Hymns: Their Stories and Their Messages New Edition

By John Zehring

This new edition is a compendium of John Zehring’s seven books on hymns – their stories and their messages. Each chapter celebrates the lyrics to the hymn, summarizes background about the author or the story of the hymn’s writing, and guides the reader to reflect upon the message of the lyrics.

The four books compiled within this book are:
Be Still My Soul: Soothing Hymn Meditations
Music of the Spheres: Hymns on Loving and Tending the Earth
Hymns of Peace
Hymns of Christian Commitment
Hymns of Christmas: Their Stories and Their Messages
Hymns of Gratitude: Their Stories and Their Messages
Hymns of the Spirit: Their Stories and Their Messages

These hymn stories and messages are well-suited for discovering the background and messages of the hymns, guiding your personal devotions, employing the lyrics as a starting point for your prayers, or for clergy who might use them as a basis for sermon material.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Zehring
• Release date: Jun 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463030080

John Zehring

John Zehring has served United Church of Christ congregations as Senior Pastor in Massachusetts (Andover), Rhode Island (Kingston), and Maine (Augusta) and as an Interim Pastor in Massachusetts (Arlington, Harvard). Prior to parish ministry, he served in higher education, primarily in development and institutional advancement. He worked as a dean of students, director of career planning and placement, adjunct professor of public speaking and as a vice president at a seminary and at a college. He is the author of more than sixty books and is a regular writer for The Christian Citizen, an American Baptist social justice publication. He has taught Public Speaking, Creative Writing, Educational Psychology and Church Administration. John was the founding editor of the publication Seminary Development News, a publication for seminary presidents, vice presidents and trustees (published by the Association of Theological Schools, funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment). He graduated from Eastern University and holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Rider University, and the Earlham School of Religion. He is listed in Marquis' WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA and is a recipient of their Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. John and his wife Donna live in two places, in central Massachusetts and by the sea in Maine.

Book preview

Introduction

The Hymns

About the Author

Introduction

This book is a compendium of seven books I wrote on hymns – their stories and their messages – revised to include the newest books. I only intended to write one, but then came another and another. The seven books are:

Be Still My Soul: Soothing Hymn Meditations

Music of the Spheres: Hymns on Loving and Tending the Earth

Hymns of Peace

Hymns of Christian Commitment

Hymns of Christmas: Their Stories and Their Messages

Hymns of Gratitude: Their Stories and Their Messages

Hymns of the Spirit: Their Stories and Their Messages

My apologies to those who bought the individual books. At least they were either free or very inexpensive. But now, for the convenience of those who would like the collection in one place, I compile this volume. Some hymns are included in more than one of my books, so I have eliminated duplicates in this book.

These hymn stories and messages are well-suited for…

Learning about the interesting background and messages of the hymns

Devotional reading

Using the hymns as a starting point for your prayers

Clergy who might use them as a basis for sermon material

Notes about this book

Scriptures used in this work come from the New Revised Standard Version, unless otherwise noted.

I have attempted to use inclusive language wherever possible in the words I have written, although I have not altered the author’s reference to God as he. I recognize that the Divine has no gender and for many it may be just as appropriate and accurate to acknowledge God as Mother or Father. Whichever pronoun is used, consider God as a loving parent.

Hymns and their lyrics in this book come from the public domain. Hymns which are not in the public domain will be referenced only in passing to recognize them or to use a title or a few lines as a basis for a meditation.

Some of this work is adapted from other books I have written, which can be found at major book retailers.

As I worked on each hymn’s background, I found the hymn invading my subconscious and causing me to hum or sing it to myself all day long. Some of the hymn’s verses found their way into my prayers and I discovered that a prayer life is enriched by starting with words that lift prayer out of one’s own interests and needs to a higher level of praise, love, or thanksgiving in words crafted by the hymn writers. And so, may this work inform you, undergird your devotion to God, and bring joyful music more deeply into your soul.

John Zehring

The Hymns

Be Still My Soul: Soothing Hymn Meditations

Be Still, My Soul: The Lord Is on Thy Side

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Abide with Me

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Lord of All Hopefulness

Are Ye Able

Spirit of The Living God

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

I Need Thee Every Hour,

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Near to The Heart of God

O God, Our Help in Ages Past,

O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Amazing Grace

Jesus Loves Me

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Nearer, My God, to Thee

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us

Music of the Spheres: Hymns on Loving and Tending the Earth

This Is My Father's World

All Things Bright and Beautiful

How Great Thou Art

For the Fruit of All Creation

For the Beauty of the Earth

Fairest Lord Jesus

My Country ‘Tis of Thee

All Creatures of Our God and King

I Come to The Garden Alone

Eternal Father, Strong to Save,

We Are Standing on Holy Ground

God, Who Touchest Earth With Beauty

God of the Sparrow God of the Whale

Morning has Broken

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

In the Bulb There Is a Flower

I To the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Here I Am, Lord

Hymns of Peace

God of Grace and God of Glory

In Christ There Is No East or West

Peace Like a River

Let There Be Peace on Earth, And Let It Begin with Me

Peace in the Valley

Down by the Riverside

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Father Eternal, Ruler of Creation

We Shall Overcome

The Social Justice Christmas Carol

Send Down Thy Truth, O God

Dona Nobis Pacem

Hymns of Christian Commitment

Take My Life, And Let It Be

Breathe on Me, Breath of God,

O Jesus, I Have Promised

As Longs the Deer

Be Thou My Vision

I Would Be True

God Be in My Head

Living for Jesus

There Is A Balm in Gilead

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Love Came Down at Christmas

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

He Leadeth Me

Lord, I Want to Be a Christian

Praise to The Lord, The Almighty, The King of Creation!

Hymns of Christmas

Silent Night

Away in the Manger

Joy to the World

O Little Town of Bethlehem

We Three Kings of Orient Are

O Come All Ye Faithful

In the Bleak Midwinter

Angels We Have Heard on High

What Child Is This

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

I wonder as I wander

Hymns of Gratitude

Now Thank We All Our God

We Gather Together

Give Thanks to God Most High

My God, I Thank Thee, Who Hast Made

Let us, with a gladsome mind

For the Fruit of All Creation

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Count Your Blessings

All Praise and Thanks To God Most High

Hymns of the Spirit: Their Stories and Their Messages

Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove

Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart

Holy, Holy, Holy

Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me

Come, Thou Almighty King

Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers

We Are One in The Spirit

This Is The Day

Every Time I Feel The Spirit

O How Glorious, Full of Wonder

Father Almighty, Bless Us with Thy Blessing

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Be Still My Soul

Soothing Hymn Meditations

INTRODUCTION

"Be still, and know that I am God!

(Psalm 46:10a)

After a tiring day, I was listening to music when a song came on… it was Be Still, My Soul, a solo by a cello player. The quiet soothing music struck me just right and calmed my tired soul as only music can do. I know many hymns and could sing along in my mind. Even without knowing all the lyrics, the hymn relaxed and comforted me, like being led to lie down in green pastures and relax beside still waters. The hymn tells about Jesus "who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears." This book, named after the hymn Be Still, My Soul to the tune Finlandia by Finland’s Jean Sibelius, is designed to provide you with comforting lyrics and meditations from soothing hymns for when you need to be cradled in God’s arms.

God speaks through the Psalmist: Be still, and know that I am God! That sounds passive to the ears of people who are always wanting to do something. But the verb to do is not called for here. Listen to God whisper to you Be still. Just BE. Still. And know. You do not always have to do or to act. Let your soul relax in the company and presence of God and meditate upon how God is God, and God is in control. Let God be God.

The author of the tune, Abide with Me, Henry F. Lyte, wrote the hymn which reflects a balance of difficulties and faith in God. It first appeared in America when it was included in Henry Ward Beecher's hymnal titled Plymouth Collection in 1855, with the notation that this hymn was meant to be read and not sung. What an interesting notation! It reminds us that while it is often the tune that lifts our spirits up unto God, it is also the words to the lyrics which lead to a sense of comfort and peace. In some ways, Henry Lyte’s notation undergirds this book, for while you may find yourself humming the tune and may not be able to get it out of your mind, it is the lyrics that form the basis of our meditation.

As you read through Be Still My Soul: Soothing Hymn Meditations, may you find it a resource to rediscover a soothing calm, comfort, sense of healing, and inner peace that comes by the gift from God.

Be Still, My Soul: The Lord Is on Thy Side

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to thy God to order and provide;

in ev'ry change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

to guide the future as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,

and all is darkened in the veil of tears,

then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay

from His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

This hymn, which inspired the title to this book, affirms that you are not alone: God is on your side. This may be one of the most soothing hymns in the hymnal.

Be still my soul. Your soul is the most important part of who you are. The words remind of the beloved Psalm 23: He restoreth my soul are four of the most important words in the bible and in your life. Consider the role your sole plays in the total makeup of you. You have many dimensions: you have a physical nature, a social nature, an emotional nature, an intellectual nature and many others, but you also possess a spiritual nature. If your spirit is crushed and broken, it does not matter how great the other pieces and parts of you are functioning. On the other hand, if your spirit is strong and healthy, you can endure or adapt to anything – no matter what you might be missing in other parts of your life.

You have witnessed news stories about people who have suffered from every kind of handicap or loss and yet they still display a positive attitude about life. It is more than just enduring. When your soul is restored you can thrive. When your spirit is in balance, you embrace life abundantly, as Jesus called it. You experience life that is life indeed, as Paul called it. Is not that the kind of life you desire? When that kind of life is absent, the soul needs strengthening.

Is not your spiritual nature the most important part of all that defines you as a person? Paul wrote about how we have an INNER NATURE and an OUTER NATURE. No matter what happens to the outer nature, the inner nature is renewed every day. In his second letter to the Corinthians (chapter four), he called the inner nature our treasure in earthen vessels. Look at all the bad things that could happen to the outer nature even while the inner nature stays good: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…"

Paul then explains the chemistry of how this happens: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. That may be one of the most hopeful sentences in the bible: no matter what happens to you on the outside, your inner nature is being renewed by God every day. The Psalmist put it in four words: He restoreth my soul.

You have substantial strength within you, more than you realize until it is tested. When inner strength seems to wane, God gives you back what you had before. God REstores your soul to newness. What you once possessed is renewed and infused into your spiritual veins again. Energy is regained for the journey. Look at all the words about God that begin with "re":

Rebuild

Renew

Restore

Repair

Refresh

Reshape

Rekindle

Revive

Recreate

The bible overflows with testimony of how God restores and renews:

"When my spirit is faint, you know my way." (Psalm 142:3a)

Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God... (Ephesians 4:22-24)

"A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)

He will renew you in his love. (Zephaniah 3:17)

"Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, CEV)

Our God makes things new again. God restores people. The word restores can be translated as to bring home again, to refresh, to rescue, to relieve, or to carry again. Does that not remind you of Mary Stevenson’s beloved poem Footprints in the Sand? In her poem, she describes her dream of looking back over her life and walking along a beach with the Lord. In most of her life, she saw two sets of footprints, hers and the Lord’s. When her times were most difficult, she witnessed only one set of footprints and wondered why God would leave her when she needed God most. The Lord then explained that when she saw only one set of footprints that is when I carried you. When times are most difficult and you feel afflicted in every way, God carries you and restores your inner nature with renewed energy for the journey.

Allow the hymn to sink into your mind and your spirit as you open yourself to God restoring your soul…

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to thy God to order and provide;

in ev'ry change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Search me and try me, Master, today!

Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,

As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!

Power, all power, surely is Thine!

Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Hold o’er my being absolute sway!

Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see

Christ only, always, living in me.

Adelaide A. Pollard, who wrote the hymn Have Thine Own Way, Lord was inspired by the scripture from Jeremiah 18:3, 4: So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

Adelaide Pollard was born in 1862 in Bloomfield, Iowa. She was named Sarah by her parents, but she did not like the name and later changed it to Adelaide. Adelaide’s life was not a success story, at least in her own mind. She taught at several girls’ schools and for a while was a teacher at a missionary training school in Nyack, New York. What she really wanted to do most was to go to Africa as a missionary. Her dream went unfulfilled. She tried and failed to raise funds to go to Africa, made plans, and even got there for a very short time, but did not stay.

She was discouraged. She wrote about experiencing a distress of soul. Perhaps she felt like the Proverb (15:13) that says A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken. Adelaide’s spirit was broken. Perhaps some of our greatest spiritual insights come out of what we perceive as our failures. In a state of discouragement, Pollard attended a prayer meeting at her church where she heard a woman pray this simple prayer: It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord. Just have your way with our lives.

Adelaide Pollard was inspired by this woman's prayer. She went home, opened her bible, and landed on the story of the potter, from Jeremiah. Before going to bed that evening, Adelaide wrote the stanzas of this hymn just as it is sung today. It is the only hymn of hers that is in use.

Her hymn reminds us that we are but lumps of clay, molded by the Potter. We are inclined to want our own way... but the highest prayer we can offer is to say to God... Have Thine own way, Lord... mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. Pollard’s lyrics capture the phrase we say whenever we pray the Lord’s Prayer: Thy will be done. To pray those words is to trust that God knows what is best for you and to yield to God’s shaping and re-shaping of our lives.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

While I am waiting. Psalm 27 (14) talks about waiting, yielded and still: "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"

The word wait is a good substitution word. When you come to the word wait in the Bible, substitute the word trust, for that is a good synonym and helps to explain the word more accurately in our language. For example, Isaiah (40) wrote Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. Make the substitution to see that those who trust in God shall renew their strength. The Contemporary English Version translates the verse "Those who trust the Lord will find new strength."

The Psalmist uses the word frequently:

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage... (Psalms 27:14)

Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in thee. (Psalms 39:7)

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. (Psalms 130:5)

Hope is directly connected to waiting for the Lord, or trusting in God. Perhaps there are times when you are waiting… waiting to decide, waiting for something to happen, waiting to be led or guided to a next step. Waiting can feel like living between trapezes! You have let go of one trapeze bar but have not yet caught the other and are hanging in mid-air where there is both adventure and danger. Waiting feels like that.

Who likes to wait, especially when you are mid-air between trapezes? You want to DO something. Humans are naturally inclined to take action, to change, to do… even if it is the wrong thing. Indeed, the New Testament book is not named the Book of WAIT, but the Book of ACTS. Waiting sounds inactive like you do not know what to do, which way to turn or how to respond. Many of us are not good at waiting. We want to see the time-line, the strategic plan, the goal and the expected outcomes. We want to see more of the map. We want a GPS to display a picture of the road to follow and a voice to tell us where to turn. Waiting upon the Lord? When you are living between trapezes in the air with nothing to hang onto, waiting is not what you have in mind. Waiting feels passive, responsive and reactive. Acting feels proactive. And yet, our feelings are not always our best guide, for often our best course of action is to wait… "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"

When you are between trapezes, indecisive or uncertain about what to do next, God says to you: Trust me. Have faith. Trust. Wait expectantly. Trust ME. There is still a vision for the appointed time. It may seem like it is not coming according to your timetable, but wait for it. When facing an unknown future, remind yourself that waiting and trusting is frequently the best response. Patience is almost always rewarded. In so much of your life you have been taught to take initiative and to act. When between trapezes, learn that it is not completely up to you but to you and God. Live by faith.

Adelaide Pollard never did realize her dream to go to Africa, but her lyrics left their indelible mark on our souls. She may have accomplished more with her life out of her time of distress than she could ever have achieved had she stayed in Africa. She gave us words to sing and to pray:

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Mold me and make me after Thy will,

While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Abide with Me

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;

Change and decay in all around I see—

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour;

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;

Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

The author of the hymn Abide with Me was Henry F. Lyte, who was born in Scotland in 1793. He was educated at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and was a member of the Church of England all his life.

Throughout his lifetime, Lyte was frail in body but strong in faith and spirit. His health was continually threatened by asthma and tuberculosis. Despite his physical frailties he was a tireless worker with an established reputation as a poet, musician, and minister. It was Lyte who coined the phrase, It is better to wear out than to rust out. Lyte pastored a poor parish church among fishing people in Devonshire, England, where his health continued to grow worse.

The text for Abide with Me was written near the end of Lyte's life. As noted in the Introduction, it first appeared in America when it was included in Henry Ward Beecher's hymnal titled Plymouth Collection, in 1855, with the notation that this hymn was meant to be read and not sung. His lyrics affirm that God abides with you, even when other helpers flee and when you feel helpless.

Jesus spoke about abiding in him, and he abiding in you. The original word for abide in Greek is meno, which means to hang in there, to stay, to remain, to continue, to dwell, to endure, to be present, to stand with. God hangs in there and stands by you. Meno means:

Stand by me,

Stay with me.

Endure with me.

Be present with me.

Abide with me.

Jesus told his followers Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. (John 15:4). To be connected to the vine means that you hang in there with Jesus, and he hangs in there and stands by you. It reminds of Ben E. King’s song "Stand by Me":

When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No, I won't be afraid

Oh, I won't be afraid

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

If the sky that we look upon

Should tumble and fall

Or the mountain should crumble to the sea

I won't cry, I won't cry

No, I won't shed a tear

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

Darlin', darlin'

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

Oh, stand now, stand by me

Stand by me

Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me?

Oh, stand by me

Won't you stand now?

Oh, stand, stand by me

Knowing that Jesus stands by you and abides with you provides a balm of soothing comfort. As Henry Lyte reminded us in his words which were meant to be read and not sung, "Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide; When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me." We read his words and cherish them, but it is hard not to hum the tune as we value knowing that God abides with us, is present with us, and stands by us.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

A mighty Fortress is our God,

A Bulwark never failing;

Our Helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great,

And, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side,

The Man of God’s own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth His Name,

From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim,

We tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure,

For lo! his doom is sure,

One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Through Him who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill:

God’s truth abideth still,

His Kingdom is forever.

The author of the hymn is Martin Luther, born in Germany in 1483 – just a decade before that famous voyage of Christopher Columbus.

In 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Cathedral of Wittenberg, Germany. This act is sometimes called the 4th of July of Protestantism because this is what started the Reformation Movement. In these 95 theses, Luther condemned various practices and teachings of the Roman church, which led three years later to his excommunication from the Roman Catholic church.

And so, Lutheranism began, the Protestant Reformation... protesting what the people could not do under the Roman church. The Protestant church was born out of a protest movement.

One of the important parts of the Reformation Movement was congregational singing. Luther had strong convictions about the use and power of sacred music. He said, If anyone despises music, as all fanatics do, for him I have no liking; for music is a gift and grace of God, not an invention of people. Thus it drives out the devil and makes people cheerful. Then one forgets all wrath, impurity and other devises. In another place, Luther said I wish to compose sacred hymns so that the Word of God may dwell among the people also by means of songs.

The battle cry of the people in the Protestant Reformation was the hymn Luther wrote, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, inspired by Psalm 46 and Psalm 59.

In Psalm 46 (1-3), the Psalmist wrote: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult." Those are some of the most soothing words in the bible.

In Psalm 59 (17), the Psalmist wrote: O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love. God is your strength, your fortress, and your helper. God is on your side. Martin Luther’s hymn comforts us to know that even among a flood of ills or difficulties, God remains your aid and your fortress. When you feel troubled, this is your song and your prayer, for you, O God, are my fortress.

Lord of All Hopefulness

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,

Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy,

Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,

Your bliss in our hearts, Lord,

At the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,

Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,

Be there at our labours and give us, we pray,

Your strength in our hearts, Lord,

At the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,

Your hands swift to welcome, Your arms to embrace.

Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,

Your love in our hearts, Lord,

At the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,

Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,

Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,

Your peace in our hearts, Lord,

At the end of the day.

Lord of all Hopefulness is a hymn written by English writer Jan Struther. Jan Struther was the pen name of Joyce Anstruther, later Joyce Maxtone Graham and finally Joyce Placzek (1901 – 1953). In 1923 she married Anthony Maxtone Graham, a broker at Lloyd's of London, with whom she had three children. This marriage eventually failed, and she started an affair with Adolf Placzek, a Viennese art historian 12 years her junior. She married him as her second husband, five years before her death. Her final years were marked by severe depression, leading to a five-month stay in a psychiatric hospital.

Jan was a successful writer. She wrote for Punch magazine, which brought her to the attention of a national newspaper, whose editor invited her to write a column for the paper about ordinary women. As a result, she created a character titled Mrs. Miniver. Her columns were the basis of a book which then became a movie by the title Mrs. Miniver. The movie won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Knowing her reputation as an author, the Canon of Westminster Abby invited her to write a hymn for his upcoming hymnal. That motivated Struther to pen the hymn Lord of all Hopefulness. The hymn is commonly set to the melody of an Irish folksong named Slane, named after the Hill of Slane, the site St. Patrick lit an Easter fire in defiance of the pagan king, Lóegaire, near the village of the same name in County Meath, Ireland. Slane is also the melody of another well-known hymn, Be Thou My Vision. Lord of all Hopefulness is a popular hymn, frequently used at funerals and weddings, and was the opening hymn at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.

It is also a hymn for you when you are searching for soothing lyrics and still waters amidst stress, turbulence or challenges, assuring you that God is your source of hopefulness. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm.

The Book of Hebrews (6:19) calls hope a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. The anchor is the bible’s metaphor for hope. Hope renews your strength. The anchor of hope increases your holding power, even in rough seas. An anchor holds firm and, as Hebrews encourages, provides you with hope which is a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. When your soul trusts in your holding power, strength is renewed.

The purpose of an anchor is to dig in and hook the bottom. An anchor must hook into something. It is not just a heavy weight. If it could not dig in, the anchor would simply drag across the bottom. It digs in, hooks the bottom, and holds on. That is holding power. Your faith gives you holding power.

The rope or the line which ties the anchor to the boat is called the rode. Boaters have a special name for everything. The important fact about the rode is that it must be long enough. If it is too short, that is, if you drop the anchor straight down from the bow of the boat, it cannot grab and will not dig in or hold. You have to let out more rode so the anchor can get a good grip. It is a matter of angle. If the rope is long enough, the anchor will hold just about anything even in the most severe weather. Even a small anchor can hold vast and immeasurable amounts of weight if you let out enough rode.

If your faith does not seem to be helping you in the face of difficulty, what is needed is to let out a little more rode, because with enough rode you have the fortitude to endure anything... to hang in there.

Consider three lessons about the holding power of anchors and the holding power of your trust in God to renew your strength.

First, believe in your own holding power. Believe the rope will not break. A little anchor which is not much more than a little piece of metal attached to a thin rope does not seem like it could hold the weigh. But it can. Boaters trust the great value of their watercraft to that little anchor. Perhaps you have heard the description that a boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood into which you pour money. Boaters have invested dearly in their boats yet they believe the anchor will hold firm. Believe in the strength you have to hold on.

Second, let out a little more rode. Increase your patience. If your anchor is not holding well, it may be that you have not given it enough rode… enough line so that the anchor can get sufficient angle to dig in and hold on. It is like the saying "When you come to the end of your rope, make a knot and hang on." If it feels like your anchor is not holding, give it some more rope. In nautical language, let out a little more rode so it will grab and hold. That means... let out a little more patience. God's time is not your time. That is another way of viewing the phrase waiting for the Lord. Patience is almost always rewarded. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage... (Psalms 27:14). Renewal of strength, hope and waiting are interconnected. They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles... (Isaiah 40:31)

Third, let the anchor do the work. I sat on the bow of my little sailboat holding the anchor’s rope, the rode. The rope twisted around my hand, pulling with all its might, cutting of the circulation to my hand until I tied the rope to the cleat of the boat. Then, I could lean back, rest, and let the anchor do the work. I could let go and let the anchor hold the boat. Let go.

Letting go does not come easy. To Let go and let God takes a lifetime of practice to learn that you can trust. Tie on your anchor of hope and let go. Let the anchor do the work. Entrust your need into God’s hands. Paul says: Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit which has been given to you. Trust in the Holy Spirit to comfort you, advocate on your behalf, and blow through you like a fresh wind to give you power beyond your own to cope with difficulties and to thrive.

Jan Struther’s hymn reminds you that God is your Lord of all hopefulness. But there is more: her succeeding verses remind that God is also the source of eagerness, kindliness, and gentleness who will "Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, Your love in our hearts, Lord, At the eve of the day."

Are Ye Able

Are ye able, said the Master,

to be crucified with me?

Yea, the sturdy dreamers answered,

to the death we follow thee.

Refrain:

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.

Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.

Thy guiding radiance above us shall be

a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

Are ye able to remember,

when a thief lifts up his eyes,

that his pardoned soul is worthy

of a place in paradise?

Refrain:

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.

Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.

Thy guiding radiance above us shall be

a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

Are ye able when the shadows

close around you with the sod,

to believe that spirit triumphs,

to commend your soul to God?

Refrain:

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.

Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.

Thy guiding radiance above us shall be

a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

Are ye able? Still the Master

whispers down eternity,

and heroic spirits answer,

now as then in Galilee.

Refrain:

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine.

Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.

Thy guiding radiance above us shall be

a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

The Psalmist (101:1) wrote I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing. This is an interesting song to sing unto the Lord. It might cause us to wonder: Am I loyal to God?

Loyalty, like love or respect, is something that is given. It cannot be required or demanded. The one who requires loyalty will find only a superficial appearance of loyalty on the surface. While people may think they can require loyalty, God knows better.

Loyalty to God, like our love for God, is a choice. Mark (8:34) wrote how Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’. Notice Jesus’ use of the conditional word "if." A conditional word means that a choice is involved. A conditional phrase often has an if and a then: IF this, THEN that. IF you want to become his follower, THEN you will deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him. You cannot be required to follow him but if you want to, you will choose to sacrifice your self and voluntarily give your love and loyalty.

Notice how Jesus never made following him sound like an easy choice. Just the opposite: let them deny themselves and take up their cross. There will be sacrifices involved. Former U.S. president Woodrow T. Wilson said Loyalty means nothing unless it has at its heart the absolute principle of self-sacrifice. That is true for loyalty to God. Morihei Ueshiba, Japanese martial artist, taught Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery. Bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love. That too is true for those who desire to sing a song of loyalty unto the Lord. There will be the spirit of self-sacrifice and trust in the power of love.

Loyalty to God is a sentiment captured well by Earl Marlatt’s hymn Are Ye Able: Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine. Remold them, make us, like thee, divine. Thy guiding radiance above us shall be a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.

Why would anyone offer to follow the Master even unto death – an ultimate self-sacrifice – except for the reason of love? We pledge our loyalty to God because of our love for God.

Former columnist Ann Landers equates love with loyalty: "Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."

For many of us, our loyalty to God is rarely put to the test. When bad times come, we hope and pray that our song of loyalty unto the Lord will be "Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine."

Spirit of The Living God

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God,

Fall afresh on me.

Daniel Iverson’s hymn Spirit of the Living God is one simplest, sincerest, shortest and most beloved hymns. The melody encompasses only a handful of musical notes. The same nine words are repeated, interspersed with only one other line. And yet, the earnest plea of this song draws the singer into God’s presence in an attitude of prayer.

Iverson (1890-1977) was a Presbyterian minister from Brunswick, GA. who served churches in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. In 1927 he organized the Shenandoah Presbyterian Church in Miami, Fla., remaining with this congregation until his retirement in 1951.

His beloved hymn draws parallels with Adelaide Pollard’s Have Thine Own Way, Lord, with references to the potter working with a lump of clay… mold me… fill me… use me. Another parallel to Daniel Iverson’s hymn is Psalm 139, which prayerfully offers a yielding to God’s leading. The Psalmist wrote "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." These verses interweave with the hymn Spirit of the Living God:

Try me and know my thoughts. MELT ME.

See if there be any wicked way in me. MOLD ME.

In your book were written all the days that were formed for me. FILL ME.

Lead me in the way everlasting. USE ME.

As we turn to the lyrics of hymns when we long for soothing refreshment, we are well-served to remember that there are others out there too who crave to be cradled in God’s arms. When we sing and pray for God to use me, we become God’s vehicle for helping others to lie down in green pastures and leading them to the refreshing still waters of God’s renewal.

May this song be our prayer, inspired by the simple beauty of the hymn which invites the Spirit of our Living God to fall afresh upon us. It is a worthy mantra to sing to ourselves all the day long.

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah

Pilgrim through this barren land

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy powerful hand

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven

Feed me till I want no more;

Feed me till I want no more

Open now the crystal fountain

Where the living waters flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield

When I tread the verge of Jordan

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of death and hell's destruction

Land me safe on Canaan's side

Songs of praises, songs of praises

I will ever give to Thee;

I will ever give to Thee.

William Williams (1717-1791) is the author of Guide me, O thou Great Jehovah. Williams was born in Carmarthenshire, Wales, to John and Dorothy Williams. He grew up intending to become a medical doctor, but after hearing some preaching which turned his life around, he abandoned his desire to become a doctor and launched off in a new direction to become a Christian minister. He became a Methodist and became known as one of the most famous hymn writers of Welsh Methodism, authoring this hymn in 1745. Guide me, O thou Great Jehovah was incorporated in two of the most televised services: the funeral of Princess Diana of Wales (1997) and the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (2011).

Williams’ hymn crosses the centuries to speak to you today in the twenty-first century, assuring that God guides you. That is what we seek when uncertain about how to proceed in a decision – knowing that the Divine leads and guides us. Consider some of Williams’ lyrics as you seek God’s soothing hand upon your shoulder…

I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand

Lead me all my journey through.

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;

Bid my anxious fears subside;

His calming lyrics reassure that God reduces your anxiety, much like Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In one of the most beloved teachings of Jesus, he assured his followers "Do