We Have A Gospel To Proclaim

We have a gospel to proclaim
Good news for men in all the earth;
The gospel of a Saviour’s name:
We sing His glory, tell His worth.

Tell of His birth at Bethlehem,
Not in a royal house or hall
But in a stable dark and dim:
The Word made flesh, a light for all.

Tell of His death at Calvary,
Hated by those He came to save;
In lonely suffering on the cross
For all He loved His life He gave.

Tell of that glorious Easter morn:
Empty the tomb, for He was free.
He broke the power of death and hell
That we might share His victory.

Tell of His reign at God’s right hand,
By all creation glorified;
He sends His Spirit on His Church
To live for Him, the Lamb who died.

Now we rejoice to name Him King:
Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
This gospel message we proclaim:
We sing His glory, tell His worth.

Text: Edward Burns (b. 1938)
Tune: FULDA LM

Be Still For The Presence Of The Lord

Be still for the presence of the Lord

The holy one is here

Come bow before him now

With reverence and fear

In him no sin is found

We stand on holy ground

Be still for the presence of the Lord

The holy one is here.

Be still for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around

He burns with holy fire

With splendour he is crowned

How awesome is the sight

Our radiant king of light

Be still for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all aroun.

Be still for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place

He comes to cleanse and heal

To minister his grace

No work to hard for him

In faith receive from him

Be still for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place.

Composer: David J. Evans (1986)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) series. 
 

Evening Hymn (Henry Balfour Gardiner)

Te lucis ante terminum,
Rerum Creator, poscimus,
Ut pro tua clementia,
Sis praesul et custodia.

Procul recedant somnia,
Et noctium phantasmata:
Hostemque nostrum comprime,
Ne polluantur corpora.

Praesta, Pater piissime,
Patrique compar Unice,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito,
Regnans per omne saeculum.

To thee before the close of day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That, with thy wonted favour, thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night;
Withhold from us our ghostly foe,
That spot of sin we may not know.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son,
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

Historical Background

Text: Latin, 8th-9th century
Music: Henry Balfour Gardiner (1877-1950)

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced on the moon and the stars and the sun.
I came down from Heaven and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Refrain:

'Dance, then, wherever you may be!
I am the Lord of the Dance' said he.
'And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance' said He.

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they would not follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with me and the Dance went on.

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high
And left me there on the cross to die.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the Devil on your back
They buried my body and they thought I'd gone
But I am the Dance and I still go on.

'They cut me down and I leapt up high:
I am the life that will never, never die!
I'll live in you if you live in me;
I am the Lord of the Dance' said He.

Composer: Sydney Carter

Behold, The Tabernacle of God

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with you,
and the Spirit  God dwelleth within you.
For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
For the love of whom ye do this day celebrate the joys of the temple
with a season of festivity. Alleluia.

Composer: William Harris 

Now the Day is Over

1. Now the day is over,
   Night is drawing nigh,
   Shadows of the evening
   Steal across the sky.
   


2. Jesus, give the weary
   Calm and sweet repose;
   With Thy tend’rest blessing
   May mine eyelids close.


3. Grant to little children
   Visions bright of Thee;
   Guard the sailors tossing
   On the deep, blue sea.


4. Comfort those who suffer,
   Watching late in pain;
   Those who plan some evil
   From their sin restrain.


5. Through the long night watches
   May Thine angels spread
   Their white wings above me,
   Watching round my bed.


6. When the morning wakens,
   Then may I arise
   Pure, and fresh, and sinless
   In Thy holy eyes.

Composer: Joseph Barnby (1868)

How Shall I Sing That Majesty

How Great a Being
Which doth all beings keep.
Thy Knowledge the only Line
To sound so vast a Deep.

Thou art a sea without a shore,
A sun without a sphere,
Thy time is now and ever more,
Thy place is every where.

How shall I sing that majesty,
Which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie,
Sing, Sing, Ye Heavenly Choir.

Thou art a sea without a shore.
A Sun without a sphere,
Thy time is now and ever more
Thy place is every where.

How shall I sing that Majesty
Which Angels do Admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie.
Sing, Sing, Ye Heavenly Choir.

Text: John Mason (1645-1694)