New Hymns and Songs

Friday, September 10, 2010

Pour Down, Holy Rain

words & music by Gary Hicks

Lord, the ground is thirsty

Under cloudless sky

Parched and broken wasteland

Barren and so dry

How we need Your blessing

How we need the rain

Send Your sweet refreshing

Fill our hearts again…

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN

COME LORD, REFRESH US AGAIN

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN.

Hear the distant thunder

Feel the gentle breeze

There’s a new wind blowing

Hear the rustling leaves

Now we look to heaven

Now we smell the rain

Feel the first drops falling

Fill our hearts again…

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN

COME LORD, REFRESH US AGAIN

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN.

(bridge)

Barefoot in the meadow

Sunday afternoon

Dancing in the garden

Feel the great monsoon…

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN

COME LORD, REFRESH US AGAIN

POUR DOWN, HOLY RAIN.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Be Thou My Vision

This ancient poem and tune

are Ireland’s gift to the world.

I was looking for music to fit a sermon series

titled “Becoming Lighthouses of Prayer”

(by Pastor Ken Walker),

and wrote the second verse to fit the sermon theme.

8th Century Gaelic Poem

Translated by Mary Byrne (1880-1931)

Versified by Eleanor Hull (1860-1935)

tune: “Slane”, traditional Irish tune

1. Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art

Thou my best thought, by day or by night

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

2. Be Thou my vision, O Lord, be my light

Wide is this ocean and dark is the night

Be Thou my beacon across these strong waves

Guiding me homeward, Thou, mighty to save.

3. High King of heaven, my victory won

May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

I Am So Blessed to Have You Share My Journey

tune: traditional Irish “Londonderry Air”

1. I am so blessed to have you share my journey

To walk and talk along the mountain road

There is a song we often share together

And as we sing, it lightens up the load.

SO WE WILL STAND, AND LIFT OUR PRAISE TOGETHER

SO WE WILL SING WITH VOICES CLEAR AND STRONG

OH, LET IT RISE – AN ECHO THROUGH THE UNIVERSE

ONE VOICE, ONE PRAISE WE SHARE,

ONE SIMPLE, JOYFUL SONG.

2. I am so blessed to have you walk beside me

My daily joy, my confidante, my friend

When I am down, you cheer this weary pilgrim

And in your eyes I see the journey’s end.

SO WE WILL STAND, AND LIFT OUR PRAISE TOGETHER

SO WE WILL SING WITH VOICES CLEAR AND STRONG

OH, LET IT RISE – AN ECHO THROUGH THE UNIVERSE

ONE VOICE, ONE PRAISE WE SHARE,

ONE SIMPLE, JOYFUL SONG.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

My Top Ten Folk Tunes for Hymnwriting

Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley

and Anne Steele and William Cowper

were wordsmiths, not tune writers.

Thank God for many ancient

or at least traditional folk tunes

from around the world

for which new hymn texts

can be written.

Here are my top ten:

Ash Grove

(Let All Things Now Living)

Beach Spring

(Hymn of Welcome)

Bunessan

(Morning Has Broken)

House of the Rising Sun

Kingsfold

(O Sing A Song of Bethlehem)

Restoration

(Come,Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy)

Scarborough Fair

Slane

(Be Thou My Vision)

Tá Mo Chleamhnas Déanta

(Gaelic folk tune)

Wexford Carol

Friday, September 3, 2010

Why Do You Stand Far Off? (Psalm 10)

tune: “Diademata” by George J. Elvey

“Crown Him With Many Crowns”

Why do You stand far off while wicked men grow strong?

Why hide Yourself in troubled times, ignoring sin and wrong?

There is no room for God in all their haughty ways

They boast the cravings of their heart yet You avert Your gaze.

Lift up Your hand, O God, Arise against our foe

Remember now the helpless man who falls beneath his blow.

As lions lie in wait to catch their weakened prey

So lies the crusher of our souls, intent to have his way.

God is our Lord, the King, He rises, strong to save

He hears our feeble, muffled cries and fortifies the brave

He sees our troubled grief, He feels our hidden pain

He rights the scales of justice now as He ascends to reign.

Sing out the joyful song and lift your hearts in praise

Come magnify the Lord with me, extol His love and grace

He brings to mind no more our crimes of former years

But blesses us, forgives our sins and wipes away our tears.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

We Praise You, O Lord (Psalm 9)

tune: “Revive Us Again” by John J. Husband

We praise You, O Lord, for Your wonderful ways

And with all that is in us we sing of Your grace.

HALLELUJAH, WE WILL PRAISE HIM

HALLELUJAH, AMEN!

WITH A GLAD SONG OF REJOICING

WE’LL PRAISE HIM AGAIN.

A refuge is He for the poor and oppressed

He will govern the nations in His righteousness.

Those who know Him will trust in His beautiful name

For in mercy He lifts us from sorrow and shame.

He will not forsake, He will not turn away

So we trust in His justice and thank Him today.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

O Lord, You Are My Refuge (Psalm 7)

tune: Irish folk tune “Brennan On the Moor”

O Lord, You are my refuge from all who would pursue

Arise and order justice, Your people look to You

And if You find me guilty, if I have been unjust

Then let my foe pursue me, and lay me in the dust, but…

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD

OH, HE IS MY REFUGE, SO I WILL PRAISE THE LORD.

The enemy is crafty, he digs a hidden hole

Intent on my destruction, he seeks to slay my soul

But God is my protector, The foe had best beware

Then as he tries to kill me, he falls in his own snare, and…

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD

OH, HE IS MY REFUGE, SO I WILL PRAISE THE LORD.

You are the righteous ruler, who searches hearts and minds

Oh, bring an end to violence, protection may we find

Our foe is like a lion who rips us into shreds

But You’re a mighty warrior, the lifter of our heads, so…

I WILL PRAISE THE LORD, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD

OH, HE IS MY REFUGE, SO I WILL PRAISE THE LORD.