Now Thank We All Our God

Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices

Who wondrous things hath done

In whom His world rejoices

Who from our mothers' arms

Hath blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love

And still is ours today

O may this bounteous God

Through all our life be near us

With ever joyful hearts

And blessed peace to cheer us

And keep us in His grace

And guide us when perplexed

And free us from all ills

In this world and the next

All praise and thanks to God

The Father now be given

The Son and Him who reigns

With them in highest heaven

The one eternal God

Whom earth and heaven adore

For thus it was, is now

And shall be evermore

When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of this hymn.

Click HERE to for more info.

Come Ye Thankful People Come

Come ye thankful people, come

Raise the song of harvest home

All is safely gathered in

Ere the winter storms begin

God our make doth provide

For our wants to be supplied

Come to God's own temple, come

Raise the song of harvest home

All the world is God's own field

Fruit unto His praise to yield

Wheat and tares together sown

Unto joy or sorrow grown

First the blade and then the ear

Then the full corn shall appear

Grant, O harvest Lord, that we

Wholesome grain and pure may be

For the Lord our God shall come

And shall take His harvest home

From His field shall in that day

All offenses purge away

Give His angels charge at last

In the fire the tares to cast

But the fruitful ears to store 

In His garner evermore

Even so, Lord, quickly come

To Thy final harvest home

Gather Thou Thy people in

Free from sorrow, free from sin

There forever purified

In Thy presence to abide

Come with all Thy angels, come

Raise the glorious harvest home

Click HERE to read more about this Thanksgiving hymn.

O God, Beneath Thy Guiding Hand

O God, beneath Thy guiding hand

Our exiled fathers crossed the sea

And when they trod the wintry strand

With prayer and psalm they worshiped Thee

Thou heard'st, well-pleased, the song, the prayer

Thy blessing came and still its pow'r

Shall onward through all ages bear

The memory of that holy hour

Laws, freedom, truth, and faith in God

Came with those exiles o'er the waves

And where their pilgrim feet have trod

The God they trusted guards their graves

And here Thy name, O God of love

Their children's children shall adore

Till these eternal hills remove

And spring adorns the earth no more

This hymn contains a bit of a history lesson.

Click HERE to read more about it.

O Lord of Every Shining Constellation

O Lord of every shining constellation

That wheels in splendor through the midnight sky

Grant us your Spirit's true illumination

To read the secrets of your work on high

You, Lord, have made the atom's hidden forces

Your laws its mighty energies fulfill

Teach us to whom you give such rich resources

In all we use to serve your holy will

You, Lord, have stamped your image on your creatures

And, though they mar that image, love them still

Lift up our eyes to Christ that in His features

We may discern the beauty of Your will

Great Lord of nature, shaping and renewing

You made us more than nature's sons to be

You help us tread with grace our souls enduring

The road to life and immortality

Stumbled onto this hymn and liked it.

Click HERE for more info.

All Beautiful the March of Days

All beautiful the march of days

As seasons come and go

The hand that shaped the rose hath wrought

The crystal of the snow

Hath sent the hoary frost of heaven

The flowing waters sealed

And laid a silent loveliness 

On hill and wood and field

O'er white expanses sparkling pure

the radiant morns unfold

The solemn splendors of the night

Burn brighter through the cold

Life mounts in every throbbing vein

Love deepens round the hearth

And clearer sounds the angel hymn,

"Goodwill to men on earth"

O thou from whose unfathomed law

The year in beauty flows

Thyself the vision passing by

In crystal and in rose

Day unto day doth utter speech

And night to night proclaim

In ever-changing words of light

The wonder of thy name

I happened onto this hymn and like the message it gives of the natural world.

Click HERE for more info.

God, Whose Farm is All Creation

God, whose farm is all creation

Take the gratitude we give

Take the finest of our harvest

Crops we grow that men my live

Take our plowing, seeding, reaping

Hopes and fears of sun and rain

All our thinking, planning, waiting

Ripened in this fruit and grain

All our labor, all our watching

All our calendar of care

In these crops of your creation

Take, O God, they are our prayer

Just found this hymn which looks to be for farmers.

Click HERE for more info.

Count Your Blessings

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost

Count your many blessings, name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done

Are you ever burdened with a load of care

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly

And you will be singing as the days go by

When you look at others with their lands and gold

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold

Count your many blessings money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high

So, amid the conflict whether great or small

Do not be discouraged, God is over all

Count your many blessings, angels will attend

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end

Now that November has arrived, I'll try to post hymns that have themes of the Thanksgiving season.

Click HERE to find more info about this upbeat hymn.

Blest Be the Tie That Binds

 Blest be tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love

The fellowship of kindred minds 

Is like to that above

Before our Father's throne

We pour our ardent prayers

Our fears, our hopes, our aims, are one

Our comforts and our cares

We share our mutual woes

Our mutual burdens bear

And often for each other flows

The sympathizing tear

When we asunder part

It gives us inward pain

But we shall still be joined in heart

And hope to meet again

Today is All Saints Day and this hymn is meant to commemorate that.  

Click HERE for more info.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God

A trusty shield and weapon

He helps us free from every need

That hath us now o'ertaken

The old evil foe

Now means deadly woe

Deep guile and great might

Are his dread arms in fight

On earth is not his equal

With might of ours can naught be done

Soon were our loss effected

But for us fights the valiant One

Whom God himself elected

Ask ye, Who is this

Jesus Christ it is

Of sabaoth Lord

And there's none other God

He holds the field forever

Though devils all the world should fill

All eager to devour us

We tremble not

We fear no ill

They shall not overpow'r us

This world's prince may still

Scowl fierce as he will

He can harm us none

He's judged, the deed is done

One little word can fell him

The Word they still shall let remain

Nor any thanks have for it

He's by our side upon the plain

With his good gifts and Spirit

And take they our life

Goods, fame, child, and wife

Though these all be gone

Our vict'ry has been won

The Kingdom ours remaineth

This is the version we sing in the Lutheran church I attend.  

Click HERE to read more.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

A mighty fortress is our God

A bulwark never failing

Our helper He amid the flood

Of mortal ills prevailing

For still our ancient foe

Doth seek to work us woe

His craft and power are great

And armed with cruel hate

On earth is not his equal

Did we in our own strength confide

Our striving would be losing

Were not the right Man on our side

The Man of God's own choosing

Dost ask who that may be

Christ Jesus it is He

Lord Sabaoth His name

From age to age the same

And He must win the battle

And though this world with devils filled

Should threaten to undo us

We will not fear for God hath willed 

His truth to triumph through us

The prince of darkness grim

We tremble not for him

His rage we can endure

For lo his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him

That word above all earthly powers

No thanks to them abideth

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Through Him who with us sideth

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also

The body they may kill

God's truth abideth still

His Kingdom is forever

Reformation Day is almost here so its fitting to post Martin Luther's famous hymn.  This is the version we sang in the non-Lutheran church I grew up in.  Click HERE for more info.     

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful

All creatures great and small

All things wise and wonderful

The Lord God made them all

Each little flower that opens

Each little bird that sings

He made their glowing colors

He made their tiny wings

The purple-headed mountain 

The river running by

The sunset and the morning

That brightens up the sky

The cold wind in the winter

The pleasant summer sun

The ripe fruits in the garden

He made them every one

The tall trees in the greenwood

The meadows where we play

The rushes by the water

We gather every day

He gave us eyes to see them

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty

Who has made all things well

The first four lines (the refrain) might sound familiar for another reason.  They are the names of four books written by James Herriot, a British veterinarian.  I read them quite a few years ago.  Click HERE to read more about this hymn.

God of Concrete, God of Steel

God of concrete, God of steel

God of piston and of wheel

God of pylon, God of steam

God of girder and of beam

God of atom, God of mine

All the world of power is Thine

Lord of science, Lord of art

God of map and graph and chart

Lord of physics and research

Word of Bible, faith of church

Lord of sequence and design

All the world of truth is Thine

God whose glory fills the earth

Gave the universe its birth

Loosed the Christ with Easter's might

Saves the world from evil's blight

Claims mankind by grace divine

All the world of love is Thine

This hymn would be a good to sing around Labor Day perhaps.
Click HERE to read more.

Behold Us, Lord, a Little Space

Behold us, Lord, a little space

From daily tasks set free

And met within Thy holy place

To rest awhile with Thee

Around us roils the ceaseless tide

Of business, toil, and care

And scarcely can we turn aside

For one brief hour of prayer

Yet these are not the only walls

Wherein Thou mayst be sought

On homeliest work Thy blessing falls

In truth and patience wrought

Thine is the loom, the forge, the mart

The wealth of land and sea

The world of science and of art

Revealed and ruled by Thee

Then let us prove our heavenly birth

In all we do and know

And claim the kingdom of the earth

For Thee and not Thy foe

Work shall be prayer, if all be wrought

As Thou wouldst have it done

And prayer by Thee inspired and taught

Itself with work be one


I was looking in hymnals for hymns about harvesttime and saw this one on a page and decided to use it. The words were written in 1870 by John Ellerton.
Click HERE to read more.

God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps in the sea

And rides upon the storm

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense

But trust Him for His grace

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face

His purposes will ripen fast

Unfolding every hour

The bud may have a bitter taste

But sweet will be the flower

Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain

God is His own interpreter

And He will make it plain

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Click HERE to read the story of the writing on this hymn.

I see its been over three years since I last blogged here.  My other blog on which I post photos gets more of my attention, but I haven't entirely forgotten about this one.