At Rest

I feel like I'll be singing or thinking these words a bit this summer. That's how I felt a few times at Sacred Harp yesterday, actually.

The world can never give
The bliss for which we sigh;
’Tis not the whole of life to live,
Nor all of death to die.

Beyond this vale of tears
There is a life above,
Unmeasured by the flight of years,
An endless life of love.

Farewell, dear friends, farewell,
For just a little while;
We’ll meet and sing on heaven’s shore,
Where parting comes no more.

An Anthem for CPE

Come, my soul and let us try
For a little season
Ev’ry burden to lay by,
Come and let us reason.
What is this that casts thee down?
Who are those that grieve thee?
Speak and let the worst be known?
Speaking may relieve thee.

Easter Anthem

Sacred Harp tune 236

The Lord is ris’n indeed! Hallelujah!
Now is Christ risen from the dead,
And become the first-fruits of them that slept.
Hallelujah, and did He rise? did He rise?
Hear it ye nations! hear it, Oh ye dead!
He rose, He burst the bars of death
And triumphed o’er the grave.
Then I rose, then first humanity
Triumphant passed the crystal ports of light
And seized eternal youth.
Man, all immortal hail,
Hail heaven, all lavish of strange gifts to man,
Thine’s all the glory,
Man’s the boundless bliss.

'Tis Finished, The Redeemer said

Sacred Harp Tune 365

’Tis finished, The Redeemer said,
And meekly bowed His dying head.
While we the sentence scan,
Come sinners, and observe the word,
Behold the conquest of the Lord,
Complete for sinful man.

In the cross of Christ I glory

Sacred Harp Tune 532

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story,
Gathers ’round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive and fears annoy;
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way;
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are satisfied;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that from all time abide.

What Wondrous Love is This

Sacred Harp Tune 159

What wondrous love is this!
Oh, my soul, oh my soul!
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse
For my soul?

When I was sinking down,
Sinking down, Sinking down,
Beneath God’s righteous frown
Christ laid aside His crown
For my soul.

To God and to the Lamb,
I will sing; I will sing;
Who is the great I Am,
While millions join the theme,
I will sing.

And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing on; I’ll sing on;
I’ll sing and joyful be,
Throughout eternity
I’ll sing on.

Good Morning, Part 2

Immediately after Lloyd I got 335 Return Again, which is one of my favorites. I think it's also very Lenten, too.

Savior, visit Thy plantation,
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain!
All will come to desolation,
Unless Thou return again.

Chorus:

Lord, revive us!
All our help must come from Thee.

Keep no longer at a distance,
Shine upon us from on high!
Lest for want of Thy assistance,
Ev’ry plant should droop and die.

And of course neither of the songs from this morning has very good videos on YouTube, but here's what I can do.

Good Morning, Part 1

I had a very good morning after morning prayer. I started my Sacred Harp playlist before my shower this morning and it just played through. When I got back I was greeted with 503 Lloyd, which is nice, slow, and soothing.

My Savior and my King,
Thy beauties are divine;
Thy lips with blessing overflow,
And ev’ry grace is Thine.

The smilings of Thy face,
How amiable they are;
’Tis heav’n to rest in Thine embrace,
And nowhere else but there.

Nor earth, nor all the sky,
Can one delight afford;
No, not a drop of Thy real joy,
Without Thy presence, Lord.

Heads Up

Just so y'all know, there are going to be a lot of days coming up that may be just lyrics. If they aren't just lyrics there will be lyrics and analysis. I still have a few reflections from Harry Potter, too. Sacred Harp is getting to me with some of the songs. Check out this article from the Boston Globe about it.

"Lord Revive Us!"

Savior, visit Thy plantation,
Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain!
All will come to desolation,
Unless Thou return again.

Chorus:
Lord, revive us!
All our help must come from Thee.(repeat)
Keep no longer at a distance,
Shine upon us from on high!
Lest for want of Thy assistance,
Ev’ry plant should droop and die.
(Chorus)(repeat)
As I sat in the 3rd floor room of University Baptist Church in St. Paul on Sunday evening singing, I decided that I love this song. I'm inspired by its words, by the people who said, "We need rain," and by the rain that I hear on the skylight. Sunday night, and tonight, I think of growing up in Silver Run Baptist Church with farmers and prayers for rain. The yards around here are brown, unless people have been watering, which they have in large part, but that still doesn't help the way a good rain does. This song's words made me think about watching Awake, My Soul! and the people who wrote (and write) and sang (and sing) songs from The Sacred Harp. In my analysis of Genesis worship/LA night I talked about music that is indigenous to communities, and my affirmation of that. I love The Hymnal, 1982 but I have to say that I love "Return Again" because it's the same kind of thing. An honest plea by people who need God's provision to survive and subsist. I think that's what gets me about it: its honesty, and lack of pretense.
But that's looking at it on a surface level, which I think is a very real level to this song. But there's also looking at it from a metaphorical perspective, which is very real too, I think. We're the plants that are dependent on God's help. And if we tell ourselves we aren't dependent on God's help we're lying to ourselves, to God, and to those around us. The language might be "simple" but I think it's profound and beautiful. "Lest for want of Thy assistance, Ev'ry plant should droop and die." The imagery there is easy to understand: without God - via rainfall of water or outpouring of spirit - the harvest dies. Period. And it's an image most people can understand on at least the face value of the text.
I might add some more entries on songs as I encounter them, or songs that are in my heart for some reason or another. The rain has stopped here now, but the night air has been cooled. The traffic is almost null. People are signing off of AIM and Google. My eyelids are starting to droop...
Lord, it is night. The night is for stillness. Let us be still in the presence of God. It is night after a long day. What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be. The night is dark. Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you. The night is quiet. Let the quietness of your peace enfold us, all dear to us, and all who have no peace. The night heralds the dawn. Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities. In your name we pray. Amen. A New Zealand Prayer Book, p.184

Awake, My Soul

I have a new addiction. I'm really looking forward to March. Here's why:

There's singing in Troy. I can't wait. My mom grew up going to Sacred Harp singings Sunday afternoons, and I can't wait to go to my first one.