Nothing Less Than Jesus' Blood and Righteousness

…teaching…one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs….
(Colossians 3:16)

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

—From the hymn My Hope Is Built

If we’re teaching each other when we sing hymns, it can’t hurt to spend a little time understanding exactly what the words of hymns mean, can it? So here I am, looking a little closer at the first two lines of this common hymn by Edward Mote, two lines that teach us gospel truth.

My hope is built
Edward Mote uses the word hope the way the Bible does, which is not exactly the way we usually use it. We use it to express our desire for something to happen in the future, and as long as there’s even the slightest possibility that it will happen, we can still say we hope for it. But biblical hope is not just wishing for something that may or may not happen. There is an assurance in biblical hope. Those who hope, as the Bible uses the term, confidently expect the good things promised to them because what they have been promised is certain to happen.

One indication that Edward Mote is using the word hope in this more assured sense is that he tells us that his hope is built. The hope he has is hope that is established hope. It is hope that stands as firm as the foundation it is grounded on.

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Which is the sixth commandment?

The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.[1]

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Sunday's Hymn

A hymn of thanksgiving, since tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day for Canadians. This one is written by Joachim Neander, the man for whom (indirectly) the Neanderthal Man is named.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

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Listen to the St. Olaf Choir sing this hymn.

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Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

• Now Unto Jehovah at Hiraeth
• Fairest Lord Jesus at Field Stone Cottage
• Lord’s Day 41, 2008 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Deceit and Falsehood I Abhor at joythruChrist 
• All Things Bright and Beautiful and Come Down, O Love Divine at Conjubilant with Song
• I Sought the Lord at Whatever Things…
• We Thank Thee, Lord, for This Fair Earth at The Happy Wonderer
• O Lord, by Thee Delivered at Practicing Theology
• Be Thou My Vision at Driveway Blogger
  

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.