When I was in the army from 1983-1990, there was an official Armed Forces Hymnal in all our chapels. It was perhaps 6"x8" and reddish in color, if memory serves.
I didn't attend chapel services much while I was a lieutenant, but I did several times as a cadet, and my two favorite hymns were #2 and #114.
Hymn #2 was called Holy Holy Holy, and from the forced meter and rhyme it was clear that the lyrics were Victorian. Still, it was an upbeat hymn that brought me joy:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy; all the saints adore Thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy; though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see.
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity!
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Hymn #14, written by Martin Luther, was Ein Feste Burg, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. You could almost yell it at the top of your lungs, it was so powerful. I have a cd on which Placido Domingo and the Vienna Boys Choir sing 3 of the 4 verses, and yes, Placido belts it! Anyway, at West Point we sang this song only on one Sunday in November, no doubt to commemorate Luther's nailing his 95 theses to the church door.
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amidst 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,
a 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 has 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!
As far as Christmas songs go, my favorite is O Come All Ye Faithful.
What are your favorite hymns and Christmas carols?
A Mighty Fortress has always been one of my favorites. When I was ~16 and singing in the school choir, I made a point to examine hymnals from different denominations, and different generations of hymnals within denominations. Most of the hymnals have boring harmonies, but one in particular -- it may have been the Episcopal or the 1960s Methodist -- retained intricate harmonies for A Mighty Fortress as well as another favorite, Angels We Have Heard on High.
ReplyDeleteGlo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ria, in excelsis Deo :)
ReplyDeleteLove that one!
West Point has one of the largest church organs in the world, with over 23,000 pipes. I've heard it mimic thunder and lightning! Its bass can get so deep that you don't hear it as much as feel the rumble. I used to love listening to it, no matter what the song was.
Favorite hymns: A Mighty Fortress is Our God, and Amazing Grace.
ReplyDeleteFavorite Christmas Carol: I wonder as I wander
If you want some odd rhymes, try "The Seven Rejoices of Mary"
I love hymns! Since they have fallen out of favor at most churches who want to be seen as "contemporary" I often play through a few at the piano to get my fix. One of my favorites is How Firm a Foundation.
ReplyDeleteHow firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?
Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.
For Christmas you can't go wrong with Joy to the World!
O Come Divine Messiah is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI have also always loved "O come, O come Emmanuel" (especially in the Latin).
The Cherry Tree Carol. I especially like the version sung by Joan Baez.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if it's considered a hymn, but I like Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring.
It's officially Christmas,when I hear "O Holy Night". It's the whole gospel in a song.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I was going through a difficult situation, I walked in to pick up my little guy from his nanny and he looked up from his blocks and started singing (like only a toddler can) "Trust and Obey". Each time I hear I think back to the one best memories of a not so good time.
"10,000 Reasons" and "It is Well with my Soul" are fantastic.
I like "On Eagle's Wings" very much.
ReplyDeleteAs for as Christmas Carols, "Silent Night" will always be my favorite. For singing, "Carol of the Bells" is the most fun. It's a Polish hymn.
I was craving *singing* Christmas carols, so on Christmas Eve, I checked out the websites of the local Protestant churches and found one that had a "traditional Christmas Eve service" (code words for "the hymns that you remember from childhood"). The available service in my childhood denomination required registration and the timing was too short to allow for showering and changing clothes, but I found a Presbyterian service that was close enough. I just had to remember not to stumble over "debts" and "debtors."
ReplyDeleteSince it was Christmas Eve, I was a little disappointed that they hadn't chosen O Holy Night, but other than that, it was a satisfying selection and I got my carol-singing fix in:
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
- Angels We Have Heard on High
- Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- Silent Night
- Joy to the World
Those are the ones!
ReplyDelete