Your Favorite Hymn and Praise Chorus--and Pet Musical Peeves

[TCassidy]

And will someone muzzle the woman with the voice of a frog who enthusiastically croaks out the songs in the seat behind me each Sunday!

Move to another seat. She is making a "joyful noise unto the Lord."

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Взойдем на Голгофу (Let's go to Golgotha) sung in EC-B churches during the serving of the Lord's Table
Marching to Zion
Am I a Soldier of the Cross (with or without the chorus)

 

[OnlyaSinner]

Good songs (other than I am not familiar with "His Robes for Mine").

We traditionally sing "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" with Simeon Marsh's Martyn (because that is what is in our books), but Aberystwyth is very nice tune.

Our hymnal has both. I would call Martyn a "nice" tune and Aberystwyth a "majestic" tune, but tastes differ.

 

[rlvaughn]

I would call them both nice, by that just meaning that I like them without any comparative judgment.

 

[JonC]

I can't pick a favorite (Revelation Song is one of my favorites that comes to mind).

My pet peeve is when church worship through song consists of watching a group perform. I'm still looking for a church and have been amazed at how often this occurs. The last church we visited even had smoke to go with the light show (which was pretty good...their CD is coming out on the 1st but if you buy on iTunes now you can get the physical CD for $10).

 

[TCassidy]

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Words by Henry Van Dyke
Music by Ludwig von Beethoven

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee
Op'ning to the Sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee
Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee
center of unbroken praise
Field and forest, vale and mountain
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea
chanting bird and flowing fountain
call us to rejoice in Thee

Thou art giving and forgiving
ever blessing, ever blest
well-spring of the joy of living
ocean-depth of happy rest
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother—
all who live in love are Thine
Teach us how to love each other
lift us to the Joy Divine

Mortals join the mighty chorus
which the morning stars began
Father-love is reigning o'er us
brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward
victors in the midst of strife
joyful music lifts us sunward
in the triumph song of life

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Why does this hymn make my favorite list? Because years ago, I read an only in Wales story. It seems a group of Swansea football (soccer) fans were at their local ordinary (the Castle and Crown) celebrating their team's (the Jacks) victory over Cardiff (the Bluebirds). After a couple of celebratory pints, they broke into song as only Welshmen can do. Remember Men of Harlech from Zulu. In this case, these lapsed Welsh Methodists broke into Marching to Zion. I imagine them singing it while stomping their feet in time ala Panzerlied in Battle of the Bulge. Suffice to say the host kicked them out.

Marching to Zion

 

[Squire Robertsson]

I would suggest singing Marching to Zion in this manner in Junior/Children's Church. Kids need to move and burn energy.

In this case, these lapsed Welsh Methodists broke into Marching to Zion. I imagine them singing it while stomping their feet in time ala Panzerlied in Battle of the Bulge.

 

[rlvaughn]

Am I a Soldier of the Cross (with or without the chorus)

Which chorus do you sing with this hymn?

 

[rlvaughn]

We most often sing the hymn "Am I a Soldier of the Cross" with one of the hymn tunes, Arlington or Ortonville. We have in our book and once in awhile sing it as "When the Battle's Over" with the chorus "And when the battle's over, we shall wear a crown." I like it either way.

Not as plain and simple as we sing it, but I didn't many on YouTube.​

 

[rlvaughn]

For Glen. (Or anybody really.)

In our Sacred Harp Conventions we also sing it to a tune called Christian Soldier.

 

[Jerome]

"Dwelling in Beulah Land"...I think I had sung this song in church only once in my life....the old hymns with the loveliest poetic lyrics are "In the Garden" and "Dwelling in Beulah Land"....both hymns have the same composer, C. Austin Miles.

I really like this song, but it hasn't been in most of the hymn books from which we have sung in my lifetime.

"Dwelling in Beulah Land" has been in the two most recent hymnals we've used: Hymns of Faith and Majesty Hymns.

I was surprised to hear the tune played at a medal ceremony at the last Olympics. Seems Fiji used it for their national anthem.

 

[OnlyaSinner]

Good songs (other than I am not familiar with "His Robes for Mine").

We traditionally sing "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" with Simeon Marsh's Martyn (because that is what is in our books), but Aberystwyth is very nice tune.

His robes for mine; O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered 'neath God's rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I'm justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

Chorus:
I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost;
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought with such love, my life is not my own.
My praise, my all, shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine; what cause have I to dread?
God's daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine.
Saved by my Lord's vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine; God's justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father's pleased.
Christ drank God's wrath on sin, then cried "Tis done!"
Sin's wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine; such anguish none can know.
Christ, God's beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone.
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!

I can neither sing nor type these words, especially the final verse, without tears in my eyes.

 

[Salty]

Isnt it amazing no one taking a knee!