This Week's Hymns
Wednesday, March 20: Worship Christ, the Risen King
Thursday, March 21: Hallelujah! Jesus Lives!
Friday, March 22: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Saturday, March 23: The Day of Resurrection
Sunday, March 24: All Glory, Laud, & Honor
Monday, March 25: Ye That Pass By, Behold the Man
Tuesday, March 26: Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended?
Have you ever been to a sunrise service on Easter morning? I have. Worshiping together with believers while the rest of the world sleeps, remembering the dark hours that preceded Easter, watching the sun rise, and singing praises to the risen Lord was a moving, meaningful experience for me.
Although it was never commissioned in the Bible or required by early church leaders, it makes sense that Christians would return to the place and time that Mary first discovered Jesus was alive. Early Christians met in graveyards at dawn to commemorate resurrection morning, when the world was changed and we were given hope for eternity. It was common tradition in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but more conservative religious groups abandoned the celebration of Easter until the 1800s. In the past century, it has become a more popular and meaningful way to celebrate early Easter morning.
Wednesday, March 20:
As the second and third stanzas point out, creation could not stand for Jesus to remain dead - everything groaned against His burial, and nothing could contain Him. I also think the fourth stanza is a good reminder that we will experience doubts and troubles, but the truth is something we have to keep ourselves open to. It is a choice to believe and have faith rather than the voices of the people and circumstances around us.
If you’d like to hear the tune sung, just listen to this video. It’s the same tune as “Angels from the Realms of Glory.”
Thursday, March 21:
We as Christians do not have the right nor the reason to despair, because Jesus is risen! He lives in heaven to plead before the Father on our behalf. Stanza 3 contains the language and symbolism of our marriage relationship with Christ - we are joined with Him, and He is our Head. I love stanza 5, which talks about my heart being drawn to Jesus and no longer being interested in the vanities of this world. The 4th and 6th stanzas both allude to our inability to praise the Lord as well as the angels, yet they both exhort us to praise Him. Even though the cherubim’s praise may be "nobler" and our voices may be "feebler," He still longs to hear it!
Here is the melody it’s sung to. It was translated from German to English by Jane Borthwick in 1862.
Friday, March 22:
Isaac Watts was a brilliant young poet who was bored with the church music of his day (repeating lines from psalms in singsong fashion). His father challenged him to write something better, and he did so, penning a new hymn every week for 2 years.
This hymn, however, was met with opposition and controversy because it spoke of personal feelings and experiences, using the word “I.” People were also disgusted by the gore described in the fourth stanza. Nevertheless, it eventually gained popularity, and thanks to his other 600 hymns, Watts is known as “The Father of English Hymnody.” Charles Wesley reportedly said he would give up all his other hymns to have written this one. The beautiful, haunting tune, an arrangement of an ancient Gregorian chant, is only 5 notes.
This hymn also holds a special place in my heart, because my college chorale would end every concert with a beautiful arrangement of it. My sister’s in this video! (The music starts at 2:20.)
Saturday, March 23:
Early Christians sang this hymn! John Neale, who translated more than a hundred ancient and medieval hymns, had his hand in this and described how Greek Christians would have sung this hymn: “As midnight approached, the archbishop, with his priests, accompanied by the king and queen, left the church and stationed themselves on the platform, which was raised considerably from the ground, so that they were distinctly seen by the people. Everyone now remained in breathless expectation, holding an unlighted taper in readiness when the glad moment should arrive, while the priests still continued murmuring their melancholy chant in a low half whisper. Suddenly a single report of a cannon announced that twelve o’clock had struck and that Easter Day had begun; then the old archbishop, elevating the cross, exclaimed in a loud, exulting tone, ‘Christos aneste!’ ‘Christ is risen!’ and instantly every single individual of all that host took up the cry…At that same moment the oppressive darkness was succeeded by a blaze of light from thousands of tapers which…seemed to send streams of fire in all directions.” (source: Net Hymnal)
Here’s what the music sounds like – it’s the same tune as “Lead On, O King Victorious.” The melody was written for the 350th anniversary of the Reformation in England.
Sunday, March 24:
Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and begins our remembrance of His final days (Holy Week). This hymn describes that exciting time when the people hailed Jesus as a King as He deserved.
It’s another hymn of the ancient Christians translated by John Neale. Interestingly enough, Net Hymnal says that Neale noted “another verse was usually sung until the 17th century, at the quaintness of which we can scarcely avoid a smile”:
Be Thou, O Lord, the Rider,
And we the little ass,
That to God’s holy city
Together we may pass.
And we the little ass,
That to God’s holy city
Together we may pass.
You can listen to the majestic melody in this video.
Monday, March 25:
What a contrast between the people worshiping Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to those who saw Him carrying His cross to Calvary and dying there on the tree!
If people thought “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” was graphic, then this hymn is unfathomably so. The flesh stretched and torn, the limbs bare and extended, the blood gushing and streaming, the thorns pressed into His head – all of it points to “the Man of grief condemned for you; the Lamb of God for sinners slain.”
The final verse contains Calvinistic theology – Jesus’ heart was moved toward sinners. It is nothing that we do, but all His work that saves us.
If people thought “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” was graphic, then this hymn is unfathomably so. The flesh stretched and torn, the limbs bare and extended, the blood gushing and streaming, the thorns pressed into His head – all of it points to “the Man of grief condemned for you; the Lamb of God for sinners slain.”
The final verse contains Calvinistic theology – Jesus’ heart was moved toward sinners. It is nothing that we do, but all His work that saves us.
Tuesday, March 26:
I had never heard of this hymn before, but it is a gem! I enjoyed reading the lyrics while listening to it being played on this video. It was translated from German to English by Robert Bridges in 1899, and it has an interesting rhyme scheme, bringing the focus to the last line with fewer syllables.
Remember to check out the other hymns in this series, and tune in next week - Holy Week - for the final installment!
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