Sunday, August 31, 2008

Sunday Songbook

For a while I have desired to share something from my heart on Sundays, The Lord's Day. Something reverent and relevant. I am not a great teacher nor do I feel that I make good Biblical analogies out of life experiences. However, I do have a deep love for good, old fashioned, traditional hymns sung in a traditional way or even a capella. A little bit of a beat or extra accompaniment is okay, but I prefer to just belt them out with an accomplished piano player. So on Sundays I will be sharing the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns, an accompanying verse, a little about the author, and perhaps how the hymn speaks to me.

And lest you all begin to think that I possess any of this information off the top of my head or you want to know more I will include the references I used so that you may not think too highly of me and quench your insatiable quest for knowledge for yourselves.


"How long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Samuel Trevor Francis

1834-1925

A Lon­don mer­chant and ar­tist’s son, Fran­cis pub­lished a num­ber of hymns in re­li­gious news­pa­pers and per­i­od­ic­als. He be­longed to the Ply­mouth Breth­ren con­gre­ga­tion in Lon­don, and served as an open air preach­er. His hymns and po­ems ap­peared in The Life of Faith and other pa­pers and per­io­dicals.

The Cyber Hymnal

9 comments:

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

I grew up on hymns, but this one is not familiar. I miss singing them sometimes. We sang Amazing Grace a capella yesterday.

Plant Lady said...

Becky,
You have included one of my favorite songs! I, too, prefer traditional hymns to the contemporary songs that are around now. My dad grew up singing by a method called "shaped note singing" also known as sacred harp singing. PBS did a documentary on this type of singing which is all "a capella". It is amazing to hear all the voices blended together and if you want something that stirs the soul, listen to it!The PBS program tells the history and gives glimpses of how the sounds are achieved. I went online to the website listed in the documentary and ordered the DVD called "Awake My Soul, The Story of the Sacred Harp".

If you would like to hear the music, visit the website: awakemysoul.com

It is very soul -stirring! Let me know what you think.

Plant Lady

Julie said...

That is beautiful, although I would like to hear someone singing it. Maybe I'll keep searching around and see if I can find it.

And I might just take this on as a favorite hymn tag! :D

Grandma Tillie's Bakery said...

Great idea! I love hymns too, but our church is very contemporary and we only sing them once in a very great while. I think I will check out the link that plant lady gave to hear some hymns this morning!

Plant Lady said...

The hymn, "O,The Deep,Deep Love of Jesus" can be heard on my playlist on my blog, Plant Lady's Ponderings.

Julie,
Pop on over to my blog and find it on the playlist at the bottom. Mindy Boyd sings it.

Plant Lady

Becky said...

Hey thanks for the help Plant Lady! I suppose I should start a play list if I am going to do this as a regular feature... or at least post a link where one can hear the featured hymn. I thought you could hear the tune at Cyber Hymnal but maybe not.

Becky said...

Julie if you call me I'll sing it for you ;-)

Stonefox said...

Becky, I love this song too. The words are just beautiful, full of grace. Thanks for including the info about the author. I didn't know that.

Julie said...

I could hear the tune at the link you sent, but not the words... however, I see you've got it playing on your blog now, and it is gorgeous. Thank you! :)