Sunday's Hymn: The Church's One Foundation

The church’s one Foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word:
From heav’n he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.

Elect from ev’ry nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food.
And to one hope she presses,
With ev’ry grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

The church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain and cherish
Is with her to the end;
Though there be those that hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against or foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.

‘Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
With the God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.

—Samuel J. Stone

In my opinion, an anthem needs an organ and choir.

But for those of you who would rather die than hear an enthusiastically sung anthem accompanied by an vigorously played organ, this is a lovely little rendition of the traditional tune with just guitar and voice.

And this is the Indelible Grace updated tune. I’m thinking this is not nearly as congregationally singable as the original.  

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence at The Happy Wonderer
• Watch, remember, seek, and strive at The Upward Call
• Lord, You Are Our Faith, Hope, and Love at Trevin Wax
• Behold I make all things new at Tried With Fire
• If we’re not communing with God at Blogging Theologically
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: The standing miracle of the Church at Pyromaniacs
• Prepared to Listen at Theology for Girls

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Sunday's Hymn: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for his own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

See the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters,
And all fear of want remove;
Who can faint, while such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hov’ring,
See the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a cov’ring,
Showing that the Lord is near:
Thus deriving from their banner
Light by night and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna
Which he gives them when they pray.

Saviour, if of Zion’s city
I, through grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy Name:
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.

—John Newton

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• Mother’s Prayers Have Followed Me at The Happy Wonderer
• Old Testament Gospel at The Upward Call
• John Newton’s “Spring” Hymn at Trevin Wax
• Good Advice for Troublous Times at Tried With Fire
• Seeing a gift as a gift leads to greater joy at Blogging Theologically
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: The sweeter center at Pyromaniacs
• The Duty of Mothers and Grandmothers at Theology for Girls

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.

Sunday's Hymn: Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation

Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the Head and Cornerstone,
Chosen of the Lord and precious,
Binding all the church in one;
Holy Zion’s help for ever
And her confidence alone.

All that dedicated city,
Dearly loved of God on high,
In exultant jubilation
Pours perpetual melody;
God the One in Three adoring
In glad hymns eternally.

To this temple, where we call thee,
Come, O Lord of hosts today:
With thy wonted lovingkindness
Hear thy people as they pray;
And thy fullest benediction
Shed within its walls alway.

Here vouchsafe to all thy servants
What they ask of thee to gain,
What they gain from thee for ever
With the blessed to retain,
And hereafter in thy glory
Evermore with thee to reign.

Laud and honor to the Father,
Laud and honor to the Son,
Laud and honor to the Spirit,
Ever Three and ever One,
One in might, and One in glory,
While unending ages run.

—Unknown author, 7th Century, translated by John M. Neale 

Other hymns, worship songs, prayers, sermons excerpts, or quotes posted today:

• Marching to Zion at The Happy Wonderer
• Contentment at The Upward Call
• Are you persuaded? at Tried With Fire
• Cyprian’s Prayer for Perseverance through Persecution from Trevin Wax
• Will we not declare this hope? at Blogging Theologically
• Your weekly dose of Spurgeon: Fire desired at Pyromaniacs

Have you posted a hymn (or sermon, sermon notes, prayer, etc.) today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by contacting me using the contact form linked above, and I’ll add your post to the list.