Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

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."