Worst hymn ever?

If it didn't hold sentimental value and it wasn't way up there on the kitsch-o-meter, I'd say "God of Earth and Outer Space".

 

I'm still wondering why George Frederick Handel thought it was a good idea to name a chorus "All We Like Sheep"

 

Evidently, Handel was a very lonely man.

 

Hymns and choruses that are physically inaccurate annoy me (yes, I know they're in the Psalms and so I need to repent of that attitude I guess, but they still get my goat!). Eg:

"Open the eyes of my heart, Lord" and

"The trees of the field will clap their hands"

Plus there are two that sound rude which I must not reproduce here on this family-friendly board and which demonstrate that I have an impure mind ( but I'll PM anyone with details who asks!! )

Oh, and "Oh God, our help in ages past" must be the most depressing hymn ever written. We had to sing it last Sunday as it was Remembrance Sunday (Veterans' Day) and it's traditional to sing it then, and I felt positively suicidal by the end.

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

Alright, Liz, you've tempted me to step out and state the lyrics to one of my rude ones:

"Lord, you put this tongue into my mouth" (if you can "go all the way" and have God sitting on the 'Throne', I think I'm allowed that one!). Just for the record, despite my reference to my dirty mind above, I never considered this song (or indeed the other one, which SHALL remain nameless except by PM) to be rude until someone pointed it out to me - now I can't sing either with a straight face

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

My favorite to dislike...
"So Send I You"--sounds like the writer was a very bitter person
"In the Garden"--WHAT is this song talking about?!?
"Beneath the Banner of the Cross"--I marvel when we in dispensational churches sing this song and detect no problem in its theology

 

Come on, enlighten me. That one hasn't crossed the Atlantic (probably just as well!) </font>[/QUOTE]Back in the 60's, when the space program was going on in the States, a lot of people were trying to tie spiritual messages into.

Nothing wierd or anything, just about the vastness of God's creation.

Somebody got the idea to write a hymn combining worship of God with a prayer to God to protect our astronauts.

It was well meaning and kind of endearing in it's own goofy way but it was an awful song.

We actually tried to sing it seriously one night at an informal, after church thing. I don't even think we made it through the first verse before we were hysterical with laughter.

 

I would have to say In the Garden is right near the top of that list. I can't imagine a more inane and non-descript song ... very much like Romeo and Juliet I think ... Didn't they meet in the garden? That is the kind of uesless tripe that we should pointing out in all genres, not just CCM.

But Matt, I don't understand why you don't like O God Our Help in Ages Past. I think that is a great song that reminds us of the eternal nature and loving work of God in our lives. He does not change. The God that brought Israel out of Egypt (in ages past) is the God that cares for us now and will for our children and grandchildren, should he tarry (our hope for years to come).

 

Here is what the C. Aus­tin Miles, who wrote In the Garden had to say about the song:

I read…the sto­ry of the great­est morn in his­to­ry: “The first day of the week com­eth Ma­ry Mag­da­lene ear­ly, while it was yet ve­ry dark, unto the se­pul­cher.” In­stant­ly, com­plet­ely, there un­fold­ed in my mind the scenes of the gar­den of Jo­seph….Out of the mists of the gar­den comes a form, halt­ing, he­si­tat­ing, tear­ful, seek­ing, turn­ing from side to side in be­wil­der­ing amaze­ment. Fal­ter­ing­ly, bear­ing grief in ev­e­ry ac­cent, with tear-dimmed eyes, she whis­pers, “If thou hast borne him hence”… “He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their sing­ing.” Je­sus said to her, “Mary!” Just one word from his lips, and for­got­ten the heart­aches, the long drea­ry hours….all the past blot­ted out in the pre­sence of the Liv­ing Pre­sent and the Eter­nal Fu­ture.

I also found a sermon based on this great hymn:
http://www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=1023

 

I would have to vote for "The Battle Hymn Of The Republic" as the worst hymn ever.

 

Well sometimes it either the music that makes or breaks (for lack of a better word) a hymn. This is the case for this song.

God’s Love is as High as the Heavens

You can listen to the song over at Cyber-Hymnal

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/l/glhheavn.htm

I would not be able to sing this with a straight face. Also I would be worried of singing the wrong song that sounds simular to this. Click the link you'll see what I mean. I was acually trying to hear some of the songs that ya'll were speaking about when I came across the song I posted. But so far I have to agree with Liz the churchyard song is very depressing. But I kinda like the "Ain't Jesus Good" song! I heard that the word "ain't" is not a word, but if it ain't the how come they know what it means?LOL

 

Liz,

Here is the lyrics of "God of Earth and Outer Space"

God of earth and outer space, God of love and God of grace, Bless the astronauts who fly. As they soar beyond the sky. God who flung the stars in space, God who set the sun ablaze, Fling the spacecraft thro the air, Let man know your presence there.

God of atmosphere and air, God of life and planets bare, Use man's courage and his skill As he seeks your holy will. God of depth and God of height, God of darkness, God of light, As man walks in outerspace, Teach him how to walk in grace.

God of man's exploring mind, God of wisdom, God of time, Launch us from complacency To a world in need of thee. God of power, God of might, God of rockets firing bright. Hearts ignite and thrust within, Love for Christ to share with men.

God of earth and outerspace, God who guides the humjan race, Guide the lives of seeking youth In their search for heavnly truth. God who reigns below, above, God of universal love, Love that gave Nativity, Love that gave us Calvary.

It was almost as difficult to type as it was to sing.

Bro Tony

 

Such poetry is hard to beat

I can just see God flinging the stars and then flinging the space craft.

Bro Tony