I Have Forsaken"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Philippians 3:7-14, Matthew 10:38-39, Luke 9:62, Revelation 2:10

Philippians 3:7-14:  "7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

"12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Matthew 10:38-39:  "38 'And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'"

Luke 9:62:  "Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'"

Revelation 2:10:  "'Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.  Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.'"

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The passage from Philippians 3 is the main source for the hymn.  Philippians 3:7 and the verses from Matthew 10 are particularly evident in the first verse:  "All for Christ I have forsaken / And have taken up my cross."

Luke 9:62 appears at the end of the second verse ("Hand to plow, at peace I follow / Where He leads me... why look back?"), and Revelation 2:10 is referred to at the end of the third verse ("Firm and faithful unto death").

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The line "Strong in Christ through death's dark valley" in the third verse refers to Psalm 23:4:  "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

The lines "God will keep my spouse and children / As the apple of His eye" at the end of the fourth verse are drawn from Psalm 17:8:  "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings."

"O dass ich tausend" (TLH #373)

"All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine"

I wrote about a small feature in "All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine" a number of years ago, but when it was the hymn in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on the 23rd last month, I noticed something else.

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

In the fifth verse, the text here is "Let ev'ry tongue confess with one accord."  The phrase "ev'ry tongue" is sung to notes of all different pitches (F, A, and G), giving something of a sense of breadth.

LSB #752 "Be Still, My Soul"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 42:4-11; 46:10; John 11:1-44; Revelation 7:13-17

Psalm 42:4-11:  "4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul:  how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

"5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God.

"My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.  7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.  8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.  9 I say to God, my rock:  'Why have you forgotten me?  Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?'  10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, 'Where is your God?'

"11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God."

Psalm 46:10:  "'Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'"

John 11:1-44:  "1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.  3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, 'Lord, he whom you love is ill.' 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, 'This illness does not lead to death.  It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.'

"5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.  7 Then after this he said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.'  8 The disciples said to him, 'Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?'  9 Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day?  If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.'  11 After saying these things, he said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.'  12 The disciples said to him, 'Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.'  13 Now Jesus has spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.  14 Then Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.  But let us go to him.'  16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'

"17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.  18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.  20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.  21 Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.'  23 Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.'  24 Martha said to him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.'  25 Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this?'  27 She said to him, 'Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.'

"28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, 'The Teacher is here and is calling for you.'  29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.  30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.  31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.  32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.'  33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.  34 And he said, 'Where have you laid him?'  They said to him, 'Lord, come and see.'  35 Jesus wept.  36 So the Jews said, 'See how he loved him!'  37 But some of them said, 'Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?'

"38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  39 Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.'  Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, 'Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.'  40 Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'  41 So they took away the stone.  And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.'  43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out.'  44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go.'"

Revelation 7:13-17:  "13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?'  14 I said to him, 'Sir, you know.'  And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"15 'Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.  16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.  17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'"

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The text is public domain:

1 Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In ev'ry change His faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav'nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2 Be still, my soul; your God will undertake

To guide the future as He has the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

3 Be still, my soul; though dearest friends depart

And all is darkened in this vale of tears;

Then you will better know His love, his heart,

Who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

From His own fullness all He takes away.

4 Be still, my soul; the hour is hast'ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

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The two passages from the Psalms appear twice in each verse; "Be still" is from Psalm 46:10, and the addresses to "my soul" are patterned on the passage from Psalm 42.  In a way, Psalm 42 is the main source for the hymn, but only in the general sense that the hymn is also someone addressing his own soul.

The long passage from John seems to be merely referred to in the third verse ("though dearest friends depart...").  Similarly, the passage from Revelation is just alluded to in the last lines of the fourth verse:  "when change and tears are past, / All safe and blessed we shall meet at last."

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The lines "the waves and winds still know / His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below" in the second verse refer to Jesus's calming the storm in Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25.

The line "When we shall be forever with the Lord" in the fourth verse may come from part of 1 Thessalonians 4:17:  "we will always be with the Lord."

"Ich dank' dir, lieber Herre" (TLH #372)

I played the Amen cadence an octave higher in the tenor part because I didn't want to have to put my guitar in drop D tuning for just one note.

"I Know My Faith Is Founded"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 19th.  The hymn was "I Know My Faith Is Founded," and I noticed a small feature in it.  It's sung to the tune "Nun lob, mein' Seel'."  About halfway through the tune, there are these musical phrases:

In the first verse, the text here is "Our reason cannot fathom / The truth of God profound."  "Profound" is sung to the lowest pitch in this phrase (D, which is also the lowest pitch in the entire tune), so there's a connection with the word's literal meaning.

LSB #751 "O God of Love, O King of Peace"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 46:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Isaiah 43:25, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Psalm 46:9:  "He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire."

2 Thessalonians 3:16:  "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.  The Lord be with you all."

Isaiah 43:25:  "'I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.'"

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24:  "23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

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The text is public domain:

1 O God of love, O King of peace,

Make wars throughout the world to cease;

The rage of nations now restrain:

Give peace, O God, give peace again!

2 Remember, Lord, Thy works of old,

The wonders that Thy people told;

Remember not our sins' dark stain:

Give peace, O God, give peace again!

3 Whom shall we trust but Thee, O Lord?

Where rest but on Thy faithful Word?

None ever called on Thee in vain:

Give peace, O God, give peace again!

4 Where saints and angels dwell above,

All hearts are knit in holy love;

O bind us in that heav'nly chain:

Give peace, O God, give peace again!

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Psalm 46:9 appears in the line "Make wars throughout the world to cease" in the first verse.

The titles "Lord of peace" and "God of peace" from the two passages from Thessalonians seem to be combined in the first line of the hymn:  "O God of love, O King of peace."  Individually, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 appears in the line "Give peace, O God, give peace again!" at the end of each verse, and 1 Thessalonians 5:24 appears (in a sort of inverted way) in the line "None ever called on Thee in vain" in the third verse.

There's some similarity between Isaiah 43:25 and the hymn's second verse, but the actual source seems to be Psalm 25:6-7:  "6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.  7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!"

"St. Crispin" (TLH #371)

Transposed from E major to F major

"When in the Hour of Deepest Need"

I've written about small musical features in "When in the Hour of Deepest Need" twice before, but when it was part of the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on 9 September last month, I found a few more.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "And all our woes before You lay."  The phrase "all our woes" is sung to notes of all different pitches (Bb A G), giving something of a sense of the entirety of "all."

The same sort of feature is present in the line "Free us at last from ev'ry ill" at the end of the fifth verse, sung to this phrase:

Here, the phrase "ev'ry ill" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A G F), providing a sense of breadth.  Because the note values in this phrase are longer than the preceding ones (two half notes and a whole note rather than just quarter notes), there's even an added bit of emphasis.

The sixth verse begins with the line "So we with all our hearts each day," sung to this phrase:

"Hearts" is sung with a melisma (Bb A), giving a sense of the entirety of "all."

LSB #750 "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 55:22, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 9:22

Psalm 55:22:  "Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved."

Proverbs 3:5-6:  "5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Isaiah 41:10:  "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Matthew 9:22:  "Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, 'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.'  And instantly the woman was made well."

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The text is public domain:

1 If thou but trust in God to guide thee

And hope in Him through all thy ways,

He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee,

And bear thee through the evil days.

Who trusts in God's unchanging love

Builds on the rock that naught can move.

2 What can these anxious cares avail thee,

These never-ceasing moans and sighs?

What can it help if thou bewail thee

O'er each dark moment as it flies?

Our cross and trials do but press

The heavier for our bitterness.

3 Be patient and await His leisure

In cheerful hope, with heart content

To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure

And His discerning love hath sent,

Nor doubt our inmost wants are known

To Him who chose us for His own.

4 God knows full well when times of gladness

Shall be the needful thing for thee.

When He has tried thy soul with sadness

And from all guile has found thee free,

He comes to thee all unaware

And makes thee own His loving care.

5 Nor think amid the fiery trial

That God hath cast thee off unheard,

That he whose hopes meet no denial

Must surely be of God preferred.

Time passes and much change doth bring

And sets a bound to ev'rything.

6 All are alike before the Highest;

'Tis easy for our God, we know,

To raise thee up, though low thou liest,

To make the rich man poor and low.

True wonders still by Him are wrought

Who setteth up and brings to naught.

7 Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,

Perform thy duties faithfully,

And trust His Word; though undeserving,

Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.

God never yet forsook in need

The soul that trusted Him indeed.

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Psalm 55:22 and Isaiah 41:10 appear in the lines "He'll give thee strength, whate'er betide thee, / And bear thee through the evil days" in the first verse.  Psalm 55:22 (specifically "he will never permit the righteous to be moved") could also be cited for the lines "Who trusts in God's unchanging love / Builds on the rock that naught can move," although the imagery there seems to be taken from Matthew 7:24-25.

Proverbs 3:5-6 appears in the first verse, in the lines "If thou but trust in God to guide thee / And hope in Him through all thy ways," and it's also the foundation for the entire hymn.

Matthew 9:22 seems to be the basis for the seventh verse.

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The line "What can these anxious cares avail thee" at the beginning of the second verse is similar to Jesus' rhetorical question "'And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?'" in Matthew 6:27 and Luke 12:25.

"Magdalen" (TLH #370)

I had to put my guitar and bass in drop D tuning to accommodate notes out of the standard tuning range.  Had I seen these sooner, I would have just transposed the tune.

"Stars of the Morning, So Gloriously Bright"

A couple years ago, I found some features in "Stars of the Morning, So Gloriously Bright."  I had to wait a while until it was seasonally appropriate to write about, though; the hymn is for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, which is 29 September.

The hymn is sung to the tune "O quanta qualia."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Lord God of Sabaoth, nearest Your throne," continuing the sense from the previous line:  "These are Your ministers, these are Your own" ("Lord God of Sabaoth" is a vocative).  "Nearest" is sung with a melisma (A G A), giving a sense of the superlative nature of the adjective (more notes for a higher degree).

The third musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "Till, where their anthems they ceaselessly pour."  "Pour" is sung with a descending melisma (A G), giving something of a sense of its meaning, although it's used metaphorically.

The fourth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Praise the Thrice Holy One, serving but Him."  "Holy" is sung to three notes (A G G), matching the modifying adverb "Thrice."

In the third verse, the text is "Then all the sons of God shouted for joy" (from Job 38:7).  "Sons" is sung with a melisma (A G), providing a sense of the entirety of "all," and "joy" is sung with a melisma (G F), giving a sense of ebullience.

LSB #749 "There Is a Balm in Gilead"

Biblical citation in the hymnal:  Jeremiah 8:18-9:2

Jeremiah 8:18-9:2:  "18 My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me.  19 Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people from the length and breadth of the land:  'Is the LORD not in Zion?  Is her King not in her?'  'Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images and with their foreign idols?'  20 'The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.'  21 For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded; I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me.

"22 Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there no physician there?  Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?

"9:1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!  2 Oh that I had in the desert a travelers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them!  For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men."

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The text is public domain:

There is a balm in Gilead

To make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead

To heal the sin-sick soul.

1 Sometimes I feel discouraged

And think my work's in vain,

But then the Holy Spirit

Revives my soul again.

There is a balm in Gilead

To make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead

To heal the sin-sick soul.

2 If you cannot preach like Peter,

If you cannot pray like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus

And say He died for all.

There is a balm in Gilead

To make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead

To heal the sin-sick soul.

3 Don't ever feel discouraged,

For Jesus is your friend;

And if you lack for knowledge,

He'll ne'er refuse to lend.

There is a balm in Gilead

To make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead

To heal the sin-sick soul.

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The text from Jeremiah seems to appear only in the refrains.  The line "There is a balm in Gilead" comes from verse 22; "the wounded" in the second line refers to verse 21; and the phrase "the sin-sick soul" in the last line seems to come from "my heart is sick within me" in verse 18.

"Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten" (TLH #369)

"O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace"

A couple weeks ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 5th.  The hymn was "O Holy Spirit, Grant Us Grace," and I noticed a small feature in it.  It's sung to the tune "Es ist gewisslich."  Here's the fifth musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "O make us die to ev'ry sin."  The phrase "ev'ry sin" is sung to notes of all different pitches (G E D), giving a sense of the breadth of "ev'ry."

LSB #748 "I'm But a Stranger Here"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Hebrews 11:13-16, Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:19, Hebrews 4:9

Hebrews 11:13-16:  "13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  14 For people who speak this make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.  15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."

Philippians 3:20:  "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"

Ephesians 2:19:  "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God"

Hebrews 4:9:  "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God"

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The text is public domain:

1 I'm but a stranger here,

Heav'n is my home;

Earth is a desert drear,

Heav'n is my home.

Danger and sorrow stand

Round me on ev'ry hand;

Heav'n is my fatherland,

Heav'n is my home.

2 What though the tempest rage,

Heav'n is my home;

Short is my pilgrimage,

Heav'n is my home;

And time's wild wintry blast

Soon shall be overpast;

I shall reach home at last,

Heav'n is my home.

3 Therefore I murmur not,

Heav'n is my home;

Whate'er my earthly lot,

Heav'n is my home;

And I shall surely stand

There at my Lord's right hand;

Heav'n is my fatherland,

Heav'n is my home.

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All of the cited texts express a similar idea (although Hebrews 4:9 puts it in slightly different terms), and this appears throughout the hymn as "Heav'n is my home."

"Strangers and exiles" from Hebrews 11:13 and "strangers and aliens" from Ephesians 2:19 appear in the line "I'm but a stranger here" at the beginning of the hymn.  The same idea is also in Psalm 119:19:  "I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!"

"Surrey" (TLH #368)

"Lord of Our Life"

Last week, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 4 September.  The reading was from Ephesians 6, and I noticed verse 16 in particular:  "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one."  This seems to be the source of the imagery in the line "And with great spite their fiery darts are hurling" in the second verse of "Lord of Our Life."

(Here's a link to my post from last year about the Biblical sources for the hymn.)

LSB #747 "No Saint on Earth Lives Life to Self Alone"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 8:38-39, Romans 6:5-11

Romans 8:38-39:  " 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:5-11:  "5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.  8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.  10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.  11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

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Both cited passages could be included in "we with Christ are one" in the first verse, and the passage from Romans 6 has some general similarities with the hymn text as a whole, but really, the basis for the hymn is Romans 14:7-9:  "7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.  9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living."  The hymn's first verse paraphrases verses 7-8, and the second verse paraphrases verse 9.  "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" from verse 8 appears at the end of both verses in the hymn.

The line "That to new life He might arise again" near the beginning of the second verse may also be based on Romans 6:4:  "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

"O Durchbrecher" (TLH #367)

LSB #746 "Through Jesus' Blood and Merit"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 1:4-6

Romans 8:35-39:  "35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  36 As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'  37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 1:4-6:  "4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

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The text is public domain:

1 Through Jesus' blood and merit

I am at peace with God.

What, then, can daunt my spirit,

However dark my road?

My courage shall not fail me,

For God is on my side;

Though hell itself assail me,

Its rage I may deride.

2 There's nothing that can sever

From this great love of God;

No want, no pain whatever,

No famine, peril, flood.

Though thousand foes surround me,

For slaughter mark His sheep,

They never shall confound me,

The vict'ry I shall reap.

3 For neither life's temptation

Nor death's most trying hour

Nor angels of high station

Nor any other pow'r

Nor things that now are present

Nor things that are to come

Nor height, however pleasant,

Nor darkest depths of gloom

4 Nor any creature ever

Shall from the love of God

This ransomed sinner sever;

For in my Savior's blood

This love has its foundation;

God hears my faithful prayer

And long before creation

Named me His child and heir.

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The passage from Romans 8 is the main source for the hymn; verses 35-37 are paraphrased in the hymn's second verse, and verses 38-39 are paraphrased in the third verse and the first few lines of the fourth.

The passage from Ephesians 1 appears at the end of the fourth verse.

The line "Though thousand foes surround me" in the second verse may come from Psalm 3:6:  "I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around."