Now anyone that knows me will know, that I am extremely into new christian music. Contemporary is where its at for me! Loud rocking praise and worship!! Yay! I love to shout, sing and jump about in worship! In fact the more charistmatic the better! I drive along playing loud christian worship music in my car and get strange looks at traffic lights because I'm singing along usually with my hand raised out of the window! (Good job I dont get stopped for making ridiculous hand signals!) But you know, I dont care, because I'm just celebrating the excellence of God! However, the weirdest thing is, that the older I get, despite my pentecostal leanings in this area.... the more I seem to be touched by some of the older, in some cases positively ancient hymns! Where did that come from?? I guess somewhere along the line my roots are showing! (Not just those in my hair!) The cathedral days are coming out! This week I found my self walking on the beach with my IPod, listening to 'Abide with me' repeatedly! And sobbing my little heart out! O dear! But look at the words..... 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, O abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
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.
See what I mean? If you're having a bad day! And even if you're not, its a humbling thing to hear and to be reminded that God is always there. Thsi was written in 1847. Also I have to say, sad though you may think it is that my favourite hymn is also the nation's favourite. 'O Lord my God' I'll post the words for you so you can read and digest! We may think we have the music of worship cracked, but hey, those who went before us, surely knew how to call to God in need and to lift up God's name in worship praise and awe! I pray that these blessings are never forgotten!
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.
And when I think, that God, the Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"
This beautiful hymn is a Swedish folk tune with the original lyrics written by Carl Boberg, in 1886. Carl Boberg, a Swedish pastor, was caught in a sudden thunderstorm while visiting a beautiful country estate. As the storm passed, giving way to the sweet songs of birds and a green countryside glistening in the sunlight, Boberg composed the nine original stanzas of this hymn.
In time the hymn was translated into German and Russian and was noticed by a British missionary who was serving in Ukraine. That missionary, Reverend Stuart K. Hine, was visiting a home in the Carpathian Mountains near the Polish border when he found a Christian by the name of Dimitri and his wife. Almost by chance, a Bible had fallen into their hands, but no one in the village, save Dimitri's wife, had learned to read, and she only with the greatest of effort.
As she slowly spelled out the wonderful words of John 3:16* to the wondering villagers, tears began to flow, and one by one they dropped to their knees, crying aloud to God. Twelve of these villagers had been truly converted, and it was these believing disciples that Mr. Hine met when he called at the cottage in the mountains that day. He arrived just in time to hear them crying out in amazement again at the revelation of God's love at Calvary.
Under the inspiration of the blessed scene, he wrote:
"And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; that on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee, how great Thou art! How great Thou art!"
Later Hine translated three stanzas into English from the Russian version, and added his words as a fourth verse.
* John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (New King James Version)
