Music to end the Day for Sunday, 2 August 2020

Dear friends,

As you know, during ‘lockdown’ I have shared with you several settings of Psalm 23. Last week we heard Stuart Townend’s contemporary version and a couple of weeks ago, in our morning service, my own arrangement of Brother James’s Air, written a few years ago for the marriage of Sharon Grenham, when she was a minister at Cornerstone. Tonight we hear one of the great Victorian paraphrases of Psalm 23, written in 1850 by Welsh poet Anna Laetitia Waring. Nearly half a century later, in 1898, Welsh composer David Jenkins provided the tune – Penlan – to  which the hymn is now invariably sung.

Before the hymn, we hear inspiring music from J.S. Bach – the opening Prelude of his monumental ‘48 Preludes and Fugues’, otherwise known as ‘The Well Tempered Clavier’.

In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

Whenever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim;
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.

Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

After that lovely Welsh hymn, we end our evening with two Welsh prayers:

Hail, All Glorious Lord!

Hail, all glorious Lord, with holy mirth!
May Church and chancel praise your good counsel,
each chancel and church.
All plains and mountains,
and you three fountains –
two above wind,
and one above earth!
May light and darkness bless you.
Fine silk, green forest confess you.
Thus did Abraham, father
of faith, with joy possess you.
Bird and bee song bless you
among the lilies and roses!
All the old, all the young
praise you with joyful tongue
As your praise was once sung
by Aaron and Moses.
Male and female,
the days that are seven,
the stars of heaven,
the air and the ether,
every book and fair letter;
fish in waters fair flowing,
and song and deed glowing,
grey sand and green sward
make your blessing’s award;
and all such as with good
have satisfied stood!
While my own mouth shall bless you
and my Saviour confess you.
Hail glorious Lord!

Hail, all glorious Lord, with holy mirth!
May Church and chancel praise your good counsel,
each chancel and church.
All plains and mountains,
and you three fountains–
two above wind,
and one above earth!
May light and darkness bless you.
Fine silk, green forest confess you.
Thus did Abraham, father
of faith, with joy possess you.
Bird and bee song bless you
among the lilies and roses!
All the old all the young
praise you with joyful tongue
As your praise was once sung
by Aaron and Moses,
Male and female,
the days that are seven,
the stars of heaven,
the air and the ether,
every book and fair letter;
fish in waters fair flowing,
and song and deed glowing,
grey sand and green sward
make your blessing’s award;
and all such as with good
have satisfied stood!
While my own mouth shall bless you
and my Saviour confess you.
Hail glorious Lord!

Hail, all glorious Lord, with holy mirth!
May Church and chancel praise your good counsel,
each chancel and church.
All plains and mountains,
and you three fountains–
two above wind,
and one above earth!
May light and darkness bless you.
Fine silk, green forest confess you.
Thus did Abraham, father
of faith, with joy possess you.
Bird and bee song bless you
among the lilies and roses!
All the old all the young
praise you with joyful tongue
As your praise was once sung
by Aaron and Moses,
Male and female,
the days that are seven,
the stars of heaven,
the air and the ether,
every book and fair letter;
fish in waters fair flowing,
and song and deed glowing,
grey sand and green sward
make your blessing’s award;
and all such as with good
have satisfied stood!
While my own mouth shall bless you
and my Saviour confess you.
Hail glorious Lord!

The Black Book of Carmarthen (12th century)

God the Sender, Send Us

God the sender, send us.
God the sent, come with us.
God the strengthener of those who go,
empower us, that we may go
forever and wherever, with you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen

Welsh (source unknown)

Goodnight, everyone.

Adrian Boynton