Monday, April 20, 2009

One more hymn today

Is this a setting of Psalm 22? Not strictly so -- but it does follow the broad outline of the psalm in a gospel paraphrase. I found this text in Met Tab's 1991 hymnal, Psalms & Hymns of Reformed Worship

I had some difficulty in finding a tune (L.M.) that would take in the widely different emotional states of the opening and closing of this hymn. Perhaps one should think of using two tunes within the same hymn? Now there's a new thought. We only used one tune last night -- what we know as "the river is wide." I called the hymn ...

A gospel account of Psalm 22

Such grief was yours, such deep distress,
such pain, O Christ, intense and real,
subject to all the pangs of death
and such forsakenness to feel

The powers of darkness hem you round,
malice with rage and hatred roar,
and human nature melts like wax
as life and strength to death outpour

No sorrows more, no greater hurt
no more humiliation sore,
no greater judgment, heavier stroke
has ever been, nor evermore

For you have borne a host of hells
to raise our souls to life above
that we may glorify your name
and feed upon your glorious love

Such sorrows never shall be mine!
My Lord has borne them all away
O may this heart to all declare
your lovingkindness every day

from the Evangelical Psalter

2 comments:

  1. That would be great for a communion Sunday! Would it sound good with the tune for "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"?

    Mike C

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  2. Yes, it would. (In our case I use the tune for a couple other hymns, so I decided against it here.) But if the tune's not being over-used, then it's a great choice!

    David

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