"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."

+++

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."

+++

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.

+++

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.").