#hymnody

I would like to extend many thanks to Dr. Edna Dorintha Parks, who received her doctorate from Boston University in 1957 and probably didn’t expect that her doctoral dissertation would be a godsend to A Local Writer Who Should Go To Sleep trying to investigate what hymns she could reasonably reference in a very queer fanfic based on a television show about pirates. Ma’am, I tip my hat to you; you have my eternal respect.

Text and music provided by hymnal.net, library.timelesstruths.org, hymnary.org & Pilgrim’s Praises on YouTube

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners (text)

Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners (music & text)

Be Still My Soul (music & text)

The Love of God (music)

The Love of God (text)

Sweet Hour of Prayer (music & text)

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (text)

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (music & text)

I Know Whom I Have Believed (music & text)

Rock of Ages (music & text)

How Firm a Foundation (music)

How Firm a Foundation (music & text)

It Is Well with My Soul (text)

It Is Well with My Soul (music & text)

Great is Thy Faithfulness (text)

Great is Thy Faithfulness (music & text)

Jesus Paid It All (text)

Jesus Paid It All (music & text)

His Eye is on the Sparrow (music & text)

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty (music & text)

I Surrender All (music & text)

To God Be the Glory (text)

To God Be the Glory (music & text)

It is No Secret What God Can Do (music)

It is No Secret What God Can Do (music & text)

What a Friend We Have in Jesus (music & text)

Where We’ll Never Grow Old (music)

Let the Lower Lights be Burning (music)

When He Reached Down His Hand (music)

In the Garden (I Come to the Garden Alone) (music & text)

Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling (music)

Rejoice the Lord is King

What a Friend

Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

His Name is Wonderful

What Can Wash Away My Sin

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

I Need Thee Every Hour

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

Trust and Obey

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Blessed Assurance

The Old Rugged Cross

Philip Paul Bliss’ excellent hymn More Holiness Give Me contains 24 different prayers for ‘more,’ each of which could itself form the basis of a sermon. An ongoing series on this blog unpacks the personal meanings of this hymn text.

Instead of the prayer more used would I be, aren’t we often more naturally inclined to complain off the hook let me?  Perhaps we’re ‘too tired’ ‘too busy’ or ‘too overextended.’ The thought of adding any more service can seem daunting or impossible. This can lead us to feel inadequate at utilizing our capacity to serve, or guilty that we are burying our talents and time. It could seem that we’re inviting suffering to join with Philip Paul Bliss in pleading ‘more used would I be!’ Certainly we need to follow King Benjamin’s counsel to not run faster than we have strength (Mosiah 4:27). But it is one of the mysteries of following Christ that in serving more, we suffer less.

Recently I expressed in prayer my heartfelt desire to be more useful to God in his work. This Easter Sunday that prayer was gently and fully answered. Some things didn’t change—it was still a challenge to get five people out the door entirely ready for church on time. I still had multiple callings to fulfill as organist and youth Sunday School teacher. My youngest still went wild during sacrament meeting. But somehow as I went about my duties it was all easier to bear.

And when I’d done everything I’d thought I would have to at church, other opportunities started to come one after another, unbidden: Filling in to teach a class when there was no teacher. Being asked to help with the administration of a priesthood blessing (per James 5:13-16). Finding myself watching as a witness for a baptismal ordinance. All in all, one of busiest but most rewarding Sabbaths I’ve had in some time.

I believe that what I experienced today was the truth of Christ’s words:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

(Matthew 11:28-30)

Celestial Echoes: A Hymnody’s Timeless Resonance

A Sanctuary of Sound: Echoes of Faith and Hope Hymnody, more than just songs, is a profound expression of faith, offering solace and inspiration acros...

Celestial Echoes: A Hymnody’s Timeless Resonance

A Sanctuary of Sound: Echoes of Faith and Hope Hymnody, more than just songs, is a profound expression of faith, offering solace and inspiration acros...