"Herr Jesu Christ, dich" (TLH #299)

I did this tune a couple weeks ago (it's also #297), so I did this one at a faster tempo to make it a bit different.

"Just a Closer Walk with Thee"

When I was practicing "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" from James Bastien's Great Hymns Arranged for Organ a few months ago, I noticed a small feature to write about.

Only the first verse and refrain are given in the book, and the second line of the verse is "Jesus, keep me from all wrong," sung to this musical phrase:

(According to hymnary.com, the name of the tune is "Closer Walk."  In Bastien's arrangement, the note values are doubled compared with all of the versions on hymnary.com.)

"Wrong" is sung with a melisma (A G), musically giving something of a sense of the entirety of "all."

LSB #678 "We Sing for All the Unsung Saints"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Hebrews 11, Revelation 7:9-10, 17

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 days.  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."

Revelation 7:9-10:  "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!'"

Revelation 7:17:  "'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.'"

+++

Hebrews 11 is the basis for most of the hymn text, although where it lists specific people, the hymn focuses instead on "the unsung saints, / That countless, nameless throng."

The two passages from Revelation 7 appear in the lines "As living stones their stories join / To form a hallowed frame / Around the myst'ry in their midst: / The Lamb once sacrificed" in the second verse.  The image of "living stones" comes from 1 Peter 2:5:  "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

"Joy to the World"

I added a little ornamentation to one of the chords; otherwise, the same notes would be held for seven beats, which I thought was a bit boring.

Registration:

Upper:  40 8888 004

Lower:  00 6535 241

Pedal:  42

Played with the "mellow" drawbar organ sound on my Hammond SKX, with the Hammond XPK-130G pedals

"O dass ich tausend" (TLH #298)

"Greet the Rising Sun"

A couple years ago, I noticed a small feature in "Greet the Rising Sun," sung to the tune "Le P'ing."  The last two lines of the second verse are "May Your bounteous grace / By my life be told," sung to these musical phrases:

"Grace" is sung with a melisma (A G F), musically giving a sense of the abundance of "bounteous."

LSB #677 "For All the Saints"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Hebrews 12:1-3; Revelation 2:10; 14:13; 17:14

Hebrews 12:1-3:  "1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

"3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted."

Revelation 2:10:  "'Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.  Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.'"

Revelation 14:13:  "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this:  Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'  'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'"

Revelation 17:14:  "'They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.'"

+++

The text is public domain:

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;

Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;

Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,

Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old

And win with them the victor's crown of gold!

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

The golden evening brightens in the west;

Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;

Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day:

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of Glory passes on His way.

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,

Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

+++

The "great a cloud of witnesses" from Hebrews 12:1 and "'that they may rest from their labors'" from Revelation 14:13 seem to be combined in the hymn's first line:  "For all the saints who from their labors rest."  The rest is also referred to in the sixth verse ("Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest").  Hebrews 12:2 (the focus on Jesus) seems to be the basis for the second verse.  The anaphora (the repeated "Thou") illustrates this focus, as does the description "in the darkness drear, their one true light," which seems to refer to John 1:9 ("The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.") and John 8:12 (where Jesus says, "I am the light of the world").  Hebrews 12:3 (particularly "that you may not grow weary or fainthearted") seems to be referred to at the end of the fifth verse:  "And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong."

The crown in Revelation 2:10 is mentioned at the end of the third verse:  "And win with them the victor's crown of gold!"

The military imagery in Revelation 17:14 appears primarily in the second and third verses and to a lesser extent in the fifth and sixth verses.

The eighth and ninth verses also contain elements from Revelation.  The line "The saints triumphant rise in bright array" in the eighth verse refers to the white robes in Revelation 7, and the description "gates of pearl" in the ninth verse is drawn from Revelation 21:21.

Perhaps coincidentally, the line "Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold" at the beginning of the third verse has some language in common with Revelation 19:11:  "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!  The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war."

"Now Thank We All Our God"

Registration:

Upper:  42 8875 543

Lower:  00 5645 322

Pedal:  44

Played with the "mellow" drawbar organ sound on my Hammond SKX, with the Hammond XPK-130G pedals

"Herr Jesu Christ, dich" (TLH #297)

"I Am Content! My Jesus Ever Lives"

Last week, I watched the Concordia University Wisconsin chapel service from 24 April.  The hymn was "I Am Content! My Jesus Ever Lives," and I noticed a small feature in it.  Near the beginning of the fourth verse, there's the line "Arising glorious evermore to be" (the sense is completed with the following line:  "With You, my living head").  It's sung to this phrase from the tune "Es ist genug":

"Arising" is sung to a group of ascending notes (F G A), so there's a musical sense of the word's meaning.

LSB #676 "Behold a Host, Arrayed in White"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Revelation 7:9-17, Hebrews 9:14, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 6:11-13

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.'"

Hebrews 9:14:  "how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."

1 John 1:7:  "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

Revelation 6:11-13:  "11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

"12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale."

+++

The text is public domain:

Behold a host, arrayed in white,

Like thousand snowclad mountains bright!

With palms they stand;

Who is this band

Before the throne of light?

These are the saints of glorious fame,

Who from the great affliction came

And in the flood

Of Jesus' blood

Are cleansed from guilt and shame.

They now serve God both day and night;

They sing their songs in endless light.

Their anthems ring

As they all sing

With angels shining bright.

Despised and scorned, they sojourned here;

But now, how glorious they appear!

Those martyrs stand,

A priestly band,

God's throne forever near.

On earth they wept through bitter years;

Now God has wiped away their tears,

Transformed their strife

To heav'nly life,

And freed them from their fears.

They now enjoy the Sabbath rest,

The heav'nly banquet of the blest;

The Lamb, their Lord,

At festive board

Himself is host and guest.

O blessed saints in bright array

Now safely home in endless day,

Extol the Lord,

Who with His Word

Sustained you on the way.

The steep and narrow path you trod;

You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;

Rejoice and bring

Your fruits and sing

Before the throne of God.

The myriad angels raise their song;

O saints, sing with the happy throng!

Lift up one voice;

Let heav'n rejoice

In our Redeemer's song!

+++

Most of the hymn text is drawn from the passage from Revelation 7; some parts are even paraphrases.  Hebrews 9:14 and 1 John 1:7 overlap with Revelation 7:14 in the lines "And in the flood / Of Jesus' blood / Are cleansed from guilt and shame" in the first verse.

1 John 1:7 (specifically the light mentioned in it) seems to appear also in the line "They sing their songs in endless light" in the first verse, although the line could also refer to Revelation 21:23:  "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."

Some of Revelation 6:11-13 ("they were each given a white robe") overlaps with the passage from Revelation 7 in the title line, but part of verse 11 ("who were to be killed as they themselves had been") seems to be referred to in the lines "Those martyrs stand, / A priestly band, / God's throne forever near" in the second verse.

"Come, Thou Almighty King"

Registration:

Upper:  74 8745 325

Lower:  00 6543 322

Pedal:  55

Played with the "mellow" drawbar organ sound on my Hammond SKX, with the Hammond XPK-130G pedals