I thought that I’d focus on my favorite hymns for Holy Week and the Triduum so you’ll be getting some rather… somber hymns this week.

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
??Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ??tis He, ??tis He!
??Tis the long expected prophet,
David??s Son, yet David??s Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
??Tis a true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress:
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed!
See Who bears the awful load!
??Tis the Word, the Lord??s Anointed,
Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost.
Christ the Rock of our salvation,
Christ the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded!
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.
(HT: Net Hymnal)

Fernando Ortega’s recording is by far the best. I love the Spanish influence of the guitar accompaniment.

I haven’t posted in a few days because I was in San Jose with my family for my 11th wedding anniversary. Interestingly, Palm Sunday and Easter this year line up exactly as they did the year I got married. Because it was Palm Sunday, I decided to go with appropriate music for the day.

Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang;
Through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang.
To Jesus, who had blessed them close folded to His breast,
The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed mid an exultant crowd,
The victor palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud.
The Lord of men and angels rode on in lowly state,
Nor scorned that little children should on His bidding wait.

??Hosanna in the highest!?? that ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heaven our King.
O may we ever praise Him with heart and life and voice,
And in His blissful presence eternally rejoice!
(HT: Net Hymnal)

I liked this particular arrangement with chorus and brass because Palm Sunday is one of those occasions where decent brass is warranted.

This is a traditional hymn made into a praise song by Jars of Clay on their “Redemption Hymns” CD. Samuel Stennett wrote the words in the 18th century and Christopher Miner set them to a new tune in 1997. I love it because it sings of hope in heaven someday. My thanks to Kristen Stewart (not that one!) for introducing me to it.

On Jordan??s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan??s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.

O??er all those wide extended plains
Shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away.

I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.

No chilling winds or poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more.

I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.

When I shall reach that happy place,
I??ll be forever blest,
For I shall see my Father??s face,
And in His bosom rest.

I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound (I am bound)
I am bound for the promised land.

This would have to be done by Jars of Clay and this video has the words without weird scene changes.

We sang this a lot during my last year of Intervarsity. I love the song because it’s so simple but so powerful. It took me forever to find an mp3 of it because it’s more well-known on the other side of the pond. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are recordings of it on YouTube.

King of Kings, Majesty,
God of heaven, living in me
Gentle Savior, closest friend,
Strong Deliverer, Beginning and End
All within me falls at Your throne

Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don’t deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty

Earth and heaven worship You,
God Eternal, Faithful and True
Who bought the nations,
ransomed souls
Brought this sinner
near to Your throne
All within me cries out in praise

Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don’t deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty
(HT: JustSomeLyrics.Com)

Here’s a good version of it that includes an interview with its composer.

This is one of my favorites that can be sung pretty much year round. It’s also one of the first hymns I learned and is appropriate for Lent as we’re offering ourselves up for God.

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt;
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thou wilt receive;
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown
has broken every barrier down;
now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, of that free love
the breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
here for a season, then above:
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
(HT: Oremus)

I was trying to find a version that includes almost all the verses and doesn’t sound annoyingly twangy. I’m not a fan of all LutheranWarbler does on YouTube but she does fairly well here.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day so here’s a nice Irish hymn. Enjoy.

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.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul??s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man??s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

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.
(HT: Net Hymnal)

4Him does a good job with it so I used their recording.

I know I shared this one last year but it’s been in my mind lately as I’ve been editing devotions for a book being put together by a friend of Jon’s family. I wish some of lines of this hymn could be painted and plastered on walls of churches because some of them are so useful in talking about how to support each other.

Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word?
All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Brethren, see poor sinners round you slumbering on the brink of woe;
Death is coming, hell is moving, can you bear to let them go?
See our fathers and our mothers, and our children sinking down;
Brethren, pray and holy manna will be showered all around.

Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses?? sister aided him;
Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin?
Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found;
Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Is there here a trembling jailer, seeking grace, and filled with tears?
Is there here a weeping Mary, pouring forth a flood of tears?
Brethren, join your cries to help them; sisters, let your prayers abound;
Pray, Oh pray that holy manna may be scattered all around.

Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He??ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we??ll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around.
(HT: Net Hymnal)

The version I found by the Gospel Plowboys is, I think, most close to what it sounds like done in a congregation.