"Ringe recht" (TLH #358)

"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"

In his sermon on Worship Anew a couple weeks ago, Pastor Jonker alluded to Mark 4:28:  "'The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.'"  The day after I watched the program, I was thinking about "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come," in which Mark 4:28 is paraphrased in the second verse:  "First the blade and then the ear, / Then the full corn shall appear."  These lines are sung to these musical phrases from the tune "St. George's, Windsor":

I realized that because the melody generally ascends, there's a musical representation of the plant's growth.

LSB #737 "Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 28:7, Psalm 27:1-6; Micah 7:18-19; Psalm 73:25-26

Psalm 28:7:  "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him."

Psalm 27:1-6:  "1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

"2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

"3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

"4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:  that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

"5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

"6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD."

Micah 7:18-19:  "18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

Psalm 73:25-26:  "25 Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

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The text is public domain:

1 Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing,

A cheerful trust maintain;

For God, the source of ev'rything,

Your portion shall remain.

2 He is your treasure, He your joy,

Your life and light and Lord,

Your counselor when doubts annoy,

Your shield and great reward.

3 Why spend the day in blank despair,

In restless thought the night?

On your Creator cast your care;

He makes your burdens light.

4 Did not His love and truth and pow'r

Guard ev'ry childhood day?

And did He not in threat'ning hour

Turn dreaded ills away?

5 He only will with patience chide,

His rod falls gently down;

And all your sins He casts aside

In ocean depths to drown.

6 His wisdom never plans in vain

Nor falters nor mistakes.

All that His counsels may ordain

A blessèd ending makes.

7 Upon your lips, then, lay your hand,

And trust His guiding love;

Then like a rock your peace shall stand

Here and in heav'n above.

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Psalm 73:25-26 ("God is... my portion forever") and Psalm 28:7 ("my heart exults") appear in the first verse, and elements from Psalm 28:7 and Psalm 27:1-6 appear in the second.  Psalm 27:2-3 may also appear, albeit in a more general way, in the lines "And did He not in threat'ning hour / Turn dreaded ills away?" in the fourth verse.

The passage from Micah 7 (particularly "You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea") is the basis for the fifth verse.

The lines "On your Creator cast your care; / He makes your burdens light" in the third verse seem to combine 1 Peter 5:7 ("casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you") and Matthew 11:30 ("'For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light'").