"King of Glory, King of Peace"

I just discovered this hymn at Sing for Joy and have been singing it repeatedly! I can't find this version elsewhere on the internet, but you can go to the Sing for Joy website. This particular hymn is about 2/3 of the way through the program. If you find the blue "knob" that shows how far you've gotten into the show, and push it about 2/3 of the way across, you'll be close to this hymn. It's worth trying to figure it out.

Or, better yet. Just listen to the whole show! Remember to silence my blog music first (down on the righthand side bar).

There's an interesting story about the hymn's author, George Herbert (1593-1632), pictured above. See if you don't agree with me that we should be grateful that the manuscript was saved by his brother.

"King of Glory, King of Peace"

King of glory, King of peace,
I will love Thee;
And that love may never cease,
I will move Thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me;
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.

Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing Thee,
And the cream of all my heart
I will bring Thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
Thou alone didst clear me;
And alone, when they replied,
Thou didst hear me.

Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise Thee;
In my heart, though not in Heaven,
I can raise Thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
To enroll Thee:
E’en eternity’s too short
To extol Thee.

"Built on the Rock"

"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many."

Isaiah 51:1-2

One definition from Webster's for the word hewn is:
to give form or shape to, with, or as if with heavy cutting blows.

Life certainly deals heavy cutting blows. But when you acknowledge that it is He who is forming and shaping you, it doesn't seem so difficult to withstand. It is all in His time and for His glory.

Here is a hymn to prepare yourself for the coming Sabbath, based upon one of this week's scripture readings.

Built on the Rock

Built on the Rock the church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land,
Bells still are chiming and calling;
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the soul distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.

Surely in temples made with hands,
God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling;
Yet He whom heavens cannot contain
Chose to abide on earth with men,
Built in our bodies His temple.

We are God’s house of living stones,
Builded for His habitation;
He through baptismal grace us owns,
Heirs of His wondrous salvation;
Were we but two His Name to tell,
Yet He would deign with us to dwell,
With all His grace and His favor.

Go here to read all of the verses and hear the music. (Please silence the blog music first.)

"Dear Lord and Father of Mankind"

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still small voice.
I Kings 19:12

The American poet, John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), wrote the words to this hymn as part of a longer poem. Sunday's Old Testament reading from I Kings was part of his inspiration.


Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

Go here to see the text of all of the verses.

And be sure to go here to see this hymn sung by the Westminster Abbey choir and congregation. (Remember to first silence the blog music at the sidebar on the right.)

The music in this version of the hymn was written by British composer C. Hubert Parry (1848-1918). The photo is of Westminster Abbey.

I played in an orchestra last week for Debbie Reynolds. She had a good rapport with the audience and they really enjoyed the show. She talked about how her first husband left her (with two young children) for Elizabeth Taylor, and her second and third husbands left her in great financial difficulty. Yet, she laughed about it, and using her self-deprecating humor, she got the audience to laugh along with her.

I took a gander at her website when I got home, and found this quote:

This writer acknowledges there was no intent to mention all of Debbie's starring roles, or her myriad of awards. The foregoing is rather the story of a woman whose solution to adversity is not to merely survive, but to constantly revive, renew, and live life to the maximum.

This isn't the gospel according to Debbie Reynolds. She didn't give any clues that she is a believer. But, since we don't seem to be able to pass through this world without being embraced by adversity, the quote got me to thinking. I agree that we should do more than merely survive. We must rely on the Lord for everything and rejoice for His sustenance. Today I feel like that sums up a Christian walk.