Lifespring! HymnStories

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This Episode’s Artist

Sarah Noëlle
Links: YouTube | Facebook

Thanks to Robert J. Morgan

As always, I want to thank Pastor Robert J Morgan for giving his permission to use his books Then Sings My Soul volumes 1 and 2 as the source material for Lifespring! HymnStories. Without that, this show might not exist. Check out his books here, or wherever books are sold.

Lyrics
Words: Robert Robinson
Music: Traditional American Melody

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it
mount of God’s redeeming love.

Here I find my greatest treasure;
hither by thy help I’ve come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
bought me with his precious blood.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee:
prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above. 

This Episode’s Artist

Wendell Kimbrough
Links: YouTube | Website | Twitter | Facebook | bandcamp

Thanks to Robert J. Morgan

As always, I want to thank Pastor Robert J Morgan for giving his permission to use his books Then Sings My Soul volumes 1 and 2 as the source material for Lifespring! HymnStories. Without that, this show might not exist. Check out his books here, or wherever books are sold.

Lyrics
Words: K
Music: Early American Melody

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 “Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 “When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 “When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 “E’en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

6 “The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

This hymn is one of my favorites, and one aspect of the story behind it is one of the most famous there is.

This Episode’s Artist

Anna Richey
Links: YouTube | Website | Instagram

Thanks to Robert J. Morgan

As always, I want to thank Pastor Robert J Morgan for giving his permission to use his books Then Sings My Soul volumes 1 and 2 as the source material for Lifespring! HymnStories. Without that, this show might not exist. Check out his books here, or wherever books are sold.

Lyrics
Words by Sarah F. Adams
Music by Lowell Mason

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, 
still all my song shall be, 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, 
darkness be over me, my rest a stone; 
yet in my dreams I’d be 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven; 
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given; 
angels to beckon me 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise, 
out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise; 
so by my woes to be 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! 

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky, 
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly, 
still all my song shall be, 
nearer, my God, to thee; 
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Today’s hymn story is that of “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul”. Lyrics by Charles Wesley and music by Simeon B. Marsh. I think you’ll like it, and the version of the song I play for you.

This Episode’s Artists

The Living Stones Quartet
Links: YouTube Spotify Amazon Music Apple Music

Thank you to Robert J. Morgan

As always, I want to thank Pastor Robert J Morgan for giving his permission to use his books Then Sings My Soul volumes 1 and 2 as the source material for Lifespring! HymnStories. Without that, this show might not exist. Check out his books here, or wherever books are sold.

Lyrics

Jesus, lover of my soul, 
let me to thy bosom fly, 
while the nearer waters roll, 
while the tempest still is high; 
hide me, O my Savior, hide, 
till the storm of life is past; 
safe into the haven guide, 
O receive my soul at last! 

Other refuge have I none; 
hangs my helpless soul on thee; 
leave, ah! leave me not alone, 
still support and comfort me. 
All my trust on thee is stayed, 
all my help from thee I bring; 
cover my defenseless head 
with the shadow of thy wing. 

Plenteous grace with thee is found, 
grace to cover all my sin; 
let the healing streams abound; 
make and keep me pure within. 
Thou of life the fountain art; 
freely let me take of thee; 
spring thou up within my heart, 
rise to all eternity.

Today’s hymn is Revive Us Again, and I think you’re really going to like the performance by today’s artists.

The lyrics of Revive Us Again were written by William P. Mackay, and the music by John J. Husband.

This Episode’s Artists

The Akins, a father, David. and his two sons, Nick and Eli. If you like what you heard, check out their website  at akinsministry.com. The video for this song is here.

Thank you to Robert J. Morgan

As always, I want to thank Pastor Robert J Morgan for giving his permission to use his books Then Sings My Soul volumes 1 and 2 as the source material for Lifespring! HymnStories. Without that, this show might not exist. Check out his books here, or wherever books are sold.

Lyrics

We praise Thee, O God!
For the Son of Thy love,
For Jesus Who died,
And is now gone above.

Refrain:
Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
Hallelujah! Amen.
Hallelujah! Thine the glory.
Revive us again.

We praise Thee, O God!
For Thy Spirit of light,
Who hath shown us our Savior,
And scattered our night.

All glory and praise
To the Lamb that was slain,
Who hath borne all our sins,
And hath cleansed every stain.

All glory and praise
To the God of all grace,
Who hast brought us, and sought us,
And guided our ways.

Revive us again;
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.

Our hymn today is I Am Thine, O Lord, with lyrics by Fanny J Crosby and Wm. H. Doane.

I’ll tell you the story behind the hymn, and then I’ll play a lovely rendition of the song by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns.

Special thanks to Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns for allowing me to use his beautiful recording of this hymn.

Also, thanks to Robert J. Morgan for allowing me to use his books, Then Sings My Soul, as source material for Lifespring! HymnStories.

Lyrics

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice,
and it told thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith
and be closer drawn to thee.

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord,
by the power of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in thine.

(Refrain)

O the pure delight of a single hour
that before thy throne I spend,
when I kneel in prayer, and with thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

(Refrain)

There are depths of love that I cannot know
till I cross the narrow sea;
there are heights of joy that I may not reach
till I rest in peace with thee.

(Refrain)

Our hymn today is Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us, attributed to Dorothy A. Thrupp, with music by William B. Bradbury.

Special thanks to Kaoma Chende for allowing me to use his marvelous recording of this hymn. Please visit his website here!

Also, thanks to Robert J. Morgan for allowing me to use his books, Then Sings My Soul, as source material for Lifespring! HymnStories.

Lyrics

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,
Be the guardian of our way;
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Hear, O hear us when we pray;
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us,
Poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us,
Grace to cleanse, and pow’r to free:
blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Early let us turn to Thee;
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Early let us turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor,
Early let us do Thy will;
Blessed Lord and only Savior,
With Thy love our bosoms fill:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast loved us, love us still;
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Written by Charles Wesley in 1744, this hymn first appeared in the 1745 “Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord”.

Listen for the story behind the song.

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Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788

Music: Rowland H. Pritchard

Come, thou long expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art;

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

born a child and yet a King,

born to reign in us forever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all sufficient merit,

raise us to thy glorious throne.

This is a show dedicated to renewing love for the great hymns of the Christian faith. In this episode I tell the story behind the hymn “Jesus Shall Reign”, which was written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, with the music being written by John Hatton.

The version of the song played in this episode is performed by Scott Wesley Brown.

Isaac Watts

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun

Behold the islands with their kings,

There Persia, glorious to behold,

To Him shall endless prayer be made,

People and realms of every tongue

Blessings abound wherever He reigns;

Where He displays His healing power,

Let every creature rise and bring

Great God, whose universal sway

The scepter well becomes His hands;

With power He vindicates the just,

As rain on meadows newly mown,

The heathen lands, that lie beneath

The saints shall flourish in His days,

Carl Boberg, a 26-year-old Swedish minister, wrote a poem in 1885 which he called “O Store Gud” (“O Mighty God”). The words, literally translated to English, said:

When I the world consider

His poem was published and “forgotten”, or so he thought….

Listen to the show to hear the rest of the story.

Judson Hurd

Steve Amerson