Gloria Laus: Christ the King

On Sunday, my daughter sang part of this as the call to worship at our LCMS Lutheran Church.  For more on the history of the chant and the lyrics in English, visit this post on Scarlet Letters.

Go, My Children, With My Blessing

This was the closing hymn at church two weeks ago.  As I was singing it, I thought it might be an interesting song to sing at the end of a funeral, as a reminder of the departed's relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but also as a comforting statement of God's relationship toward living believers.  As I was typing the lyrics this morning, it occurred to me that this is what believers should remember and live as their daily "sending song," whether at the end of a worship service or at the conclusion of a personal daily devotion.

Written by a Lutheran pastor of Slovak descent, Jaroslav Vajda, the hymn is one of more than 200 he either composed or translated during his later life.  To learn more about the reverend's perspective on the piece, click here.



Go, My children, with My blessing,
Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you;
You are My own.
In My love's baptismal river,
I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing ---
You are My own.

Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you,
What I can cure.
Here you heard My dear Son's story;
Here you touched Him, saw His glory.
Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.

Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Closer to Me;
Grow in love and love by serving,
Joyful and free.
Here My Spirit's power filled you;
Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Joyful and free.

I the Lord will bless and keep you
And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you
And give you peace:
I the Lord will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, My children, I will keep you
And give you peace.

This hymn also has a verse that can be used at weddings:

In this union, I have joined you
Husband and wife,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life:
Each the other's gladness sharing,
Each the other's burdens bearing,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life.

Earth and All Stars

...and a bit of a rant.

Last week in church, the closing hymn was "Earth and All Stars," one of my favorites and one that my daughter recently informed me was written in 1964 for the ninetieth anniversary of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.  The hymn was initially published in 1968 as part of a folksong collection and finally made it into a Lutheran hymnal in 1969.  That means it was a new hymn when I was in elementary school!  I can remember singing it a lot as a child, not surprising seeing as a Lutheran pastor, Herbert Brokering, wrote it.  Apparently, until recently, the hymn was virtually unknown outside the Lutheran Church.

According to Hymnary.org, the text of the hymn was taken from, or inspired by, Psalms 96, 98, and 150.  Psalm 96:1 is recalled in each stanza, while Psalm 98:1 is restated in the refrain.  Psalm 150 alludes to the musical instruments that are listed in the third verse.  Pastor Brokering himself described the writing of the words, thus:

I tried to gather into a hymn of praise the many facets of life which emerge in the life of community.  So there are the references to building, nature, learning, family, war, festivity.  Seasons, emotions, death and resurrection, bread, wine, water, wind, sun, spirit...have made great impressions on my imagination.

The verses in my LCMS Hymnal read as follows:

Earth and all stars!
Loud rushing planets!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Oh, victory!
Loud shouting army!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain
He has done marvelous things.  I too will praise Him with a new song!

Hail, wind, and rain!
Loud blowing snowstorm!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees!
Loud rustling dry leaves!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Trumpet and pipes!
Loud clashing cymbals!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre!
Loud humming cellos!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Engines and steel!
Loud pounding hammers!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams!
Loud building workers!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Classrooms and labs!
Loud boiling test tubes!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band!
Loud cheering people!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Knowledge and truth!
Loud sounding wisdom!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son!
Loud praying members!
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Children of God,
Dying and rising,
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Heaven and earth,
Hosts everlasting,
Sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Even cooler:  there is an Easter version, "Alleluia!  Jesus is Risen."  Here are those lyrics from the ELCA Hymnal:

Alleluia!  Jesus is risen!
Trumpets resounding in glorious light!
Splendor, the Lamb, heaven forever!
Oh, what a miracle God has in sight!
Jesus is risen and we shall arise.
Give God the glory!  Alleluia!

Walking the way, Christ in the center
telling the story to open our eyes;
Breaking our bread, giving us glory;
Jesus our blessing, our constant surprise.
Jesus is risen and we shall arise.
Give God the glory!  Alleluia!

Weeping, be gone;  sorrow, be silent;
death put asunder, and Easter is bright.
Cherubim sing:  O grave, be open!  Clothe us with wonder, adorn us in light.
Jesus is risen and we shall arise.
Give God the glory!
Alleluia!

Ok, now for the rant:

I tried to find a good video of this hymn being sung by a choir or a praise band, but all I could find were travesties perpetrated on believers who, I can only surmise, are ignorant of the beauty and teaching inherent in a hymn they may never have heard before.  Here are two examples:

First was this nonsense that, to be fair, succeeded on the pace and the rousing energy but, in doing so, obliterated any Gospel message by eliminating the phrase, "Oh, victory!  Loud shouting army!"  This gentleman also left out the ENTIRE seventh verse, the one that very pointedly states that, as believers, we are children of God who will live forever in heaven.

Second was this version from Cross Point Community Church in Katy, Texas, which is an LCMS Lutheran Church (believe it or not).  These guys, praise Jesus, left in all the salvific phrasing but eliminated everything that we are praising God for --- His creation, His power over that creation, His very role in our lives through the use of our God-given gifts applied to our work.  The fact that these musicians are Lutheran is even more irritating since the part they omitted from the hymn imparts an important teaching of Scripture, as understood by Luther, and a concept more believers would do well to practice:  vocation (calling).  The band also reduced the "praising" done in this hymn to a ho-hum, sway-gently-to-the-music yawner when almost every line ends with an exclamation point.

Why, why, why, can my fellow believers in the body of Christ not let the worship work of other believers, in this case Pastor Herbert Brokering, speak as it was intended to speak?!!!  Please, for the love of Jesus and the church as the body of believers, sing this hymn in its entirety as it was meant to be sung.  Allow it to praise the Triune God of Christianity, recall the victory that was secured for us in Christ, comfort us in and through that recollection, and remind us that God walks with us and comforts us and fulfills His promises to us every day even as we work at the work He has given us, work that is the embodiment and use of our God-given gifts and talents.

Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.  Go in peace, serve the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Ain't Got Time to Die

Back in March, while waiting for my daughter to finish a choral workshop at the Mystic Area Ecumenical Choir Festival, I was privileged to meet Miss Charity Dell, an African-American choir director.  Almost immediately, we discovered a possible area of musical collaboration:  an exploration of Negro spirituals as part of a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.  I had decided to create this remembrance project for a local homeschool support group an in my early research for interesting choral arrangements of some more familiar spirituals, I found this from the Concordia College Choir (one of my favorite groups):

This Little Light of Mine

The other day, I discovered this version of "This Little Light of Mine" while I was searching for some Gospel music.  I must admit, I didn't think The Boss sang this kind of stuff.  I kind of like it.  Enjoy!

Come Thou Font of Every Blessing

This morning, my daughter and I attended an Episcopal church so that she could help with the handbell choir.  They were a person short in the base register, so she played the big chimes for the offertory, "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee."  This was the opening hymn, one of my favorites.  The video below is of the choir from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.  Pity they were not at church today.  The congregation sang our hymn.

Journey to Bethlehem

My daughter, Katherine the Great, gave me the best gift this Christmas:  a recording of the 2009 Concordia College Choir Christmas Concert, titled "Journey to Bethlehem."  It opens with a lone chime calling the audience to gather in preparation for travel, if you will, to the lowly manger where the Savior will soon be born.  This summoning is followed by the deep, and somewhat urgent, beckoning of cellos and basses at the start of the first orchestral piece, an original composition by choirmaster Rene Clausen title "Fantasia O Come, O Come Emmanuel."  I love that the program begins with this carol as it is really a prayer, a calling out to God to please send the long-awaited Savior.  The middle of the concert describes Christ for us, reminding us that He is God and that He is coming in order to die for our sins.  We are also reminded of who was present to honor the babe born in Bethlehem:  angels, shepherds, Joseph, the three wise men.  The journey climaxes in praise to God, not only for His Son but for all creation and for every blessing we receive from the Lord Himself.  After a rousing rendition of this song:

the program concludes as it began, with a prayer, asking God to stay with us, which He does in the person of Jesus Christ.  Finally, just as it called us, a lone chime send us on our way.  Lovely.  Thank you so much for the wonderful gift, Miss Katy.  I love it!

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

In the spring of this year, the son of one of our longtime friends got engaged.  More recently, his bride-to-be was discussing wedding music on her Facebook page.  That got me reminiscing about my wedding music.  This was my processional.  I had a choir of friends sing the hymn while I walked up the aisle.

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.

Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.

Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure.
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.

After some quick research, I discovered that the commonly used words to this hymn were actually based on a poem written by Robert Bridges and inspired by a hymn by Johann Schop written in 1642 whose lyrics were, in turn, composed in 1661 by Martin Jahn.  The original German words, translated into English, actually read like this:

Well for me that I have Jesus,
O how strong I hold to him
That he might refresh my heart,
When sick and sad am I.
Jesus have I, who loves me
And gives to me his own,
Ah, therefore I will not leave Jesus,
When I feel my heart is breaking.

Jesus remains my joy,
My heart's comfort and essence,
Jesus resists all suffering,
He is my life's strength
My eye's desire and sun,
My soul's love and joy;
So will I not leave Jesus
Out of heart and face.

The opening stanzas of Mr. Jahn's hymn read as follows:

Jesus, my refuge and deliverer,
Jesus, the ground of my confidence,
Jesus, mighty trampler of the serpent,
Jesus, light of my life!
How my heart longs for you,
Dear Jesus, painfully!
Come, ah come, I wait for you,
Come, O dearest Jesus!

Jesus, delight of my soul,
Jesus, my best pleasure,
Jesus, my sun of joy,
Jesus, it is well known to you
How I love you from my heart
And am distressed without you.
Therefore O Jesus come to me
And stay with me forever and ever.

Whichever words are used, it is clear to me that the focus of the song is Christ and who better to focus on, especially at Christmas.

Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree

This was an exciting discovery for me today, especially since this time of year I put red apples on my Christmas tree alongside holly --- a symbol of the crown of thorns worn by Christ at His Crucifixion --- and ivy --- a symbol of the Trinity.  The piece is performed by the Wartburg College Choir.  Wartburg College is a Lutheran institution located in Waverly, Iowa.

Lyrics
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit and always green.
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ, the apple tree.

His beauty doth all things excel,
By faith I know but ne'er can tell.
The glory, which I now can see
In Jesus Christ, the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought.
I missed of all but now I see,
'Tis found in Christ, the apple tree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive.
It keeps my dying faith alive,
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ, the apple tree.

I'm weary with my former toil.
Here I will sit and rest a while,
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ, the apple tree.

Music That Soothes My Soul

Reposted from Gooseberry Lane.  Original posting date:  1/15/2010.

In weeks when the world seems to be out of control and marred by horrendous tragedy, I try to claim some peace by listening to this lovely composition by Gabriel Fauré: the Cantique de Jean Racine. Originally in French, the lyrics, translated into English, are as follows:

Word, equal to the Most High, our only hope,
Eternal day of the earth and the Heavens;
From the peaceful night we break the silence,
Divine Savior, cast your eyes upon us!

Spread upon us the fire of your powerful grace
May all hell flee at the sound of your voice;
Disperse the sleep from a languishing soul,
Which has driven it to forget your laws!

Oh Christ, be favorable to this faithful people
Now gathered to bless you.
Receive the songs it offers to your immortal glory,
And may it return filled with your gifts!

Enjoy!