"Jesus ist kommen, Grund ewiger Freude"

This is an-other of my own arrangements of a hymn tune.

I used Melodia 8' and Flute 4' on the lower manual (and added Trompette 8' for the second verse), Open Diapason 8', Gedeckt 8', and Hautbois 8' on the upper manual, and Sub Bass 16' + Gedeckt 8' for the pedals.

Played with the pipe organ sound on my Hammond SKX, with the Hammond XPK-130G bass pedals

LSB #745 "In God, My Faithful God"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 25, Philippians 1:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Titus 3:4-7

Psalm 25:  "1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  2 O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.  3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

"4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.  5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

"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!

"8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.  9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.  10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.  11 For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.  12 Who is the man who fears the LORD?  Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.  13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.  14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.  15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

"16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.  18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

"19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.  20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!  Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.  21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

"22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles."

Philippians 1:21:  "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

2 Thessalonians 3:3:  "But the Lord is faithful.  He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."

Titus 3:4-7:  "4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

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The text is public domain:

1 In God, my faithful God,

I trust when dark my road;

Great woes may overtake me,

Yet He will not forsake me.

My troubles He can alter;

His hand lets nothing falter.

2 My sins fill me with care,

Yet I will not despair.

I build on Christ, who loves me;

From this rock nothing moves me.

To Him I will surrender,

To Him, my soul's defender.

3 If death my portion be,

It brings great gain to me;

It speeds my life's endeavor

To live with Christ forever.

He gives me joy in sorrow,

Come death now or tomorrow.

4 O Jesus Christ, my Lord,

So meek in deed and word,

You suffered death to save us

Because Your love would have us

Be heirs of heav'nly gladness

When ends this life of sadness.

5 "So be it," then, I say

With all my heart each day.

Dear Lord, we all adore You,

We sing for joy before You.

Guide us while here we wander

Until we praise You yonder.

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Psalm 25 is the main source for the hymn.  Verses 2 and 22 appear in the first verse ("In God, my faithful God, / I trust when dark my road... My troubles He can alter"); verses 16-20 in the second verse ("My sins fill me with care..."); and verses 4-5, 8-9, and 12 near the end of the fifth verse ("Guide us while here we wander").

Philippians 1:21 is paraphrased at the beginning of the third verse:  "If death my portion be, / It brings great gain to me."

2 Thessalonians 3:3 is the basis for the description "Him, my soul's defender" at the end of the second verse.

The passage from Titus 3 (particularly the "heirs" in verse 7) appears in the fourth verse.

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The imagery in the lines "I build on Christ, who loves me; / From this rock nothing moves me" in the second verse seems to come from Matthew 7:24-25:  "24 'Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.'"

"Meinen Jesum lass' ich nicht" (TLH #365)

"Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace"

I was looking at "Lord of All Nations, Grant Me Grace" earlier this week, and I noticed a few small features in the title line, sung to this musical phrase from the tune "Angelus":

"Nations" is sung with a melisma, and each note is a different pitch (G A Bb).  Both of these features provide a sense of the entirety of the modifying "all."  There's a further sense of this entirety because a pitch (A natural) from outside the tune's key (E flat major) is also included.

LSB #744 "Amazing Grace"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Ephesians 2:1, 4-9; John 1:14, 16-17; Hebrews 4:16; Romans 3:22b-24

Ephesians 2:1:  "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins"

Ephesians 2:4-9:  "4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  8 For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

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

John 1:16-17:  "16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

Hebrews 4:16:  "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."

Romans 3:22b-24:  "For there is no distinction:  23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

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The text is public domain:

1 Amazing grace - how sweet the sound - 

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind but now I see!

2 The Lord has promised good to me,

His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures.

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares

I have already come;

His grace has brought me safe thus far,

His grace will lead me home.

4 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail

And mortal life shall cease,

Amazing grace shall then prevail

In heaven's joy and peace.

5 When we've been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we'd first begun.

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The two passages from Ephesians (particularly Ephesians 2:5) appear in the first two lines:  "Amazing grace - how sweet the sound - / That saved a wretch like me!"  Aside from Ephesians 2:1, all of the citations mention grace, which appears in the title line and in the third and fourth verses.

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The second half of the first verse ("I once was lost but now am found, / Was blind but now I see!") borrows phrases from the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:24:  "'"For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."  And they began to celebrate.'") and from the account of the man born blind (John 9:25:  "He answered, 'Whether he is a sinner I do not know.  One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.'").

The descriptions of God as "shield" and "portion" in the second verse also occur in various Psalms, including 3:3; 28:7; 33:20; 73:26; 84:11; 119:57 and 142:5.

The line "Bright shining as the sun" in the fifth verse is drawn from Matthew 13:43:  "'Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  He who has ears, let him hear.'"

"St. Peter" (TLH #364)

Transposed from E flat major to F major

"Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor"

One of the hymns on Worship Anew earlier this week was "Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor," and I noticed a handful of small features in it.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Bryn Calfaria."  Here's the fourth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Lifting up Your people's head."  There's an ascent of a third between "Lifting" (sung to two Bb notes) and "up" (sung to a D), musically illustrating the meaning.

In the third verse, the text is "Shall forevermore remain."  "Forevermore" is sung with a melisma (Bb D C Bb A), and since it's drawn out, there's a sense of that duration.

Here's the second-to-last musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "Cleansing souls from ev'ry stain."  "Ev'ry" is sung with a melisma (C Bb A G), giving a sense of that entirety.

LSB #743 "Jesus, Priceless Treasure"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 1:6-9, Romans 8:38-39, John 6:68-69

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."

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."

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."

John 6:68-69:  "68 Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.'"

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The text is public domain:

1 Jesus, priceless treasure,

Fount of purest pleasure,

Truest friend to me,

Ah, how long in anguish

Shall my spirit languish,

Yearning, Lord, for Thee?

Thou art mine,

O Lamb divine!

I will suffer naught to hide Thee;

Naught I ask beside Thee.

2 In Thine arms I rest me;

Foes who would molest me

Cannot reach me here.

Though the earth be shaking,

Ev'ry heart be quaking,

Jesus calms my fear.

Lightnings flash

And thunders crash;

Yet, though sin and hell assail me,

Jesus will not fail me.

3 Satan, I defy thee;

Death, I now decry thee;

Fear, I bid thee cease.

World, thou shalt not harm me

Nor thy threats alarm me

While I sing of peace.

God's great pow'r

Guards ev'ry hour;

Earth and all its depths adore Him,

Silent bow before Him.

4 Hence, all earthly treasure!

Jesus is my pleasure,

Jesus is my choice.

Hence, all empty glory!

Naught to me thy story

Told with tempting voice.

Pain or loss,

Or shame or cross,

Shall not from me Savior move me

Since He deigns to love me.

5 Evil world, I leave thee;

Thou canst not deceive me,

Thine appeal is vain.

Sin that once did blind me,

Get thee far behind me,

Come not forth again.

Past thy hour,

O pride and pow'r;

Sinful life, thy bonds I sever,

Leave thee now forever.

6 Hence, all fear and sadness!

For the Lord of gladness,

Jesus, enters in.

Those who love the Father,

Though the storms may gather,

Still have peace within.

Yea, whate'er

I here must bear,

Thou art still my purest pleasure,

Jesus, priceless treasure!

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The two passages from 1 Peter 1 are the main sources for the hymn.  Verses 7 and 19 appear in the hymn's first, fourth, and sixth verses (Jesus as "priceless treasure" and "purest pleasure" and as "Lamb divine"), and the "various trials" in verse 6 appear in the second through fifth verses.

Romans 8:38-39 is paraphrased near the end of the fourth verse:  "Pain or loss, / Or shame or cross, / Shall not from my Savior move me."

The passage from John 6, particularly "'Lord to whom shall we go?'" seems to appear in the line "Naught I ask beside Thee" at the end of the first verse.

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Parts of the second verse bear some similarity to Psalm 46:2-3 ("2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.") and to Jesus' calming a storm in Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25.

The command in the lines "Sin that once did blind me, / Get thee far behind me" seems to be patterned on that in Matthew 16:23:  "But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan!  You are a hindrance to me.  For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.'"

"Bedford" (TLH #363)

LSB #742 "For Me to Live Is Jesus"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Philippians 1:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:2, 8

Philippians 1:20-23:  "20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.  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."

2 Corinthians 5:2:  "For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling"

2 Corinthians 5:8:  "Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

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The text is public domain:

1 For me to live is Jesus,

To die is gain for me;

So when my Savior pleases,

I meet death willingly.

2 For Christ, my Lord, my brother,

I leave this world so dim

And gladly seek another,

Where I shall be with Him.

3 My woes are nearly over,

Though long and dark the road;

My sin His merits cover,

And I have peace with God.

4 Lord, when my pow'rs are failing,

My breath comes heavily,

And words are unavailing,

O hear my sighs to Thee.

5 In my last hour, O grant me

A slumber soft and still,

No doubts to vex or haunt me,

Safe anchored in Thy will;

6 And so to Thee still cleaving

When death shall come to me,

I fall asleep believing

And wake in heav'n with Thee!

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The passage from Philippians 1 is the main source of the hymn.  Verse 21 is particularly evident in the first two lines of the first verse.

The two verses from 2 Corinthians 5 overlap a bit with Philippians 1:23, and all are the basis for the second verse.

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The line "A slumber soft and still" in the fifth verse exhibits alliteration, and since there isn't a variety of initial sounds, there's a sense of that calm and peace.

"Wie wohl ist mir" (TLH #362)

I transposed this from A flat major to G major (mostly to make it easier to play on mandolin), but this pushed one note in the alto part below the mandolin's range.  Instead of an F#, I played an A.  I also had to put my guitar in drop D tuning to get a handful of notes in the tenor part.

There's a "variant" for the last five measures, and I played this the second time through.

"The Saints in Christ Are One in Every Place"

I was looking at "The Saints in Christ Are One in Every Place" last week and noticed a small musical feature in it.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Woodlands."  Here's the last musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "Then be with Christ, to live forevermore."  "Forevermore" is sung to a total of nine beats, the most of any word in the entire hymn, and this length provides a sense of the word's meaning.