"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

I recently watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 6 May.  The hymn was "I Know That My Redeemer Lives," and in it, I noticed yet an-other instance where a phrase starting with "all" is sung to notes of all different pitches, resulting in a sense of extent or entirety.

The fifth verse starts with the line "He lives to silence all my fears," sung to this phrase from "Duke Street":

The phrase "all my fears" is sung to the notes D C# B A.

LSB #841 "O Son of God, in Galilee"

Biblical citation in the hymnal:  Mark 7:32-37

Mark 7:32-37:  "32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.  33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.  34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.'  35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.  36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one.  But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.  37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, 'He has done all things well.  He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'"

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While it's obvious that the hymn is based on this passage from Mark 7, there are only a couple elements from the passage that are actually in the hymn text.  Part of verse 37 is the basis for the first three lines of the hymn ("O Son of God, in Galilee / You made the deaf to hear, / The mute to speak, the blind to see") and for the first half of the third verse ("The speechless tongue, the lifeless ear / You can restore, O Lord"), and the word ephphatha from verse 34 appears in the second half of the third verse ("Your 'Ephphatha,' O Savior dear, / Can instant help afford").

The line "O bid them cast on You their care" in the second verse bears some resemblance to the first part of Psalm 55:22 ("Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you") and 1 Peter 5:7 ("casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you").

"Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest"

A couple years ago, I noticed two small features in "Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest" (paired with the tune "Komm, Gott Schöpfer").

The fourth verse starts with the line "Your light to ev'ry thought impart," sung to this musical phrase:

The words "ev'ry thought" are sung to notes of all different pitches (spanning a fifth:  Eb F Bb), giving a sense of this extent.

The third verse ends with the lines "While You with tongues of fire proclaim / To all the world His holy name."  The second of these is sung to this musical phrase:

Similar to the above, the phrase "all the world" is sung to notes of all different pitches (again spanning a fifth:  Bb G Eb), lending some sense of the entirety of "all."

LSB #840 "Christ High-Ascended, Now in Glory Seated"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 28-18-20, Acts 1:8, Philippians 2:9-11, John 16:19-24

Matthew 28:18-20:  "18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Acts 1:8:  "'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'"

Philippians 2:9-11:  "9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

John 16:19-24:  "19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, 'Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, "A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me"?  20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.  You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.  21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.  22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.  23 In that day you will ask nothing of me.  Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.  24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name.  Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.'"

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Matthew 28:18-20 is paraphrased in the second verse, in the line "To win disciples out of ev'ry nation" in the third verse, and in the fourth verse.

Acts 1:8 appears in the line "We are His witnesses" at the end of each verse and in the line "Filled with His Spirit, love and pow'r receiving" near the end of the fifth verse.

The passage from Philippians 2 is referred to at the beginning of the first verse:  "Christ high-ascended, now in glory seated, / Throned and exalted, victory completed."

The passage from John 16 is the basis for the line "As at His parting, joy shall banish grieving" at the beginning of the fifth verse.

"Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord"

Last year, I noticed two instances in "Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord" (sung to the tune "Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott") where phrases starting with "all" are sung to notes of all different pitches, lending a sense of extent or entirety, especially since both span the interval of a fifth.

In the first verse, the phrase "all Your graces" in the line "With all Your graces now outpoured" is sung to the notes D C G Bb in this musical phrase:

In the second verse, the phrase "all our might" in the line "In Him, our Lord, with all our might confide" is sung to the notes A G D in this musical phrase:

LSB #839 "O Christ, Our True and Only Light"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 60:1-3, Luke 1:78-79, John 8:12, Ephesians 5:8-14

Isaiah 60:1-3:  "1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.  2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."

Luke 1:78-79:  "78 'because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.'"

John 8:12:  "12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

Ephesians 5:8-14:  "8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.  12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.  13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'"

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The text is public domain:

1 O Christ, our true and only light,

Enlighten those who sit in night;

Let those afar now hear Your voice

And in Your fold with us rejoice.

2 Fill with the radiance of Your grace

The souls now lost in error's maze;

Enlighten those whose inmost minds

Some dark delusion haunts and blinds.

3 O gently call those gone astray

That they may find the saving way!

Let ev'ry conscience sore oppressed

In You find peace and heav'nly rest.

4 Shine on the darkened and the cold;

Recall the wand'rers to Your fold.

Unite all those who walk apart;

Confirm the weak and doubting heart,

5 That they with us may evermore

Such grace with wond'ring thanks adore

And endless praise to You be giv'n

By all Your Church in earth and heav'n.

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All of the cited passages mention light, which is the main image of the hymn, so it's difficult to say whether any given part of the hymn text comes from one passage rather than an-other.  John 8:12 is clearly the basis for the first line, however:  "O Christ, our true and only light."

LSB #838 "The Saints in Christ Are One in Every Place"

Biblical citation in the hymnal:  Philippians 1:1-21

Philippians 1:1-21:  "1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

"To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

"2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

"3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.  8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.  9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

"12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.  14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

"15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.  17 The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  18 What then?  Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

"Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 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."

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There's only one passage cited, so obviously, this is the main source for the hymn text.  More specifically, Philippians 1:6 is referenced in the line "The work that You began, You will complete" in the fourth verse, and Philippians 1:21 appears at the beginning of the third verse:  "To live is Christ, for us, to die is gain."

Incidentally, "rich and poor" in the line "Our joy to preach good news to rich and poor" in the third verse is a merism.

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today"

I recently watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 17 April.  The hymn was "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today," and I noticed some significance in the rhyme scheme.

The third verse begins with the lines "Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; / Christ hath burst the gates of hell."  "Seal" and "hell" exhibit a slant rhyme, unlike the perfect rhymes of all of the preceding couplets.  In a way, this lack of coherence illustrates the vanity, and the break from the established pattern matches the gates' being "burst."

LSB #837 "Lift High the Cross"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  John 12:32; Hebrews 13:12-15; Isaiah 11:10, 12; Matthew 16:24

John 12:32:  "'And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.'"

Hebrews 13:12-15:  "12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.  13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.  14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.  15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name."

Isaiah 11:10:  "In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples - of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious."

Isaiah 11:12:  "He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

Matthew 16:24:  "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

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John 12:32 is referred to in the fourth verse:  "O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, / As Thou hast promised, draw us all to Thee."

The passage from Hebrews 13 appears in the fifth and sixth verses:  "Let ev'ry race and ev'ry language tell / Of Him who saves our lives from death and hell. // So shall our song of triumph ever be: / Praise to the Crucified for victory!"

Both passages from Isaiah 11 are alluded to at the beginning of the second verse ("Led on their way by this triumphant sign") and in the first line of the refrain ("Lift high the cross..."), and Isaiah 11:12 (specifically "gather the dispersed of Judah...") overlaps with John 12:32 in the fourth verse.

Matthew 16:24 is the basis for the first line of the first verse:  "Come, Christians, follow where our Captain trod."

"O Sons and Daughters of the King"

I wrote about a couple small features in "O Sons and Daughters of the King" last year, but I recently found an-other small point when it was the hymn in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on 16 April (specifically LSB #471, where the text is paired with the tune "O filii et filiae").

Here's the first musical phrase:

The second verse starts with the line "That Easter morn, at break of day."  "Break" is sung with a melisma (C Bb), giving a slightly more literal representation of its metaphorical meaning here.

LSB #836 "O God of Light"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 119:105, 1 Peter 1:10-12, Isaiah 51:4

Psalm 119:105:  "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

1 Peter 1:10-12:  "10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.  12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."

Isaiah 51:4:  "'Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.'"

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Psalm 119:105 appears in the first verse, especially in the first and last lines:  "O God of light, Your Word, a lamp unfailing, / Shall... guide our footsteps to the perfect day."

The passage from 1 Peter 1 is the basis for the second half of the second verse and the third verse.

Isaiah 51:4 overlaps a bit with the light imagery in Psalm 119:105, but it also appears at the beginning of the third verse:  "Undimmed by time, those words are still revealing / To sinful hearts Your justice and Your grace."

LSB #835 "On Galilee's High Mountain"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 28:16-20, Isaiah 49:6, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, 2 Corinthians 4:10-11

Matthew 28:16-20:  "16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  17 And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted.  18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Isaiah 49:6:  "he says:  'It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'"

2 Corinthians 12:9-10:  "9 But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 4:10-11:  "10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.  11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

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The passage from Matthew 28 is paraphrased in the first verse, and the rest of the hymn expands upon it.

Isaiah 49:6 seems to be alluded to at the end of the second verse:  "This Lord, our living brother... Has chosen us to carry / His truth to ev'ry land."  This also echoes Matthew 28:19.

The passage from 2 Corinthians 12 appears at the beginning of the third verse:  "His strength within my weakness / Will make me bold...."

The passage from 2 Corinthians 4 seems to be referred to at the end of the fourth verse:  "Let them through me see Jesus, / Who served and saved us all."

LSB #834 "O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  John 1:1-7; Hebrews 2:14-15; Romans 5:17; 15:5-6

John 1:1-7:  "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

"6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him."

Hebrews 2:14-15:  "14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."

Romans 5:17:  "For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."

Romans 15:5-6:  "5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

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The passage from John 1 is alluded to at the end of the first verse:  "Thy Word meant life triumphant hurled / In splendor through Thy broken world. / Since light awoke and life began, / Thou hast desired Thy life for man."

The passage from Hebrews 2 appears at the end of the second verse ("Thy servant, Prince of Peace, / Breached all its walls for our release"), but most of the verse comes from Romans 5:17.

The passage from Romans 15 is the basis for the fourth verse:  "O Spirit... Breathe on Thy cloven Church once more, / That... There may be those whose life is praise, / Each life a high doxology / To Father, Son, and unto Thee."

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The title "Prince of Peace" in the second verse comes from Isaiah 9:6:  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

The phrase "How beautiful the feet," which occurs twice in the third verse, refers to Isaiah 52:7:  "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"  This verse is also cited in Romans 10:15.

LSB #833 "Listen, God Is Calling"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  2 Thessalonians 2:14, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, 1 Corinthians 15:58

2 Thessalonians 2:14:  "To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Matthew 28:18-20:  "18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Mark 16:15-16:  "15 And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'"

1 Corinthians 15:58:  "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

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2 Thessalonians 2:14 is referred to in the title line (in the refrain):  "Listen, listen, God is calling."

Matthew 28:18-20 (but mostly just verse 19) is paraphrased in the hymn's second verse:  "Let none be forgotten / Throughout the world. / In the triune name of God / Go and baptize."

Mark 16:15-16 is referred to in the first verse:  "Jesus gave His mandate: / Share the good news."

1 Corinthians 15:58 seems to appear in the first half of the third verse ("Help us to be faithful, / Standing steadfast"), but the hymn text also bears some similarity to Colossians 1:23:  "if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."

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The alliteration in "standing steadfast" provides a sense of constancy, which matches the meaning of the phrase.

"The Tree of Life"

"The Tree of Life" was the hymn in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on 23 February, and I noticed a couple small features in it.

It's sung to the tune "Tree of Life."  Here's the first musical phrase:

The text here is "The tree of life with ev'ry good" (the sense continues into the next line:  "In Eden's holy orchard stood").  The phrase "ev'ry good" is sung to notes of all different pitches (D C A), lending a sense of this breadth.

Near the end of the first verse, there's the line "Its lovely limbs with fruit adorned."  The phrase "lovely limbs" exhibits consonance, and the euphony of this effect matches the meaning of the description itself.

LSB #832 "Jesus Shall Reign"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 72:5-11, 17; Revelation 11:15; Psalm 8:2; Matthew 21:15-16; Matthew 11:28

Psalm 72:5-11:  "5 May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!  6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!  7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!

"8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!  9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!  10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!  11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!"

Psalm 72:17:  "May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun!  May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!"

Revelation 11:15:  "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.'"

Psalm 8:2:  "Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger."

Matthew 21:15-16:  "15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, 'Do you hear what these are saying?'  And Jesus said to them, 'Yes; have you never read, "Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise"?'"

Matthew 11:28:  "'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'"

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The text is public domain:

1 Jesus shall reign where'er the sun

Does its successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore

Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2 To Him shall endless prayer be made,

And endless praises crown His head;

His name like sweet perfume shall rise

With ev'ry morning sacrifice.

3 People and realms of ev'ry tongue

Dwell on His love with sweetest song;

And infant voices shall proclaim

Their early blessings on His name.

4 Blessings abound where'er He reigns:

The pris'ners leap, unloose their chains,

The weary find eternal rest,

And all who suffer want are blest.

5 Let ev'ry creature rise and bring

Honors peculiar to our King;

Angels descend with songs again,

And earth repeat the loud amen.

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The two passages from Psalm 72 and Revelation 11:15 are the basis for the first verse.

Psalm 8:2 and Matthew 21:15-16 appear at the end of the third verse:  "And infant voices shall proclaim / Their early blessings on His name."

Matthew 11:28 is alluded to in the fourth verse:  "The weary find eternal rest."

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The lines "Blessings abound where'er He reigns: / The pris'ners leap, unloose their chains" at the beginning of the fourth verse may refer to part of Isaiah 61:1:  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me... to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound...."  Jesus quotes this passage in Luke 4:18.

"The Royal Banners Forward Go"

Last year, I noticed a number of small features in "The Royal Banners Forward Go."

It's sung to the tune "Vexilla Regis nova."  Here's the first musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here is "Fulfilled is all that David told."  "All" is sung with a melisma (B A), lending a slight sense of this entirety.

In the fourth verse, the text - describing "the King of Glory" from the end of the previous verse - is "On whose hard arms, so widely flung" (the sense is continued into the next line:  "The weight of this world's ransom hung").  "Widely" is sung with a melisma (A G F#), giving a sense of degree (for the modifying "so").  That the notes are all different pitches also illustrates the word's meaning in a small way.

In the sixth verse, the text is "To Thee, eternal Three in One."  "Eternal" is sung with a melisma (C B A G), giving a sense of this duration.

The second musical phrase:

In the sixth verse, the text here is "Let homage meet by all be done."  As above, the "all" here is also sung with a melisma (F# E), lending a slight sense of entirety.

The fourth musical phrase:

In the last verse, the text here is "So guide and keep us evermore."  As with "eternal" above, "evermore" is sung with a melisma (F# E D E), giving a sense of this duration.  "Guide" and "keep" are also sung with melismas (B C and A B, respectively), in a way representing this continuation.

LSB #831 "'How Shall They Hear,' Who Have Not Heard"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Romans 10:14-15, Matthew 28:18-20, Isaiah 6:5-8, Acts 4:29-31

Romans 10:14-15:  "14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

Matthew 28:18-20:  "18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Isaiah 6:5-8:  "5 And I said:  'Woe is me!  For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!'

"6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.  7 And he touched my mouth and said:  'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilty is taken away, and your sin atoned for.'

"8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'  Then I said, 'Here am I!  Send me.'"

Acts 4:29-31:  "29 'And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'  31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

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The passage from Romans 10 appears in the first verse, particularly the first line ("'How shall they hear,' who have not heard"), and it's referred to again in the fifth verse ("So shall they hear and find and prove / Christ is their life, their joy, their crown").

Matthew 28:18-20, especially verse 19, is alluded to in the second verse ("'To all the world,' to ev'ry place... Preach the good news").

Isaiah 6:5-8 is the basis for the third and fourth verses and appears most clearly at the beginning of each ("'Whom shall I send?'" and "'Lord, here am I'").  The burning coal touching Isaiah's lips is also alluded to in the fourth verse:  "Your fire impart... Touch but my lips."

The passage from Acts 4 seems to be referred to in the fifth verse, especially the first two lines:  "Spirit of love, within us move: / Spirit of truth, in pow'r come down!"

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The line "Neighbors and friends and far-off lands" in the second verse exhibits polysyndeton (the repeated "and"), and this provides a sense of the entirety of "all the world" and "ev'ry place" from the preceding line.

"Ride On, Ride On in Majesty"

Last year, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 14 April.  The recording begins in progress, but the hymn - "Ride On, Ride On in Majesty" - is intact.  In it, I noticed yet an-other instance where a phrase is sung to notes of all different pitches, lending a sense of breadth or entirety.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Winchester New."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry," and the phrase "All the tribes" is sung to the notes Eb D C.

LSB #830 "Spread the Reign of God the Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 96:1-5; Matthew 22:9-10; Luke 10:2; 24:47-48; Romans 8:32; 10:15

Psalm 96:1-5:  "1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!  2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.  5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens."

Matthew 22:9-10:  "9 '"Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find."  10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.  So the wedding halls was filled with guests.'"

Luke 10:2:  "And he said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"

Luke 24:47-48:  "47 'and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  48 You are witnesses of these things.'"

Romans 8:32:  "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

Romans 10:15:  "And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

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The text is public domain:

1 Spread the reign of God the Lord,

Spoken, written, mighty Word;

Ev'rywhere His creatures call

To His heav'nly banquet hall.

2 Tell how God the Father's will

Made the world, upholds it still,

How His own dear Son He gave

Us from sin and death to save.

3 Tell of our Redeemer's grace,

Who, to save our human race

And to pay rebellion's price,

Gave Himself as sacrifice.

4 Tell of God the Spirit giv'n

Now to guide us on to heav'n,

Strong and holy, just and true,

Working both to will and do.

5 Enter, mighty Word, the field;

Ripe the promise of its yield.

But the reapers, oh, how few

For the work there is to do!

6 Lord of harvest, great and kind,

Rouse to action heart and mind;

Let the gath'ring nations all

See Your light and heed Your call.

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The passage from Psalm 96 appears at the beginning of the first verse ("Spread the reign of God the Lord") and at the beginning of the second verse ("Tell how God the Father's will / Made the world, upholds it still").  The beginnings of the third and fourth verses ("Tell of our Redeemer's grace" and "Tell of God the Spirit giv'n") may be patterned on "tell of his salvation from day to day" in Psalm 96:2.

Matthew 22:9-10 appears at the end of the first verse:  "Ev'rywhere His creatures call / To His heav'nly banquet hall."

Luke 10:2 is referred to in the fifth verse, particularly the last two lines:  "But the reapers, oh, how few / For the work there is to do!"

Luke 24:47-48 overlaps a bit with Psalm 96 at the beginning of the first verse ("Spread the reign of God the Lord") and also appears at the end of the sixth verse:  "Let the gath'ring nations all / See Your light and heed Your call."

Romans 8:32 is the basis for the second half of the second verse ("How His own dear Son He gave / Us from sin and death to save") and all of the third verse.

Romans 10:15 also overlaps with Psalm 96 and Luke 24:47-48 at the beginning of the first verse ("Spread the reign of God the Lord, / Spoken, written, mighty Word").

"We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died"

"We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died" was the hymn in the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service on 11 April last year.  In it, I found yet an-other instance of a small feature I've been noting a lot lately.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Windham."  Here's the last musical phrase:

In the third verse, the text here, describing the cross, is "And sweetens ev'ry bitter cup."  The phrase "ev'ry bitter cup" is sung to notes of all different pitches (A G F E D), giving a sense of this extent, especially since the pitches span a rather large interval.

LSB #829 "Christ the Eternal Lord"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Matthew 28:18-20; John 1:1-18; 14:6; 1 Peter 1:8-9

Matthew 28:18-20:  "18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

John 1:1-18:  "1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was in the beginning with God.  3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

"6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.  8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

"9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

"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.  15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me."')  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.  18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known."

John 14:6:  "6 Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

1 Peter 1:8-9:  "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."

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Matthew 28:18-20 (specifically "'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations'" from verse 19) is alluded to in the third verse:  "Inspire our hearts, we pray, / To tell Your love abroad, / That all may honor Christ today / And follow Him as Lord."

The passage from John 1 is referred to at the beginning of the second verse ("Christ the unchanging Word"), at the beginning of the third verse ("Christ the redeeming Son, / Who shares our human birth"), and in the fourth verse ("Christ the unfading Light... That light of truth You give").

John 14:6 appears in the fourth verse (albeit in reverse order:  "The Life, the Truth, the Way," which the following lines expand upon), and the passage from 1 Peter 1 appears in the fifth verse ("Christ... Whom yet unseen we love").

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The lines "Enlighten all who read, / Within Your Word by faith to find / The bread of life indeed" at the end of the second verse refer to John 6, specifically verses 35 and 48, where Jesus calls Himself "the bread of life."

The title "Our Morning Star" in the fourth verse comes from Revelation 22:16.

The lines "Your voice from heaven's throne / Shall call Your children home at last / To know as we are known" at the end of the fifth verse seem to draw from the second part of 1 Corinthians 13:12:  "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."

"My Song Is Love Unknown"

Last year, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 10 April.  The hymn was "My Song Is Love Unknown," and I noticed a small feature in it.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Love Unknown."  Here are the last four musical phrases:

In the seventh verse, the text here is "This is my friend, / In whose sweet praise / I all my days / Could gladly spend!"  The phrase "all my days" is sung to notes of all different pitches (F# G A), lending a slight sense of this breadth or entirety.

LSB #828 "We Are Called to Stand Together"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Hebrews 11, Luke 24:48, Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Hebrews 11:  "1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.  3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

"4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.  And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.  5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him.  Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.  6 And without faith is it impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.  7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

"8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going.  9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.  10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.  11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.  12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of and by the seashore.

"13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  14 For people who speak this make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.  15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

"17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.'  19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.  20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.  21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.  22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

"23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.  24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.  27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.  28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

"29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.  30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven das.  31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those where were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

"32 And what more shall I say?  For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  35 Women received back their dead by resurrection.  Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword.  They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated - 38 of whom the world was not worthy - wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

"39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."

Luke 24:48:  "'You are witnesses of these things.'"

Matthew 28:19-20:  "19 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

2 Timothy 4:1-5:  "1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:  2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

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Hebrews 11 appears in the first verse:  "We are called to stand together / With the saints of ages past, / With the patriarchs and prophets / In the faith they once held fast."

Luke 24:48 is the basis for the second verse, but the hymn provides more detail:  "Those whom Jesus called apostles / Journeyed with Him side by side, / Heard His teaching, felt His power, / Saw the way He lived and died."

Matthew 28:19 is alluded to at the end of the second verse ("Then the news of resurrection / They delivered far and wide"), in the third verse ("Round the world the Gospel spread"), and the fourth ("Now in many tongues and cultures / Songs of celebration ring").

The "teaching" in Matthew 28:20 and the "preach[ing]" in the passage from 2 Timothy 4 are combined at the beginning of the fifth verse:  "To each coming generation / Tell the truth, persuade, explain."

"A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth"

I found some small features to note in "A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth" but waited to write about them until the appropriate season.

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

In the first verse, the text here is "None else the burden sharing."  "Burden" is sung with a descending melisma (C Bb A), musically representing a sort of bending beneath this weight.

In the fourth verse, the text is "My joy beyond all measure!"  Here, "all" is sung with a melisma (Bb A), lending a slight sense of entirety.  Additionally, the phrase "all measure" is sung to notes of all different pitches (Bb A G F), also giving a sense of breadth.

The line "O Love, how strong You are to save!" near the end of the third verse bears some resemblance to part of Psalm 31:2:  "Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!"

LSB #827 "Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 6:8; 55:10-11; Luke 10:2

Isaiah 6:8:  "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'  Then I said, 'Here am I!  Send me.'"

Isaiah 55:10-11:  "10 'For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.'"

Luke 10:2:  "And he said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"

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Only the first stanza is public domain:

Hark, the voice of Jesus calling,

"Who will go and work today?

Fields are white and harvests waiting -

Who will bear the sheaves away?"

Loud and long the Master calleth;

Rich reward He offers thee.

Who will answer, gladly saying,

"Here am I, send me, send me"?

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The first verse is almost the same as the first verse of "Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying" (LSB #826), so my comments on it are basically the same, too:

Isaiah 6:8 appears in the first verse ("Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, / 'Who will go and work today?'... 'Here am I, send me, send me'").

The harvest imagery in Luke 10:2 [LSB #826 also cites Matthew 9:37-38] is used in the lines "'Fields are white and harvests waiting - / Who will bear the sheaves away?'" in the first verse, although these lines also borrow from John 4:35:  "'Do you not say, "There are yet four months, then comes the harvest"?  Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.'"

Isaiah 55:10-11 is paraphrased in the third verse.

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The second verse paraphrases the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16).

In the fourth verse, the lines "When with His angelic reapers / He in glory shall descend" borrow imagery from the explanation of the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13, specifically part of verse 39:  '''The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.'"  The lines "Soon the night, the final harvest; / Soon the time for work shall cease" may borrow from John 9:4:  "'We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.'"

"From All That Dwell Below the Skies"

Months ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 21 November.  The processional hymn was "From All That Dwell Below the Skies," and I noticed two small features in it.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Lasst uns erfreuen."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Let the Creator's praise arise," and the ascending melody portrays this "aris[ing]," albeit a bit more literally.

Here's the fifth musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Through ev'ry land by ev'ry tongue" (it continues the sense from the previous line:  "Let the Redeemer's name be sung").  The phrase "ev'ry tongue" is sung to notes of all different pitches (F# G A), giving a sense of breadth or entirety.

LSB #826 "Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Isaiah 6:8, Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:37-38, Colossians 4:3-4

Isaiah 6:8:  "And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?'  Then I said, 'Here am I!  Send me.'"

Luke 10:2:  "And he said to them [the seventy-two He sent out], 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"

Matthew 9:37-38:  "37 Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'"

Colossians 4:3-4:  "3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison - 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak."

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The text is public domain:

1 Hark, the voice of Jesus crying,

"Who will go and work today?

Fields are white and harvests waiting -

Who will bear the sheaves away?"

Loud and long the Master calleth;

Rich reward He offers thee.

Who will answer, gladly saying,

"Here am I, send me, send me"?

2 If you cannot speak like angels,

If you cannot preach like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus,

You can say He died for all.

If you cannot rouse the wicked

With the judgement's dread alarms,

You can lead the little children

To the Savior's waiting arms.

3 If you cannot be a watchman,

Standing high on Zion's wall,

Pointing out the path to heaven,

Off'ring life and peace to all,

With your prayers and with your bounties

You can do what God commands;

You can be like faithful Aaron,

Holding up the prophet's hands.

4 Let none hear you idly saying,

"There is nothing I can do,"

While the multitudes are dying

And the Master calls for you.

Take the task He gives you gladly,

Let His work your pleasure be;

Answer quickly when He calleth,

"Here am I, send me, send me!"

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Isaiah 6:8 appears in the first verse ("Hark, the voice of Jesus crying, / 'Who will go and work today?'... 'Here am I, send me, send me'") and in the fourth ("'Here am I, send me, send me!'").

The harvest imagery in Luke 10:2 and Matthew 9:37-38 is used in the lines "'Fields are white and harvests waiting - / Who will bear the sheaves away?'" in the first verse, although these lines also borrow from John 4:35:  "'Do you not say, "There are yet four months, then comes the harvest"?  Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.'"

Colossians 4:3-4 seems to be the basis for the second and third verses.

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The lines "You can lead the little children / To the Savior's waiting arms" at the end of the second verse allude to an event recounted in Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, and Luke 18:15-17.

The lines "You can be like faithful Aaron, / Holding up the prophet's hands" at the end of the third verse refer to Exodus 17:11-12:  "11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side.  So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."

The lines "Take the task he gives you gladly, / Let His work your pleasure be" in the fourth verse bear some resemblance to 1 Corinthians 7:17 ("Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.  This is my rule in all the churches.") and Ecclesiastes 3:22 ("So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot.  Who can bring him to see what will be after him?").

"Abide with Me"

A couple weeks ago, I read the clause "the darkness deepens," and it occurred to me that the repetition involved in the alliteration lends a slight sense of this greater degree.  I remembered that this clause also appears in "Abide with Me" (specifically the second line of the first verse:  "The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide"), so I thought I would note it here, too.

LSB #825 "Rise, Shine, You People"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Ephesians 5:14, Colossians 2:13-15, Isaiah 60:1, Matthew 28:18-20

Ephesians 5:14:  "for anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore it says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'"

Colossians 2:13-15:  "13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

Isaiah 60:1:  "1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you."

Matthew 28:18-20:  "18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

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Ephesians 5:14 and Isaiah 60:1 are combined at the beginning of the first line ("Rise, shine, you people!").

The passage from Colossians 2 is the basis for the second verse, and Matthew 28:18-20 (particularly, "'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations'") appears at the end of the third verse ("To all the world go out and tell the story / Of Jesus' glory") and throughout the fourth verse.

"Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure"

Last week, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 23 January.  The hymn was "Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure," and I noticed in particular the first line:  "Jesus has come and brings pleasure eternal."  It may allude to the last part of Psalm 16:11:  "at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

LSB #823, 824 "May God Bestow on Us His Grace"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 67:1-2; 96:10-13; Isaiah 55:10-11; 62:1-2

Psalm 67:1-2:  "1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations."

Psalm 96:10-13:  "10 Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns!  Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.'

"11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it!  Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness."

Isaiah 55:10-11:  "10 'For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.'"

Isaiah 62:1-2:  "1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.  2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give."

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The text is public domain:

1 May God bestow on us His grace,

With blessings rich provide us;

And may the brightness of His face

To life eternal guide us,

That we His saving health may know,

His gracious will and pleasure,

And also to the nations show

Christ's riches without measure

And unto God convert them.

2 Thine over all shall be the praise

And thanks of ev'ry nation;

And all the world with joy shall raise

The voice of exultation.

For Thou shalt judge the earth, O Lord,

Nor suffer sin to flourish;

Thy people's pasture is Thy Word

Their souls to feed and nourish,

In righteous paths to keep them.

3 O let the people praise Thy worth,

In all good works increasing;

The land shall plenteous fruit bring forth,

Thy Word is rich in blessing.

May God the Father, God the Son,

And God the Spirit bless us!

Let all the world praise Him alone,

Let solemn awe possess us.

Now let our hearts say, "Amen!"

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Psalm 67:1-2 is paraphrased in the first verse, and the passage from Isaiah 62 is also incorporated near the end ("And also to the nations show / Christ's riches without measure").

The passage from Psalm 96 is paraphrased in the second verse, and Isaiah 55:10-11 appears near the beginning of the third verse, particularly in the lines "The land shall plenteous fruit bring forth, / Thy Word is rich in blessing."

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The end of the second verse ("Thy people's pasture is Thy Word / Their souls to feed and nourish, / In righteous paths to keep them") alludes to Psalm 23:2-3:  "2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  3 He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

"In Adam We Have All Been One"

A few months ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 27 October, where the hymn was "In Adam We Have All Been One."  The last verse ends with the lines "Where with the Father evermore / And Spirit Thou art one," sung to these musical phrases from the tune "The Saints' Delight":

"Evermore" is sung with a melisma (G G F# E), and this drawing out of the word lends a slight sense of duration.

LSB #822 "Alleluia! Let Praises Ring"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Revelation 19:1, Psalm 145:15-16, Revelation 7:9-17, Titus 3:4-7

Revelation 19:1:  "1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, 'Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God'"

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."

Revelation 7:9-17:  "9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'  11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, 'Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.'

"13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?'  14 I said to him, 'Sir, you know.'  And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"15 'Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.  16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.  17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'"

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 Alleluia!  Let praises ring!

To God the Father let us bring

Our songs of adoration.

To Him through everlasting days

Be worship, honor, pow'r, and praise,

Whose hand sustains creation.

Singing, ringing:

Holy, holy,

God is holy;

Spread the story

Of our God, the Lord of glory.

2 Alleluia!  Let praises ring!

Unto the Lamb of God we sing,

In whom we are elected.

He bought His Church with His own blood,

He cleansed her in that blessed flood,

And as His bride selected.

Holy, holy

Is our union

And communion.

His befriending

Gives us joy and peace unending.

3 Alleluia!  Let praises ring!

Unto the Holy Ghost we sing

For our regeneration.

The saving faith in us He wrought

And us unto the Bridegroom brought,

Made us His chosen nation.

Glory!  Glory!

Joy eternal,

Bliss supernal;

There is manna

And an endless, glad hosanna.

4 Alleluia!  Let praises ring!

Unto our triune God we sing;

Blest be His name forever!

With angel hosts let us adore

And sing His praises evermore

For all His grace and favor!

Singing, ringing:

Holy, holy

God is holy;

Spread the story

Of our God, the Lord of glory!

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Revelation 19:1 seems to appear in the recurring line "Alleluia!  Let praises ring!" at the beginning of each verse.

The passage from Psalm 145:15-16 seems to be the basis for the line "Whose hand sustains creation" in the first verse and possibly also the line "There is manna" in the third verse.

The passage from Revelation 7 appears throughout the hymn but especially in the first verse, the lines "He bought His Church with His own blood, / He cleansed her in that blessed flood" in the second verse, and "With angel hosts let us adore / And sing His praises evermore" in the fourth verse.

The passage from Titus 3 is combined with Revelation 7:14 in the lines "He bought His Church with His own blood, / He cleansed her in that blessed flood" in the second verse and is also alluded to in the lines "Unto the Holy Ghost we sing / For our regeneration" in the third verse.

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The lines "Holy, holy, / God is holy" in the first and fourth verses may refer to the "Holy, holy, holy" in Isaiah 6:3 or Revelation 4:8.

The title "the Lamb of God" in the second verse comes from John 1:29, 36.

The line "Made us His chosen nation" in the third verse may refer to 1 Peter 2:9:  "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

"Our Father, Who from Heaven Above"

A few months ago, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 21 October.  The hymn was "Our Father, Who from Heaven Above," and I noticed three instances where phrases are sung to notes of all different pitches, lending a sense of breadth or entirety.

The hymn is sung to the tune "Vater unser."  Here's the second musical phrase:

In the first verse, the text here is "Bids all of us to live in love" (the subject is "Our Father" from the previous line).  The phrase "all of us" is sung to the notes G F Bb.

In the seventh verse, the text, describing temptation, is "Where our grim foe and all his horde" (the sense carries over into the next line:  "Would vex our souls on ev'ry hand").  Here, the phrase "all his horde" is sung to the notes Eb F G.

Here's the fifth musical phrase:

In the fourth verse, the text here is "Curb flesh and blood and ev'ry ill," and the phrase "ev'ry ill" is sung to the notes G F Eb.