LSB #776 "Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 145:15-16, Luke 24:29-30, James 1:17a

Psalm 145:15-16:  "15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.  16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing."

Luke 24:29-30:  "29 but they urged him strongly, saying, 'Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.'  So he went in to stay with them.  30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them."

James 1:17a:  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above"

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The text is public domain:

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blest.

Amen, amen, amen.

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The hymn text is fairly general, but the passage from Luke 24 seems to be the main source (especially for "be our guest"), and the other cited texts are combined with it in "let these gifts to us be blest."

"Lord, Support Us All Day Long"

Recently, I was looking at "Lord, Support Us All Day Long" and noticed a very small feature in it, similar to what I found in "Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me" a number of years ago.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Gwalchmai," which alternates between long and short phrases.  Here's the fourth phrase, which is only one measure:

In the first verse, the text here is "Shadows length."  The note values expand from quarter notes to half notes, giving a musical impression of this "length[ening]."

LSB #775 "Be Present at Our Table, Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 145:15-16, Revelation 19:9, Isaiah 25:6

Psalm 145:15-16:  "15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.  16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.  17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works."

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.'"

Isaiah 25:6:  "On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined."

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The text is public domain:

Be present at our table, Lord;

Be here and ev'rywhere adored;

Thy creatures bless, and grant that we

May feast in paradise with Thee.

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The passage from Psalm 145 seems to appear in "Thy creatures bless," although there's also some overlap with Revelation 19:9.

"The marriage supper of the Lamb" from Revelation 19:9 and the "feast" in Isaiah 25:6 are combined in "grant that we / May feast in paradise with Thee."

"Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense"

A few weeks ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 25 February, in which the hymn was "Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense."  I noticed a small feature in it but also discovered a note I'd previously made but neglected to write about here.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Jesus, meine Zuversicht."  Here's the fourth musical phrase:

In the eighth verse, the text here is "While you here His footsteps follow."  The melody is mostly conjunct (from A to C), so there's a musical sense of these "footsteps."

Here are the last two musical phrases:

In the fifth verse, the text here is "In this flesh I then shall see / Jesus Christ eternally."  "Eternally" is sung to notes that have a combined total of seven beats (a quarter note, a dotted quarter note, an eighth note, and a whole note), the longest of any single word in the entire hymn.  This musical duration matches the meaning of the word.

LSB #774 "Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 145:15-17, John 6:35-38, Revelation 19:7-9

Psalm 145:15-17:  "15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.  16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.  17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works."

John 6:35-38:  "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.  36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.  37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.'"

Revelation 19:7-9:  "7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure' - for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

"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.'"

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The passage from Psalm 145 is referred to in the first line:  "Feed Thy children, God most holy."  The text from John 6 is the source for the title "Bread of Life" ("O Thou Bread of Life from heaven, / Bless the food Thou here hast given!"), and the passage from Revelation 19 appears at the end of the hymn:  "Till with saints in heav'nly splendor / At Thy feast due thanks we render."

"O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair"

Last year, I noticed a small feature in the Transfiguration hymn "O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair."  It's sung to the tune "Deo gracias."  Here's the third musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "For which in joyful strains we raise" (the sense is continued into the next line:  "The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise").  "Joyful" is sung with a melisma (C Bb Ab), providing a sense of either ebullience or abundance (for the "-ful" suffix).

LSB #773 "Hear Us, Father, When We Pray"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 6:9-13, Romans 8:26-27, Hebrews 4:14-16, Psalm 141:1-2

Matthew 6:9-13:  "9 'Pray then like this:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'"

Romans 8:26-27:  "26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Hebrews 4:14-16:  "14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Psalm 141:1-2:  "1 O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!  Give ear to my voice when I call to you!  2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!"

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Each verse of the hymn corresponds to one of the cited passages.  Matthew 6:9-13 is alluded to in the first verse ("Hear us, Father, when we pray..."); Romans 8:26-27 is paraphrased in the second verse ("When we know not what to say... May Your Spirit... Groan within us interceding; / By His sighs, too deep for words"); Hebrews 4:14-16 is the basis for the third verse ("Jesus, advocate on high... Through Your priestly blood we cry; / Hear our prayers... Place them on Your Father's throne"); and Psalm 141:1-2 appears in the fourth verse ("By Your Spirit now attend / To our prayers and supplications, / As like incense they ascend").

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"Night and day" in the second verse ("May Your Spirit, night and day, / Groan within us interceding") is a temporal merism.

"Jesus on the Mountain Peak"

Last year, I found a small feature in "Jesus on the Mountain Peak."  It's a Transfiguration hymn, though, so I had to wait a while until it was seasonally appropriate to write about.

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

In the fourth verse, the text here is "All creation shall adore Him!"  "Creation" is sung with a melisma (A G F# D), giving a sense of the entirety of "all."

In looking at the hymn again in order to write this post, I also noticed that the phrase "All creation" is sung to notes of all different pitches (spanning a sixth:  B | A G F# D), and this also provides a sense of breadth.

LSB #772 "In Holy Conversation"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 50:15, Philippians 4:6, Isaiah 65:24, 1 John 5:14

Psalm 50:15:  "'and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.'"

Philippians 4:6:  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

Isaiah 65:24:  "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."

1 John 5:14:  "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."

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Psalm 50:15 and Philippians 4:6 seem to appear in the lines "In holy conversation / We speak to God in prayer" at the beginning of the first verse, although they also inform the hymn generally.  Isaiah 65:24 and 1 John 5:14 are alluded to in the lines "With care our Father listens / To ev'ry thought expressed, / Then answers our petitions / In ways He knows are best" at the end of the second verse and (particularly 1 John 5:14) in the lines "So let us pray securely, / Expressing hopes and fears / With confidence that surely / Our Father ever hears" at the end of the third.

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The lines "And to support our prayer, / His Spirit intercedes" at the end of the first verse seem to be drawn from Romans 8:26:  "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

As with the previous hymn, the lines "Then [our Father] answers our petitions / In ways He knows are best" may refer to 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.") or even Genesis 50:20, where Joseph tells his brothers, "'As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.'"

"Have No Fear, Little Flock"

In the fourth verse of "Have No Fear, Little Flock," there's the repeated line "Thankful hearts raise to God."  A couple months ago, I discovered that this is at least related to, if not directly drawn from, part of Colossians 3:16:  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Here's a link to my post on the hymn's Biblical sources.

LSB #771 "Be Still, My Soul, before the Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 7:7-8, Isaiah 65:24, 1 John 5:14, Psalm 27:13-14

Matthew 7:7-8:  "7 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.'"

Isaiah 65:24:  "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."

1 John 5:14:  "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."

Psalm 27:13-14:  "13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!  14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"

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Isaiah 65:24 appears in the lines "Before your mind is moved to pray, God listens and will hear" at the end of the first verse, although this may overlap a bit with 1 John 5:14 and even Matthew 7:7.  1 John 5:14 and Psalm 27:14 seem to be combined in the line "Wait, then, in quiet confidence" at the beginning of the third verse, and Psalm 27:14 by itself appears again in the line "On God in patience wait" in the fourth verse.

The passage from Matthew 7 may also be alluded to in the line "God's help will not be late" at the end of the fourth verse.

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This line "Be still, my soul, before the Lord," which occurs at the beginning of the first and fourth verses may come from the first part of Psalm 46:10:  "'Be still, and know that I am God.'"

The line "You need not multiply your words" at the beginning of the second verse seems to refer to Matthew 6:7:  "'And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.'"  

The line "God knows your needs before you ask" in the third verse paraphrases part of Matthew 6:8 ("'Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.'"), and the following line "And works for what is best" may refer to 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.") or even Genesis 50:20, where Joseph tells his brothers, "'As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.'"

"Word of God, Come Down on Earth"

Years ago, I wrote about some small features in "Word of God, Come Down on Earth," but when it was in a Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service recently (on the 4th), I noticed an-other small point.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier."  Here's the second-to-last phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "Word of truth, to all truth lead us."  The second "truth" is sung with a melisma (A G), giving a sense of the entirety of that modifying "all."

LSB #770 "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 7:7-8, Hebrews 4:15, John 15:14-16, 1 Peter 2:24

Matthew 7:7-8:  "7 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.'"

Hebrews 4:15:  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

John 15:14-16:  "14 'You are my friends if you do what I command you.  15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.'"

1 Peter 2:24:  "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed."

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The text is public domain:

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Ev'rything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit;

Oh, what needless pain we bear -

All because we do not carry

Ev'rything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged -

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness -

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3 Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge -

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He'll take and shield thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there.

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The passage from Matthew 7 and the end of John 15:16 seem to appear in the recurring references to prayer ("What a privilege to carry / Ev'rything to God in prayer" in the first verse and "Take it to the Lord in prayer" in the second and third).

Hebrews 4:15 appears in the lines "Can we find a friend so faithful / Who will all our sorrows share? / Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness" in the second verse.

The passage from John 15 is the basis for the line "What a friend we have in Jesus," although there's a bit of overlap with Hebrews 4:15, and 1 Peter 2:24 appears in the following line:  "All our sins and griefs to bear!"

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The repeated reference to prayer may allude to "Be constant in prayer" from Romans 12:12.  The first half of the second verse also bears some similarity to Philippians 4:6:  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

"With the Lord Begin Your Task"

I was looking at "With the Lord Begin Your Task" a couple months ago and found a number of instances of the same sort of feature.  The hymn is sung to the tune "Fang dein Werk."  Here are the first two musical phrases:

In the fifth verse, the text here is "Thus, Lord Jesus, ev'ry task / Be to You commended."  The phrase "ev'ry task" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A G E), giving a sense of breadth or entirety.

These musical phrases are repeated for the next two lines.  In the second verse, the text is "On the Lord cast ev'ry care; / He is your salvation," and the phrase "ev'ry care" is sung to the same group of notes (A G E), providing the same effect.

Here are the fifth and sixth musical phrases:

In the first verse, the text here is "Ev'ry morn with Jesus rise, / And when day is ended."  The same feature is here, too:  the phrase "ev'ry morn" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A B C), but now this articulation lends something more like a sense of number.

In the third verse, the text is "All your trust and hope repose / In the mighty Master."  Like the above, the phrase "all your trust" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A B C), giving a sense of entirety.

LSB #769 "Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 8:26-27; Ephesians 6:18; Luke 11:1-4; 22:42

Romans 8:26-27:  "26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Ephesians 6:18:  "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints"

Luke 11:1-4:  "1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.'  2 And he said to them, 'When you pray, say:  Father, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come.  3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And lead us not into temptation.'"

Luke 22:42:  "saying, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.  Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.'"

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The passage from Romans 8 and the verse from Ephesians seem to be the basis for the hymn.  Part of Romans 8:26 is paraphrased in the first verse as "I know not how to ask or what to say."  The line "Come, pray in me the prayer I need this day" at the beginning of the second verse bears the closest resemblance to Ephesians 6:18.

The first part of the passage from Luke 11 is alluded to at the end of the first verse:  "And only You can teach me how to pray."  Both passages from Luke also seem to be referred to in the second verse:  Luke 22:42 in the line "Help me to see Your purpose and Your will" and Luke 11:1-4 (particularly verse 4) in the line "Held in forgiving love, let me be still."

Messiah: No. 36 Thou art gone up on high

I've been reading a German/English edition of Luther's Small Catechism, and recently, I found a text that's used in Handel's Messiah.  Among the Biblical citations under "What do the Scriptures testify concerning Christ's ascension into heaven?" in the explanation to the second article of the creed is Psalm 68:18:  "Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also."  In Handel's Messiah, this appears in Part II, No. 36 as "Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them."

Previously, I'd noted that the Messiah text resembles Ephesians 4:8, but that verse is actually quoting Psalm 68:18.

In thinking about the movement, I realized that the music matches the text in that the repeated "Thou art gone up" is sung to phrases that generally ascend:

In some instances, particularly the third, "high" is sung to the highest pitch in the phrase, and this also illustrates the meaning.

[Notation source]

"Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You"

I wrote about the Biblical sources for "Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You" a couple years ago, but when it was in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service for 24 January, I found an-other one.  The last lines of the second verse are "The race well run, / Your long war won, / Your crown shines splendid as the sun."  As I noted before, the general situation here comes from 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, but the last line specifically ("Your crown shines splendid as the sun") alludes to Psalm 132:18, where the LORD says, "His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine."

LSB #768 "To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  John 16:13, Ephesians 4:3-6, Romans 8:26, 1 Corinthians 12:3

John 16:13:  "'When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.'"

Ephesians 4:3-6:  "3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  4 There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call - 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Romans 8:26:  "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."

1 Corinthians 12:3:  "Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus is accursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit."

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John 16:13 appears in the lines "To God the Holy Spirit let us pray / For the true faith needed on our way" in the first verse.  It also seems to appear, along with 1 Corinthians 12:3, in the line "Teach us Jesus Christ to know aright" in the fourth verse.

The passage from Ephesians 4 is the basis for the second verse, especially the lines "That with hearts united we love each other, / Ev'ry stranger, sister, and brother."

Romans 8:26 appears throughout the hymn but particularly in the line "To God the Holy Spirit let us pray" in the first verse and in all of the third verse, which describes "our weakness" ("in our ev'ry need, / Help us... That we may not falter nor courage fail us / When the foe shall taunt and assail us").

"The Day Is Surely Drawing Near"

A couple months ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 22 November.  The hymn was "The Day Is Surely Drawing Near," and I noticed two instances of the same sort of feature.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Es ist gewisslich."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "And all the earth be shaken."  The phrase "all the earth" is sung to notes of all different pitches (B C D), giving a sense of that breadth.

Here's the fifth musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "And ev'ry heart be clearly seen."  Here, the phrase "ev'ry heart" is sung to notes of all different pitches (B A G), providing a similar effect as above.

LSB #767 "Jesus, Remember Me"

The text of this hymn is taken directly from Luke 23:42.  I'm including it anyway for the sake of completeness, but when I get to the Biblical Canticles and Liturgical Music sections, there will be some hymns I'll skip because they're just the Biblical texts set to music.

Luke 23:42:  "And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'"

"No Temple Now, No Gift of Price"

A couple months ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 14 November.  The hymn was "No Temple Now, No Gift of Price," and I noticed a small feature in it.  It's sung to the tune "Kirkwood"; here's the third musical phrase:

In the second verse, the text here is "Complete in ev'ry part" (it further describes the previous lines:  "The dying Lord our ransom paid, / One final full self-off'ring made").  The words "ev'ry part" are sung to notes of all different pitches (F E D), giving a sense of this entirety.

LSB #766 "Our Father, Who from Heaven Above"

Biblical citation in the hymnal:  Matthew 6:9-13

Matthew 6:9-13:  "9 'Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."'"

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Only some of the stanzas are public domain:

1 Our Father, who from heav'n above

Bids all of us to live in love

As members of one family

And pray to You in unity,

Teach us no thoughtless words to say

But from our inmost hearts to pray.

6 Forgive our sins, Lord, we implore,

That they may trouble us no more;

We, too, will gladly those forgive

Who hurt us by the way they live.

Help us in our community

To serve each other willingly.

8 From evil, Lord, deliver us;

The times and days are perilous.

Redeem us from eternal death,

And, when we yield our dying breath,

Console us, grant us calm release,

And take our souls to You in peace.

9 Amen, that is, so shall it be.

Make strong our faith in You, that we

May doubt not but with trust believe

That what we ask we shall receive.

Thus in Your name and at Your Word

We say, "Amen, O hear us, Lord!"

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The hymn is an expansion of the text of the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6.  Along with the introduction and conclusion, each petition (as outlined in Luther's Small Catechism) has its own verse.

The last line of the fifth verse ("To care and greed no entrance give") may allude to Proverbs 30:8-9:  "8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

The line "That what we ask we shall receive" in the ninth verse refers to Matthew 7:7-8:  "7 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.'"

"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright"

Last year, I noticed a few features in "O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright."  Because it's an Epiphany hymn, though, I waited to write about it until it was seasonally appropriate.

It's sung to the tune "Wie schön leuchtet."  Here's the third musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "A ray of purest pleasure."  It's sung to a generally descending phrase, so there's a sense of its "fall[ing]," which is described in the previous line:  "At once there falls from God above."  (Years ago, I noted that the second half of the line "At once there falls from God above" also descends, matching the "fall[ing]" there.)

Here's the last musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here, apparently still describing the Morning Star, is "Rule and might o'er all possessing!"  Pitch-wise, "Rule" (sung to a D) and "might" (sung to a B) really are over "all" (sung to a G).

LSB #765 "God Moves in a Mysterious Way"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 11:33, Isaiah 38:17, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11

Romans 11:33:  "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!"

Isaiah 38:17:  "Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back."

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."

Jeremiah 29:11:  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

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The text is public domain:

1 God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm.

2 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

Faith sees a smiling face.

3 His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding ev'ry hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flow'r.

4 Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.

5 You fearful saints, fresh courage take;

The clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy and will break

In blessings on your head.

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Romans 11:33 (particularly "how inscrutable his ways") appears in the first two lines:  "God moves in a mysterious way / His wonders to perform."

Isaiah 38:17 seems to appear in the third verse; the hymn uses a similar description ("a bitter taste").

Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 seem to be combined in the second half of the second verse ("Behind a frowning providence / Faith sees a smiling face") and the entirety of the fifth verse.

"From God the Father, Virgin-Born"

Last year, I noticed a handful of small features in "From God the Father, Virgin-Born," but since it's an Epiphany hymn, I had to wait until it was seasonally appropriate to write about.

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

In the sixth verse, the text here is "To You, O Lord, all glory be."  The phrase "all glory" is sung to notes of all different pitches (F Eb D C), and "glory" is sung with a melisma (Eb D C), and both of these features provide a sense of the entirety of that "all."

The third musical phrase:

In the sixth verse, the text here is "To God, whom all His hosts adore," and it exhibits the same sort of feature:  "hosts" is sung with a melisma (Eb D), giving a sense of that "all."

The fourth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "And take away the stain of sin."  "Away" is sung with a melisma (Bb F Eb), giving a sense of movement, although more metaphorical than literal.

In the fifth verse, the text is "From ev'ry harm Your people shield."  The phrase "ev'ry harm" is sung with a melisma and to all different pitches (G A Bb | F Eb), so as with "all glory" above, there's a sense of entirety or breadth.

LSB #764 "When Aimless Violence Takes Those We Love"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 4:12-14, 19; Psalm 9:9-10

2 Corinthians 1:3-5:  "3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."

1 Peter 2:21-24: "21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed."

1 Peter 4:12-14:  "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.  13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."

1 Peter 4:19:  "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."

Psalm 9:9-10:  "9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.  10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."

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The suffering mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 and 1 Peter 4:12-14, 19 appears throughout the hymn, but especially in the first verse, and the comfort in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 is referred to at the ends of the fourth and fifth verses ("Your loving presence [is] near, always the same" and "To rest our souls in Your supporting love, / And find our hope within Your mercy sure.").  The passage from 1 Peter 2 is the basis for the fourth verse ("Because Your Son knew agony and loss..."), and the last part of Psalm 9:10 appears throughout:  "We know, O God, You leave us not alone" at the end of the first verse, "Dear Lord, You do not stand from us apart" at the end of the second, "Yet You, O God, are with us in our pain" in the third, and "We know You will be with us, come what may" in the fourth.  1 Peter 4:19 and Psalm 9:9-10 (specifically "entrust[ing] their souls" and "put their trust in you") both appear in the fifth verse:  "help us, dear Lord, / To trust Your grace for courage to endure."

"Let Our Gladness Have No End"

Last month, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from the 11th, which had a lessons and carols sort of format.  One of the hymns was "Let Our Gladness Have No End," and I noticed a small feature in it.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Narodil se Kristus Pán."  Here's the second phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "For to earth did Christ descend, alleluia!"  The first half of the phrase descends, giving a sense of the text's meaning.

LSB #763 "When Peace, like a River"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 26:3, Luke 2:29, Romans 5:1, Colossians 3:15

Isaiah 26:3:  "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

Luke 2:29:  "'Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word'"

Romans 5:1:  "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Colossians 3:15:  "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful."

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The text is public domain:

1 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way;

When sorrows, like sea billows, roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

2 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

3 He lives - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;

My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

4 And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend;

Even so it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

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All of the cited passages mention peace, which appears in the first line and more generally in the refrain.  Romans 5:1 may also appear (but only generally) in the second and third verses.  The simile in the title line ("peace, like a river") seems to come from part of Isaiah 66:12:  "For thus says the LORD:  'Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream....'"

Parts of the fourth verse come from Revelation 6:14 ("The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.") and 1 Corinthians 15:52 ("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.").