Table of Contents and Themes: (* indicates a new musical compositions for these texts; ** indicates that there are two new tunes) 

* NEW: Come, Bless the Lord and Trembling Rise (traces the order of Christian worship through 7 stanzas )

**King Jesus Reigns, Enthroned on High (render to Caesar… to God the things that are God’s, after hearing sermon on this text)

*We Rise and Worship (Psalm 34, with repeated “O taste and see…” Eucharist, thanksgiving, Lord’s Supper, Trinitarian call to worship)

*Triumphant Jesus On the Cross (Christ victory at cross and spiritual warfare, after reading Spurgeon M&E devotion in December)

* Creator God, Our Sovereign Lord (5 Solas of the Reformation, written for J Calvin quincentenary; centrality of the Word, grace, Christ...)

*The Lord, Great Sovereign (ultimate triumph of Christ and his people, Zechariah 9, 10… a fight song, in Accidental Voyage)

Our God In All Things Works for Good (Romans 8:28, good or bad circumstances, God is good… written as my father was dying)

** If I Can Speak in Tongues of Fire (I Corinthians 13, exploring Christian love, in several versions... recent revision of 1st two lines)

If In Resounding Tongues I Speak (I Corinthians 13, exploring Christian love, in several versions… this has been a tough one, but hymn text sorely needed in the hymnal)

Brother Doug,
     ...I am looking forward to translate them all into Albanian. I am preaching through the 5 Solas of the Reformation. A few days ago, while I was working on the bulletin and pondering over which hymns to use, it came to my mind that I could look for a hymn that mentions all of the the five solas. With Luther, I believe in the power of the singing to fuel the reformation. I am so glad to have found your page. The text is beautiful and I love the music. God has richly blessed both of you (ref: Paul Jones's composition) with e special gift. I truly thank you for the PDF file and the mp3 version.
In His Grip
Berti Kona (national pastor in Albania)
 

Doug: 

I am absolutely moved by your piece! I am not a trained musician but O how I was brought easily to sing and worship with the text and tune! Glorious! So how can we, at Faith OPC, make use of this? Any permission-granting that we need?
What a treat to get the text and tune of the hymn you men did! Thanks so very much!

Yours in Christ, Mark

Come, Bless the Lord and Trembling Rise

Reformed worship from Isaiah 6: Rise in praise; bow in confession; hymn of faith; bring offerings; hear Word preached; Lord's Supper; go into the world and live out the gospel, pointing unbelievers to Christ and heaven

Come, bless the Lord and trembling rise

Before the Sovereign of the skies;

Before his majesty now raise

Adoring hymns of grateful praise!

Bow humbly down, your sins confess;

Pour out your soul, on mercy rest.

Since Christ triumphant bears your woe,

Repent, his cleansing mercy know.

Rise joyful now and Jesus bless

For his imputed righteousness,

His sovereign kindness, lavished grace,

His freely dying in your place.

Pay all your vows and cheerful bring

The gifts he gave; give back to him.

His gifts, so vast, his life outpoured--

Ourselves we lay before you, Lord.

Come, Word of Life, yourself reveal;

Your truth make us to know and feel;

Inflame our minds to love your ways;

Make us a sacrifice of praise.

Come, Jesus Christ, sweet heav’nly Bread,

And with your life this table spread,

Then grateful we will solemn dine

On hallowed bread and sacred wine.

Go forth into the world in peace,

And bear the burdens of the least,

And bathe your neighbors’ feet in love,

So Christ they’ll know and praise above.

Douglas Bond, June 6, 2008

SHIRLEY STREET, by Ronald J. Bechtel, 2008

King Jesus Reigns, Enthroned on High!

Mark 12:17 “And Jesus answering said unto them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’ And they marveled at him.” (At right, organ in chapel of Hertford College, Oxford, where William Tyndale and John Donne studied)

King Jesus reigns, enthroned on high!

We lift our voice and glorify

His Majesty, his pow’r and grace,

And his high sovereignty embrace.

Though kings usurp and proud men try

Their pompous selves to deify,

Adoring praise shall never cease

For Christ, Redeemer, Prince of Peace!

King Jesus rules upon his throne;

He all the wealth of nations owns;

While fading things to Caesar bring,

Ourselves we render to our King.

While pharaohs, kings, and emp’rors boast,

The King of kings leads out his host;

The proud, one day, shall bow the knee

When Christ in triumph sets us free!

King Jesus wears his worthy crown,

Though envious men and nations frown,

And we, by grace, on eagle’s wings,

Uphold the Crown rights of our King!

His holy nation, chosen ones,

We joyful bow, and with our tongues

We hymn allegiance high and sing,

“Hail Jesus! Sovereign Lord and King!”

Douglas Bond, Copyright, March 12, 2008

LM Tunes:

JASPER Paul S. Jones, 2008

(unnamed) Ronald Jay Bechtel, 2008

Psalm 24:8 “The Lord mighty in battle.”

Triumphant Jesus bore the cross

Of cruel passion, curse, and loss;

He routed sin, and death, and woe,

And Satan my infernal foe.           

Yet does the fiend still prowl and lurk,

His schemes upon my heart to work.

But God before me who can stand

When Christ in battle guides my hand?

Since Christ my Savior works within,

No more am I a slave of sin.

The hopes of hell and Satan wrecked,

No more can he charge God’s elect.

No power of flesh or demon’s might

Can snatch from me Christ’s blood-bought right.

I more than conquer by the Word

Of Christ my Captain and my Lord!

                        Copyright, Douglas Bond, December 12, 2007

LM tunes:

BANFF Paul S. Jones, 2008

Erfurt Geistliche Lieder (Leipzig, Germany: 1539)

Grieg, Edvard Grieg Home

Creator God, our Sovereign Lord

Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere, “My heart I offer thee, O Lord, promptly and  sincerely.” Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus, Soli Deo Gloria. (At right, organ at St, Mary's University Church, Oxford, where Thomas Cranmer delivered his final sermon in 1556 before being silenced, led out, and burned at the stake, and where C. S. Lewis delivered his "Weight of Glory" address.)

Creator God, our Sovereign Lord,

The heavens tell, the stars have shown,

Your splendor, might, and Deity,

But Truth lies in your Word alone.

                        My heart to you, O God, I give,

            And by your Word I live.                           

In Truth your Word reveals my guilt,

My lost, unworthy self makes known,            

But now made new I’m justified

And live and move by Faith alone.

                        My heart to you, O God, I give,

                        And now by Faith I live.

Before you made the world you chose,

In love, to send your only Son

To ransom me and make me one

With Christ, my Lord, by Grace alone.

                        My heart to you, O God, I give,

                        And now by Grace I live.

O Christ, Redeemer, Savior, King,

Subdued by grace, I am your own;

Enthrall my soul and make me free,

Reformed, redeemed by Christ alone.

                        My heart to you, O God, I give,

And now in Christ I live.

O glorious God, who reigns on high,

With heart in hand, before your throne,

We hymn your glory ‘round the world   

With psalms adoring you alone.

My heart to you, O God, I give

And for your glory live.

Copyright, Douglas Bond, October 31, 2007

Tune, Cor meum tibi offero, (email for MP3 audio listening version douglas@bondbooks.net), composed for this text by Paul Jones, Organist and Music Director, 10th Presbyterian, Philadelphia, PA www.pjonesmusic.us Hymn written for the John Calvin quincentenary [July 10, 2009] hymn writing contest sponsored by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC). Watch for results. Home

The Lord, Great Sovereign

Zechariah 9 and 10: "The battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea… Then the Lord will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightening. The Sovereign Lord will sound the trumpet… From Judah will come the cornerstone." (Iambic common meter)

The Lord, Great Sovereign, shall appear,

His wand’ring sheep he’ll bring,

From distant lands, through surging seas,

To shout before their King!

Deceitful shepherds, false and vain,

Have led his flock astray;

God's enemies he'll trample down,

Their lies he will repay.

With trumpet blast, the Lord appears,

His arrows flashing round;

He shields his flock, destroys his foes;

Glad vict’ry shouts will sound.

He makes his children mighty men,

They bend the battle bow;

So in God's strength, against the proud,

His foes they overthrow!

Restored, victorious, gathered in,

Their enemies o'ercome;

God’s children worship round his throne,

And in his name they run!

God’s bless’d, redeemed, and chosen ones,

His children shout and sing!

"All praise to Christ, the Cornerstone,

Triumphant, glorious King!"

 Douglas Bond, (Copyright 2001)

CM tunes: 

KOOTENAY Paul S. Jones, 2008

McKee

Bishopthorpe

Dunfermline

(Hymn Drew "penned" in The Accidental Voyage) Home

Our God in All Things Works for Good

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Iambic long meter)

Our God in all things works for good;

His sovereign, gracious will has stood

And will through endless ages stand,

Sustained and ordered by his hand.

In goodness God stretched out the sky,

The sun and moon and stars that cry,

"Almighty God has made all things!"—

Creation groans yet shouts and sings.

From heaven’s bounty God gives food

To saint and rebel, bad and good;

This God in all things meets men’s needs

And just and unjust kindly feeds.

When clouds descend and troubles rise,

Distress, and darkness, death and cries,

Still God is good in pain and loss,

And bears his own who bear their cross.

Redeeming goodness, from the fall,

For chosen ones God bought and called,

In goodness to repentance leads;

His lambs he comforts, guides, and feeds.

Praise God who all things works for good,

Whose loving kindness firm has stood

And will through endless ages stand,

Unerring, ordered by his hand.

                            Douglas Bond

                            (Copyright May 15, 2006)  Home

LM tune:

Brynteg

If I Can Speak in Tongues of Fire

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love... I am nothing..." I Corinthians 13        

If I can speak in tongues of fire

Yet fail to do what love requires,

I’m nothing—though high mountains move—

I’m nothing without perfect love.

I’m nothing if I try to hide

Resentment, envy, selfish pride.                    

I’m nothing—though high myst’ries find—  

If I’m not patient, humble, kind.

His heav’nly gifts God gives to me

So Christ’s perfected love I’d see

And know—and speak, and serve and give—

And like my holy Bridegroom live.

In faith and hope, love perseveres,

No anger and no rudeness hears;

Such lovingkindness—fully blessed—

Gives foretastes of eternal rest.

I see in part like children here,

A poor reflection in a mirror;

Yet in my heart I long to find

Love more by Jesus’ love refined.

Above I’ll know, as Christ has known,

How vast his love for sinners shown!

With eyes undimmed I’ll end my race

And gaze on Jesus face to face!

                            Copyright, Douglas Bond, December 28, 2007

LM tunes:

MINTERBROOK Ronald Jay Bechtel, 2008

Gregory  

Holland Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1875

Erfurt Geistliche Lieder (Leipzig, Germany: 1539) Home

St. Crispin  1862  Somewhat familiar; solid but not a real gripper; a bit plodding; might not sustain 7 verses

Perry Street  1911  Would work well; not a gripper, but solid possibility; advantage of being 20^th century tune

Woolmer’s  Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861  good; solid, but no barn-burner

... 2^nd version (formerly 1^st version-ish) Hymn based on I Corinthians 13

If in Resounding Tongues I Speak

If in resounding tongues I speak

But love for others I don’t seek,

And I’m not patient, humble, kind,

I’m nothing—nor will heaven find.

His gracious gifts Christ gives to me

So I, like him, may perfect be,

And know, and speak, and serve, and give,

And like my loving Savior live.

He knew and loved me ere he laid

The world’s foundation, and he bade

Me come rejoice, and drink, and dine—

His love the flame that burns in mine.

In faith and hope, love perseveres,

No anger and no rudeness hears;

This love, like Christ’s, will never cease

And leads to heaven’s joy and peace.

We see in part, like children here,

So dull and pale, as in a mirror.

But face to face one day we'll know

The depth of Jesus’ love below.

True love is patient and is kind;

It’s faith and hope in One refined;

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

Above we’ll know, as Christ has known,

The depth of kindness he has shown;

In heav’n we’ll see him face to face,

With eyes undimmed, his love embrace!

                            Douglas Bond, 2006 Home

ALTERNATE: 5 stanza with refrain

Hymn based on I Corinthians 13

Christ knew and loved me ere he laid

The world’s foundation, and he bade

Me come rejoice, and drink, and dine—

His love the flame that burns in mine.

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

If I can speak in tongues of fire

But love is not my chief desire,       

And I’m not patient, humble, kind,

I’m nothing—nor will heaven find.

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

His gracious gifts Christ gives to me

So I, like him, may perfect be,

And know, and speak, and serve, and give,

And like my loving Savior live.

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

In faith and hope, love perseveres,

No anger and no rudeness hears;

This love, like Christ’s, will never cease

And leads to heaven’s joy and peace.

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

Above we’ll know, as Christ has known,

The depth of kindness he has shown;

In heav’n we’ll see him face to face,

With eyes undimmed, his love embrace!

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

                            Douglas Bond, 2006 Home

ALTERNATE: divide into two shorter hymns on I Corinthians 13 

If I can speak in tongues of fire

But love is not my chief desire,

And I’m not patient, humble, kind,

I’m nothing—nor will heaven find.

His gracious gifts Christ gives to me

So I, like him, might perfect be,

And know, and speak, and serve, and give,

And like my loving Savior live.

In faith and hope, love perseveres,

No anger and no rudeness hears;

This love, like Christ’s, will never cease

And leads to heaven’s joy and peace.

Above I’ll know, as Christ has known,

The depth of kindness he has shown;

In heav’n I’ll see him face to face,

With eyes undimmed, his love embrace!

                            Douglas Bond, 2006 Home

2nd short /split hymn alternate

True love is patient, love is kind;

It’s faith and hope in One refined;

The greatest thing of all is love,

For perfect love endures above.

God knew me, loved me ere he laid

The world’s foundation, and he bade

Me come rejoice, and drink, and dine—

His love the flame that burns in mine.

We see in part, like children here,

So dull and pale, as in a mirror.

But face to face one day we'll know

The depth of Jesus’ love below.