On What Has Now Been Sown

Here is another hymn for you to enjoy! Please Check out Etymology of Hymns of Facebook, and feel free to post there what your favorite hymns are!

Title: On What Has Now Been Sow

Tune: Darwall’s 148^th

Meter: 6.6.6.6.8.8.

Composer: John Darwall (Baptized 13 January 1731- 18 December 1789)

Author: John Newton (29 July 1725- 21 December 1807)

                This beloved hymn written by John Newton is actually a compilation of two separate hymns. The first Stanza is the sixth and final stanza from Newton’s “What Contradictions Meet,” found in Olney Hymns book ii published in 1779 (#26). The final two stanzas are taken from Newton’s “short hymn,” “To Thee Our Wants Are Known,” published in Olney Hymns Book iii (#103, as well as #68 in the Irish Church Hymnal published in 1873). Written by the infamous John Newton, this hymn holds a deep meaning to the man who once was fighting against the Church itself.

                John Newton was born in London, England in 1725 as the son of a Shipmaster. While Newton was very young, he and his mother were very close, but unfortunately she died when Newton was only 7 years old. After his mother’s death, Newton was sent to a boarding school where he spent the majority of his time studying Latin. Newton remained at the boarding school until he was 11 years old, when Newton left the school to join his father at sea. Once Newton was at sea, his life began to spiral in the wrong direction. Serving in the British Royal Navy, Newton was charged with deserting the Military when he failed to report back from his time off duty. It was later found that he deserted because he was spending time with the woman who would eventually become his wife, Mary Catlett. After Newton was dishonorably discharged from the British Royal Navy, he was placed on a Slave-Trade ship, where he was known to be one of the crudest sailors on the ship. After studying the works of Shaftesbury as well as the teachings of Newton’s shipmate, Newton was in full disregard of religion.

                Eventually Newton’s father grew tired of Newton’s misbehaving, and placed Newton at the mercy of an African slave trader. During this time, Newton spent nearly 15 months working a plantation in Sierra Leone. By Chance, one of Newton’s Father’s ships arrived in Sierra Leone, and picked Newton up to return him to London in 1748. The ship was named “the Greyhound.” While on the journey back to London, the ship had to weather through a severe storm, and was almost lost to the sea. Due to a chance reading of Thomas A. Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ, Newton began to see the ideals of Christianity, especially after crying out for “God to have mercy on our souls” while the ship was in its darkest hours of the storm. Eventually, the ship arrived safely in England, and Newton married Mary Catlett in 1750 and his life began to change. Over a period of 14 years, Newton began listening to the influences of George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, and many influential Christians at the time. Eventually Newton began studying Greek, preaching around different townships in England, and eventually became ordained into the Curacy in Olney.

                During his time at Olney, Newton was found to have made the most progress in his life. Newton was known for his zeal for preaching, and was moved to write several works, one of which was a collection of hymns, Olney Hymns (1779), written with his close friend William Cowper. In 1780, Newton became the Rector of St. Mary in Woolnoth, London where he would remain for the rest of his life. In 1805, Newton could no longer read his own text, and was politely asked to step down from his position and stop preaching, in which he replied with “What, shall the African blasphemer stop while he can speak!” John Newton died in 1807, and wrote his own Epitaph, which read:

John Newton

Clerk,

Once an infidel and libertine,

A servant of slaves in Africa,

Was,

By the rich mercy

Of our Lord and savior,

Jesus Christ,

Preserved, restored, pardoned,

And appointed to preach the faith

He had long labored to destroy. He ministered

Near 16 years as Curate and Vicar

Of Olney in Bucks

And 28 years as rector

Of these united parishes.

On February the first, 1750, he married

Mary,

Daughter of the late George Catlett,

Of Chatham, Kent.

Whom he resigned to the Lord who gave her

On December the 15^th, 1790. (Westermeyer, P 385-386)

For more information on Newton, see "Amazing Grace"

                The tune for “On What Has Now Been Sown,” written by John Darwall (1731-1789) can be found in Psalmody in Miniature, II (London, 1769), and again in A New Universal Psalmist (London, 1770), both published by Aaron Williams. The original use of this tune was used to praise Psalm 148, and thus is sometimes shown without the “148” in the title, leaving it just as “Darwall.” Born in Staffordshire, England, Darwall studied at Manchester Grammar School and Brasenose College in Oxford, earning his BA in 1756. In 1761, Darwall became ordained as an Anglican Priest and became the curate of St. Matthew’s Church in Walshall, Staffordshire in the same year. Several years later, in 1769, Darwall became the Vicar at the same parish, where he would remain until his death. Being a musician, Darwall had composed two full volumes of piano sonatas and hymn tunes with bass for each of the 150 Psalms in Tate and Brady’s New Version published in 1696 (Westermeyer, p 386). In a dedication speech given in 1773, Darwall supported the faster singing of the Psalm tunes, so that the congregation could fit six stanzas in the same time it would usually take to sing four. Darwall’s 148^th is the only one of John Darwall’s hymntunes that is still in common use today.

The Text:

(1)    On what has now been sown

Your blessing, Lord, bestow;

The power is yours alone

To make it sprout and grow.

O Lord, in grace the harvest raise,

And yours alone shall be the praise!

(2)    To you our wants are known,

From your are all our powers;

Accept what is your own,

And pardon what is ours.

Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive,

And to your Word a blessing give.

(3)    Oh, grant that each of us,

Now met before you here,

May meet together thus

When you and yours appear,

And follow you to heaven, our home.

Even so, amen! Lord Jesus, come!

My Take on the Hymn:

        This hymn shows the humility that Newton discovered when he found God in his life again. It is important that each and every day we give of ourselves to Christ so that we may live freely in Him. The first stanza comes from Newton’s willingness to give himself over to Christ. The seed has been sown in his heart, and now he is asking Jesus to let that seed grow and become good. If we have had a seed sown in us, it is up to us to ask Christ to help us along the journey, for without Him, the seed will lay dormant and will not grow to its full potential. In the second stanza, Newton asks God to take his life back for God to use him as a tool. We are here on earth for only a short time, so let us give to God what is Gods, and give to the earth what it deserves (Mat 22: 15-22). The third stanza talks about Christ revealing himself to us. When it is time for Christ to appear to us on earth with his host of Angels, the time will come that we shall follow Christ into heaven and take our seat at the banquet with him. Though we cannot wait until that day, we must be patient and not forget to do the work that is called of us while we are here on earth. Each and every day, Christ gives us the opportunity to see new seeds that are sown in our hearts, but it is up to us to decide whether or not we want to take that seed and let it grow in Christ, or let it lay still and hope that we make it on our own. Through Christ, we will not be led astray, but rather we will be led down a road full of Glory in our Heavenly Home!

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Westermeyer, Paul. "On What Has Now Been Sown." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 385-86. Print.

Julian, John. "On What Has Now Been Sown." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

Julian, John. "John Newton." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

Julian, John. "DARWALL." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

"On What Has Now Been Sown." On What Has Now Been Sown. Christian Lyrics, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Here is another wonderful hymn! I know it is a little late for Christmas hymns, but I was very busy during the Christmas season, and I am going to make up for it now!

Title: Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

Tune: Adeste Fideles

Meter: Irregular

Composer: John Francis Wade (1711-1786)

Author: John Francis Wade (") Tr. Frederick Oakeley ((1802-1880)

               The hymn "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," was originally written in Latin, and is written to invite Christians to worship Christ at the time of his birth. This text uses multiple references from the Nicene Creed (St 2), and also talks of singing the praises of Angels (St 3), and finally celebrates the arrival of Christ (St 4)! The hymn is irregular in two ways, it does not rhyme, and it has an irregular meter. Even though the hymn has two rare irregularities, it still remains wildly popular. Written by John Francis Wade between 1735 and 1740, this hymn has been translated multiple times, and has been written with four stanzas as well as eight stanzas. The original version of the hymn made its first appearance in Wade's 1751 collection Cantus Diversi pro Dominicis et Festis per Annum, which contained eight stanzas. Of all the different translations of the hymn, the version done by Fredrick Oakeley remains the most commonly used version. Though still popular, the second stanza of this traditional hymn is usually omitted, making it a more universal hymn (leaving out the reference to the Virgin). Though the text is mostly sung in English, Jean Francois Borderies, a French author, composed a new version of the text using the original first stanza, and creating four entirely new stanza's of his own.

               Though not much is known about John Francis Wade, it is known that he was born in either England, or Douai, France. Wade grew up as a Roman Catholic, and was forced to flee from England to France because of his beliefs in the Jacobite Rising in 1745 (He was in support of the uprising). The Jacobite Rising was a failed attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain control of Scotland and turn the country back into an absolute Monarchy. The battles eventually spilled over to England, but because the British Army was able to respond so quickly, the rebellion was spoiled, and Charles Edward Stuart spent the rest of his life in exile. It has not been confirmed, but some experts say that many of Wade's works contained Jacobite artwork that could be seen as having special meaning and specials codes that were used to communicate. The translator of this text, Frederick Oakeley, is a little more well known than Wade.

               Frederick Oakeley was born the youngest son of Sir Charles Oakeley who was at some point the Governor of Madras. Born in Shrewsbury, England, Oakeley was educated in Christs Church at nearby Oxford, where he earned his B.A. in 1824. In 1825, Oakeley won the University prize for a Latin essay, and in 1827 was elected a Fellow of Balliol. Taking holy orders in 1832, Oakeley became Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral, and in 1837 he became a preacher at Whitehall, and eventually in 1839 he became the Minister of Margaret Chapel in Margaret Street, London. Though Oakeley had grown up in the Anglican Church, he eventually his beliefs began to change. Oakeley's change of views can be traced back to 1827, when Dr. Charles Lloyd, Regius Professor, Gave a lecture at Oxford regarding the history and structure of the Anglican Prayer book. During that time, there was a great demand at Oxford for Missals and Breviaries, which Oakeley sympathized with this movement, and cooperated the London book-sellers to try and meet that demand. In 1845, Oakeley and his opinions about the church had changed so much, that he called attention to his faith to see if he could still hold a degree from Oxford, even though his beliefs had been altered greatly. Eventually, proceedings were held against Oakeley in the Court of Arches, and he was told that he would be perpetually suspended if he did not retract his beliefs. Because of this sentence, Oakeley left his Prebendal Position at the church in Lichfield, and entered into the Roman Catholic Church.

               The tune "Adeste Fideles" was originally known as the "Portuguese Hymn," because it was often times sung in the Chapel of the Portuguese Embassy in London. Because the tune for the hymn was found in a mid 18th-century manuscript with the text, it is assumed that John Francis Wade is responsible for writing the text as well as composing the tune. Because of the influence of the folk operas going on during Wade's life, it can be assumed that the repetition of the final line was inspired by the current style of composing. The melody is very plain and simple, but contains many different opportunities for harmonization, as well as a beautiful descant that is usually played on the organ during the third Stanza.

The Text: 

(1 )O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful, and triumphant:
O come ye, o come ye, to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

(2 )God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! He abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

(3 )Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above,
Glory to God
In the highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

(4 )Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesu, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

My Take on the Hymn:

               This hymn is very celebratory of the arrival of Christ. It is invitational in nature, because it is saying "O come, let us adore Him." The repetition of the last line emphasizes the desire to worship Christ and be a part of the arrival of our savior. The adoration of Christ is something that comes up during the Christmas season, but should be done all throughout the year. The fourth stanza is my favorite, especially the line "Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing." Christ is the word of God, given to man in the actual flesh. The bible contains three different appearances of the Holy Trinity. The Old Testament refers to God the Father. God is the one who leads the people out of Egypt and to the promise land, and it is also God the Father that comes to Moses and gives him the 10 commandments. Eventually, the New Testament begins, and as is promised in the book of Isaiah, Christ arrives in the flesh as the Son of God. It was during this time that the world was rocked. Christ says in John 20: 29, "'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" God asked us to believe in his power, but there was doubt among the world. In order that there may be no more doubt, and that Man may be saved from sin, God gave us his Son in the flesh. The third and final appearance of the Holy Trinity is in the book of Acts. After Christ has ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit returns to the disciples and shows them how to be faithful, and leads us to creating the church of Christ. God has given us the greatest gift of love in the form of an innocent child, who is born without sin, and is born not in sin, but above it. Let us take time each and every day to adore Christ in his fullness and glory!

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Jong, Laura De. "O Come, All Ye Faithful." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2013.

Julian, John. "Frederick Oakeley." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2013.

"ADESTE FIDELES." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2013.

"John Francis Wade." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 08 Jan. 2013.

Of the Father's Love Begotten

Here is the first hymn of this wonderful Christmas season!

Title: Of the Father's Love Begotten

Tune: Divinum Mysterium

Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.7.7.

Composer: 13th Century Plainsong, Mode V

Author: Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, (348-413); Tr, J.M. Neale (1818-1866), Sir Henry William Baker (1821-1877)

               Written in the 5th century, "Of the Father's Love Begotten," was based off of a poem written by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentias who was the greatest Christian poet of his time. The text of this poem, with centuries of history behind it, is a confession of faith to the Christ, the Son of God, whose birth and saving ministry's came as a fulfillment of ancient prophecies. The text comes from Marcus Aurelius C.P.'s poem "Corde natus ex parentis," which was originally written in Latin, and was later translated by Dr. John Mason Neale (verses 1-3), and published in his 1851 collection, Hymnal Noted. Though the text was translated well, a doxology was added several years later by Sir Henry William Baker (the final verses are considered the doxology), and published in his 1861 collection, Hymns Ancient and Modern. These two translations serve to support the text that is printed in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship. the text is originally written as "Corde natus ex parentis," which translates to "Of the parent sole begotten," which the word "parent" was used as a more inclusive synonym for God in the Latin text. Later, the text was changed to "Father," giving the text a more exclusively male impression. The text for this hymn surpasses controversy as one of the church's timeless texts.
               Publishing many texts under the prefix "Marcus," Prudentias is one of the most prominent and most prolific authors of Latin sacred poetry in its early days. Not much is known of Prudentias outside of what he wrote about himself. What we do know, is that he was born in northern Spain, and was a well educated man. During his life, Prudentias served as a lawyer, a judge, civil servant, and a scholar. When Prudentias was 57 years old, he retired from the world, and withdrew to a monastery where he committed the rest of his life to prayer and writing for the church. Though it did not seem that Prudentias had done this for any particular reason (most of the time, people would join a monastery later in life because of the nasty and vulgar lives they had lived before), it can be said that he had discovered the meaning and worth that is associated with the material world, and that it paled in comparison to a life in the church. Though we do not have much more information about Prudentias than this, we can attribute his great success in poetry to his decision to leave the world behind.
               John Mason Neale is known for his translation of Latin and Greek hymns in the 19th Century. When Neale was young, he grew up reading Isaac Watts's collection Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of Children (1715), which was full of texts that would come to cause Neale to have an aversion to studying hymnody entirely. The collection contained similar texts as:

"There is an Hour when I must die,

Nor do I know how soon will come;

A Thousand Children, young as I,

Are call'd by Death to hear their Doom."

Song X (Westermeyer, p 25)

After reading such texts, Neale was determined to write an alternative to these text, thus causing him to publish Hymns for children in 1842, the same year in which he married Sarah Norman Webster (which was the year after he was ordained). Because of lung disease, Neale was forced to spend quite a bit of time in Madeira, which gave him access to a well stocked library. As Neale continued to ponder hymnody, he began to realize that hymns did not only belong to Watts and Evangelicals but were a part of the earliest history of the church and included in it's daily prayer (Westermeyer, p 26). After this discovery, Neale turned his attention away from what he found to be "trashy" in Evangelical hymnody, and began looking to the breviary, which he found to be the liturgical book for daily prayer, and thought of this as the core of the church's hymnody. With his capability of learning languages (it is said that Neale could speak nearly 20 different languages), it is no wonder that Neale was able to provide the English world with so many wonderful translations of Greek and Latin hymns. 

               Most of Neales hymns were published in Medieval Hymns and Sequences (1851), and his collection The Hymnal Noted (1851 and the second edition in 1854), which was published with a version containing only the text, as well as a version containing  notes in Gregorian notation on a four-line staff. Thomas Helmore (known for the tune Veni, Emmanuel) was responsible for a version of this text that included harmonizatoins in the Accompanying Harmonies to the Hymnal Noted (1858, Parts I and II were bound together as one).  During Neale's life, he held a "high church" view, which would cause him to be place in an out-of-the-way place by his "low church" bishop in 1946. He was placed as the Warden of Sackville College in East Grimstead, which looked after old men who needed care all the time (Westermeyer, p 26). During his lifetime, Neale organized an abbey for the Sisterhood of St. Margaret, which cared for the poor, the sick, and the needy, as well as opened and orphanage and school for girls. Though Neale did these things for many years, he spent most of his life translating hymns. After his death in 1866, Neale's daughter, Mary Sackville Lawson, gathered all of his translations and published them in her 1914 collection Collected Hymns, Sequences, and Carols of John Mason Neale.

               Born May 27th, 1821, in London, Henry Williams Baker was the son of the well-known Admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker. Baker graduated from Trinity College at Cambridge his bachelors degree in 1844, which is the same year he took holy orders as the vicar in Monkland, Herefordshire (he also received his masters in 1847). Though he was still young, Baker remained at this posting for the rest of his life. Baker's name is known well in the world of hymnody, but he did not write many hymns himself. He is also well known for having composed the text for "Angels We Have Heard On High." 

               Named after a trope on the Sanctus, the tune "Divinum Mysterium" most likely comes from the thirteenth century. The tune was originally written in a triple meter, and was first published with such markings in Theodocricis Petri's collection Piae Cantiones, which was published in 1582. The tune was not paired with the text until the 19th century, when it was published with J.M. Neale's English translation of the text. Though Petri published the tune in triple meter with alternating half and quarter notes, the tune was redone by Winfred Douglas (1867-1944). Douglas took the tune and equalized the note values and published the tune in The Episcopal Hymnal (1916). Douglas was an Episcopal musician and priest who had done extensive studying and editing of Plainsong. The version that was published by Douglas is the most commonly published version today.

The Text:
(1) Of the Father's love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega,
He the Source, the Ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore.

(1) Corde natus ex parentis
Ante mundi exordium
A et O cognominatus,
ipse fons et clausula
Omnium quae sunt, fuerunt,
quaeque post futura sunt.
Saeculorum saeculis.
(2) Oh, that birth forever blessed
When the Virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving,
Bare the Savior of our race,
And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face
Evermore and evermore.

(2) O beatus ortus ille,
virgo cum puerpera
Edidit nostram salutem,
feta Sancto Spiritu,
Et puer redemptor orbis
os sacratum protulit.
Saeculorum saeculis.
(3) O ye heights of heaven, adore Him;
Angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert ring
Evermore and evermore.

(3) Psallat altitudo caeli,
psallite omnes angeli,
Quidquid est virtutis usquam
psallat in laudem Dei,
Nulla linguarum silescat,
vox et omnis consonet.
Saeculorum saeculis.
(4) This is He whom Heaven-taught singers
Sang of old with one accord;
Whom the Scriptures of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word.
Now He shines, the Long-expected;
Let creation praise its Lord
Evermore and evermore.

(4) Ecce, quem vates vetustis
concinebant saeculis,
Quem prophetarum fideles
paginae spoponderant,
Emicat promissus olim;
cuncta conlaudent eum.
Saeculorum saeculis.
(5) Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,
And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee
Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
And unending praises be,
Honor, glory, and dominion,
And eternal victory
Evermore and evermore.

(5) Tibi, Christe, sit cum Patre
hagioque Pneumate
Hymnus, decus, laus perennis,
gratiarum actio,
Honor, virtus, victoria,
regnum aeternaliter.
Saeculorum saeculis.
My Take on the Hymn:

               This hymns is one of great celebration and is very joyful in nature. Celebrating the coming of Christ, this text takes us from when Christ was expected, all the way to when Christ is taken into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. The text talks about Christ being the means to all ends, which to me rings a very profound meaning: Christ is the only way, and no other can take his place or lead you to salvation as it is said in John 14: 6, "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through me.'" Christ has come to us this Christmas season as it was promised us by prophets of old, but we cannot reach our heavenly place unless we accept Christ in our lives. It is one thing to acknowledge that Christ does exist, but it is entirely different to acknowledge that without Christ, we would not be here today, and our lives would be a lot darker. The third stanza speaks to Christs power that he has over everything, "Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King." Everything that is in earth was created by God the Father, and he has rule over everything. The fourth verse is interesting as well, regarding the topic of gifts that have been given to people. The verse says that God taught us to sing, and with those voices, we will sing of Gods praise. God has given the world so many things, but each and every thing that we have received was given us so that we may worship Christ. The world is a wonderful place, but everything will eventually pass away. Knowing this, we must live each and every day with the thought that one day, we will be home in Heaven, and everything we have here on earth was given so that we may spread the good news of Christ, and that we may better serve one another, and by doing so, show the love that Christ has given us!

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "Of the Father's Love Begotten." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 26 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "J. M. Neale." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 26 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Sir H. W. Baker." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 26 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Aurelius Clemens Prudentius." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 26 Dec. 2012.

""Of the Father's Love Begotten"" "Of the Father's Love Begotten" Lutheran Hymnal, n.d. Web. 26 Dec. 2012.

Westermeyer, Paul. "Of the Father's Love Begotten." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 25+. Web.

O Lord, How I Meet You

Here is another hymn for the rapidly closing season of Advent!

Title: O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

Tune: Wie Soll Ich Dich Empfangen

Meter: 7.6.7.6. Doubled

Composer: Johann Cruger (April 9, 1598- February 23, 1662)

Author: Paul Gerhardt (March 12, 1607- May 27, 1676) tr. Composite

                Originally written in German with ten stanzas, “O Lord, How Shall I meet You” was published in 1653 in Cristoph Runge’s D.M. Luthers und anderer vornehmen geistreichen und felehrtern Manner geistliche Lieder und Psalmen, in which the composer of the tune, Johann Cruger, was the musical editor. The translation that can be found in the Evangelical Book of Lutheran Worship can be traced back to the same translation in The Lutheran Hymnal published in 1941. Though that particular text contains several different alterations too it, it seems to be very similar to the translation done by Catherine Winkworth (to learn more about Catherine Winkworth from a previous post, click Here), which was published in her 1863 collection The Chorale Book for England. The topic of the hymn is welcoming God who has come to set us free from our gloom, and rejoicing in his presence.

                Paul Gerhardt was born near Wittenberg, Germany, where he studed at the Furstenchule at Grimma, and eventually studied at the University of Wittenberg in 1628. During the early years of his life, Gerhardt suffered through the trials and the trauma of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Though he was not ordained until 1651, Gerhardt started preaching around the age of 30 in Berlin. In the same year he was ordained, he took orders as the pastor of a church in Mittenwalde Germany, in the vicinity near Wittenberg. Throughout his life, Gerhardt had troubles, suffering through political unrest, as well as violence that would cost him the family home in which he grew up in. In 1637, Gerhardt’s home in the town of Grafenhayniches (his father had been the mayor of the town) was set on fire by Swedish Soldiers. The family home was completely destroyed, along with his family’s possessions and his family’s church. Because of the theological unrest, Gerhardt was forced to enter into some of the “squabbles” of the times, when his conscious would not allow him to accede to the Calvinist demands of the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm. Because of his disagreement with Wilhelm, Gerhardt was removed from his post in 1666. Three years later, in 1669, Gerhardt was named the pastor at the church in Lubben an der Srpree, where he served for the remainder of his life. Though he remained at the post for 10 years, the members of his congregation were not supportive of him or his ideals.

                The tune “Wie Soll Ich Dich Empfangen” was written by Johann Cruger, who was the other half (Paul Gerhardt being the first half) in what many considered one of the church’s partnerships of text and tune writers, of pastor and musicians (Westermeyer, p 5). Johann Cruger met Paul Gerhardt, when Gerhardt was a tutor in Berlin, and the two of them became good friends. The two of them collaborated, and thus this tune was written to go along with this particular text. The tune is named for the first line of text in the original German translation, and was published in 1653. Cruger helped introduce Gerhardt’s hymns to the public by publishing them in his Praxis PietatisMelica, which is considered to be the most important hymn collection to be published in the 17^th century. Published in its first edition in 1644, the collection was expanded and published with more than fifty different editions over the next century, long after Cruger had passed away. Unlike Luther, Gerhardt’s texts along with Cruger’s tunes were very smooth and connected.

                Born the son of an innkeeper in Prussia, Cruger studied in Regensburg with one of Giovanni Gabrieli’s Students, Paul Homberger (c. 1560-1643). Eventually, in 1620, Cruger began studying at the University of Wittenberg, but two short years later, and for the next forty years of his life, Cruger served as the Cantor in the St. Nicholas Church in Berlin as well as the director of music in the Gymnasium of the Grey Cloister, the College of St. Nicholas (Westermeyer, p 5). During his lifetime, Cruger wrote at least 71 different tunes, and most of which were written for Paul Gerhardt. Though Cruger was known for his collection, Praxis Pietatis Melica, he also worked on a number of different collections including his Newes vollkomliches Gesangbuch Augsbergischer Confession, published in 1640, which is the predecessor to the Praxis Pietatis Melica. In this publication, most of the chorale melodies were arranged with figured bass (Westermeyer, p 6). This helped to emphasize the newly found importance of harmony and of the organ in congregational singing, a fairly new phenomenon in the reforming era of the church. Cruger’s definition of music is “the science of artfully and judiciously combining and inflecting harmonic intervals, which make a concentus of diverse sounds. This definition can be directly contrasted by Augustine’s definition of music, which is “how to make controlled variations of sound in the right way.” Both definitions can be considered for the glory of God, but for Cruger, the harmony is central which explains the role he played in introducing or at least supporting the incoming practice of accompanying the congregation with the organ. The practice of accompanying the congregation with Organ took many centuries to catch on, even in the time of J.S. Bach, and well into the 19^th century, many congregations were singing in unaccompanied unison.

The Text:

(1)    O Lord, how shall I meet you,
How welcome you aright?
Your people long to greet you,
My hope, my heart's delight!
Oh, kindle, Lord most holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please you best.

(2)    Your Zion strews before you
Green boughs and fairest palms;
And I too will adore you
With joyous songs and psalms.
My heart shall bloom forever
For you with praises new
And from your name shall never
With hold the honor due.

(3)    I lay in fetters, groaning;
You came to set me free.
I stood, my shame bemoaning;
You came to honor me.
A glorious crown you give me,
A treasure safe on high
That will not fail or leave me
As earthly riches fly.

(4)    Love caused your incarnation;
Love brought you down to me.
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling,
That led you to embrace
In love, all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race.

(5)    Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn your joys departed
And tremble at your doom.
Despair not; he is near you,
There, standing at the door,
Who best can help and cheer you
And bids you weep no more.

(6)    He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to his foes,
A light of consolations
And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord's appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.

My Take on the Hymn:

                This hymn is perfect for the joy that comes with expecting the coming of Jesus, and the wonder that comes along with waiting for his love to arrive! Though the hymn is an advent hymn, it does cover many topics of Christ, including when Christ would leave this world. The voice of the text is one that is humbled and is one that comes from an introspective point of view. During this time of Advent, it is important for us to look inside and see what it is we can do to honor and worship Christ. Sometimes, it is as simple as asking Christ in prayer to show you how, but sometimes, we need to sit back and listen to the words that Christ is telling us through our lives. As the third stanza says, Christ will always come to people in their darkest hour, and he will raise those people up to the glory that is only possible through Christ. God has a funny way of taking us from our bootstraps, throwing us up in the air, and helping us to land back on our feet again. As humans, we are messy. We don’t have an easy life, we don’t have simple solutions to simple problems, and we don’t always have everything figured out, but that is why Christ came. Christ came so that we can trust that God will help us through our times of trial, and that we will always have a place to turn when we are in the darkest parts of our lives.

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just play the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "Ah! Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "WIE SOLL ICH DICH EMPFANGEN." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Paul Gerhardt." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2012.

"O Lord, How Shall I Meet You." O Lord, How Shall I Meet You. Lutheran Hymnal, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2012.

Westermeyer, Paul. "O Lord, How Shall I Greet Thee." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 5-6. Print.

               

                

Blessed Be the God of Israel

Here is another hymn!

Title:  Blessed Be the God of Israel         

Tune: Forest Green

Meter:  8.6.8.6.8.6.8.6 (Common Meter Doubled)

Composer: English Folk Tune; arr. Ralph Vaughn Williams (October 12^th 1871-August 26^th 1958)

Author: Carl P. Daw. Jr. (March 18^th 1944)

                This hymn was written for a hymn writing competition in 1985 sponsored by The Hymn Society of America. This text shared the same first line as another hymn written by Michael Perry that was being presented at the competition as well. This hymn is a paraphrase of Zechariah’s song found in Luke 1: 68-79, which is the Benedictus at the circumcision of John the Baptist. This hymn uses many allusions to other texts throughout the bible, including passages from Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:1-2, Mark 1:2-8, Luke 3: 1-20, and John 1: 19-28. Though these allusions are specifically named, Daw has inserted “intentional echoes” from Galatians 5: 22-23, and Colossians 3: 1-2, as well as an attempt to create a blend between John the Baptist acclaiming the coming of Christ, and the triumphant Lamb found in the book of Revelations (Westermeyer, p 15).

                Born the in Louisville, Kentucky, as the son of a Baptist pastor, Daw grew up in several towns throughout the state of Kentucky. Before his ordination, Daw taught in the English department at the college of William and Marry for nearly eight years. After his ordination, he began serving as Assistant Rector of Christ and Grace Church in Petersburg, Virginia for three years, and he served as the Vicar-Chaplain of St. Mark’s Chapel at the University of Connecticut at Storrs fir nine years. Eventually Daw spent three years serving as a resident Companion of the Community of Celebration in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and has served in many different capacities since then. From 1996-2009, Reverend Dr. Daw served as the Executive Director of the Hymn Society in America and in Canada, while the ecumenical organization held its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts  at the University School of Theology, where Dr. Daw remains as an adjunct professor of Hymnology in the Masters of Sacred Music degree program. Dr. Daw also serves as the Curator of the Hymnological Collection at the School of Theology. Dr. Daw is known for having numerous hymns published in ecumenical hymnals all around the world in countries ranging from Canada, all the way to Scotland and England as well as Japan. Daw acted as a consultant for the Text Committee, as well as a contributor of his own translations, paraphrases, and original hymns in the Hymnal 1982. Working with Hope Publishing Co, Daw has published four titles: A Year of Grace; Hymns for the Church Year (1990), To Sing God’s Praise (1992), New Psalms and Hymns and Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1996), and finally Gathered for Worship( 2006). Daw has been an active member of several different committees, including one that published the Hymnal 1982 companion, as well as a member of the committee that has published several essays regarding the importance of hymns in the church today.

                The tune “Forest Green” was written by the famous English composer, Ralph Vaughn Williams. Vaughn Williams is famous in the wind band era, having written several pieces for a concert band, which in his time, was a very new and incredibly interesting idea. Vaughn Williams notated this tune in December of 1903, after he had heard the tune being sung by a man named Garman of Forest Green, near Ockley, Surrey (Westermeyer, p 16). This tune is included in Vaughn Williams 1906 English Hymnal, in which he was the musical editor. This tune is written in the form of AABA, which may get repetitive, but the difference between conjunct motion (connected with step-wise motion), and the disjunct motion (not connected with leaping motions) helps to keep the piece interesting. To cover all of the information on Vaughn Williams, one could write a separate essay that ranges anywhere from 10-20 pages, but his range in the world of hymnody is somewhat shorter conversation.

                Being one of few composers who understood hymns, Vaughn Williams focused much of his attention on the tunes and congregational singing. Evidence of this can be found in several different places, including the fact that he collected folk songs, edited The English Hymnal, wrote prospectively about folk songs and congregational singing, and the most prominent piece of evidence, is the hymn tune he composed and placed in his composition, Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis. The tune is based off the third mode and is rightly called the “Third Mode Melody.” Born in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, to a Lutheran Vicar, Vaughn Williams was raised mostly by his mother in Leith Hill Place, which was a family home in the Hills of Surry. Vaughn Williams was forced to move there because of the sudden death of his father in 1875 (Only three years after his birth). An interesting family lineage is found with Vaughn Williams, in that his great uncle was none other than Charles Darwin. Though Vaughn Williams was born into an upper middle class family, he always worked hard for his Democratic and Egalitarian ideas in which he strongly believed in. In his younger years, Vaughn Williams studied piano, but was never very good, so he picked up the violin which he describes as his “musical salvation.” Studying at the Royal College of Music, Vaughn Williams had the opportunity to work with several prominent people including C. Hubert H. Parry, and Charles V. Stanford, and eventually he began studying in Germany with Max Bruch, and in Paris with Maurice Ravel. During his time at the Royal College of Music, Vaughn Williams became friends with an influential person in his composition life, one Mr. Gustav Holst. Though his compositional skills grew slowly, Vaughn Williams eventually had a career that merged into several different areas in his life. Vaughn Williams thought music to be very important, and believed that musical choices, including hymn choices, were “moral matters.”

The Text:

(1)    Blest be the God of Israel

who comes to set us free

and raises new hope for us:

a Branch from David's tree.

So have the prophets long declared

that with a mighty arm

God would turn back our enemies

and all who wish us harm.

(2)    With promised mercy will God still

the covenant recall:

the oath once sworn to Abraham,

from foes to save us all;

that we might worship without fear

and offer lives of praise,

in holiness and righteousness

before God all our days.

(3)    My child, as prophet of the Lord,

you will prepare the way,

to tell God's people they are saved

from sin's eternal sway.

Then shall God's mercy from on high

shine forth and never cease

to drive away the gloom of death

and lead us into peace.

My Take on the Hymn:

                To me, this hymn shows us the promise that is given to us through the birth of Christ, but it also shows us the things that we have been charged with doing here on Earth. The first verse tells us of all the things Christ will do, being that he will save us from our times of trial, and he will set us free from the bonds of sin, but into the second verse, we are reminded that we as humans have made a covenant with God. I often question why God is so merciful to us, and the answer always boils down to this, his undying love for us. Why does he give us this love? That is a question that only God knows the answer to, but I am thankful for it each and every day. Our covenant with God reminds us of the things that God has asked us to do in order that he will remain loving us till the end of days. Finally, the last verse, which is all about the things that God has asked us to do throughout each and every day of our lives. Christ asks us to share the good news of God and to give of our time and our talents so that God’s love may be seen throughout the world.  Christ is coming, but it is our job to prepare the world for his arrival, so that when he is here, the world will be ready for him. We can all take part in this by preparing a place for Christ in our hearts. I challenge everyone (myself included),  take ten minutes a day to reflect on how you can open your heart to Christ’s call. Whether it be on the drive to or from work, or the first thing you do in the morning, or even if you are sitting on the treadmill at the gym, try and find the ten minutes in your day to spend thinking of how you can worship Christ. Merry Christmas to everyone, and happy holidays!

The Hymn:

Unfortunately, I was unable to find a recording of this hymn. I will see if I can place one on here sometime in the near future. 

Bibliography:

"Ralph Vaughan Williams." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

"FOREST GREEN." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

"Carl P. Daw." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

"Blessed Be the God of Israel." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

"Blest Be the God of Israel." Oremus Hymnal:. Hope Publishing, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.

Comfort, Comfort Ye My People

Here is another hymn! Less than a week until Christmas is here!

Title: Comfort, Comfort Ye My People

Tune: Freu Dich Sehr

Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.

Composer: Louis Bourgeois (c. 1510-1561)

Author: Johann Olearius (1611-1684), Trans. Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

Originally written as a German versification of the text Isaiah 40: 1-5, the text of this hymn was meant to show the promise of better days to come within the coming of the Messiah. The passage from Isaiah marks the beginning of the remaining large passages of prophecies (Isa. 40-66), in which the prophecies display messages of condolence and of hope that the exile of Judah from Babylon will soon be over. The hymn was written by Johann Olearius in honor of St. John the Baptist day, and was published in the 1671 collection Geistliche Singe-Kunst. This collection contained nearly 1200 hymns, 300 of which came from Olearius himself. it wasn't until nearly 200 years later that Catherine Winkworth translated this hymn from German to English and published it in her 1863 collection of translations Chorale Book for England. Known for her clean translations, Winkworth was good at maintaining the original form of the texts she translated. 

            Born the son of a Johann Olearius, the pastor of St. Mary's Church, and the superintendent in Halle, Germany, Olearius was born into a long line of Lutheran Theologians. He began his studies at the University of Wittenburg in 1629, where he earned his master’s degree in 1632, and eventually his doctorate in 1643. Eventually, while studying at the university, Olearius became lecturer, and in 1635 was named as an adjunct member of the Philosophical Faculty. Two years later, in 1637, Olearius was appointed superintendent at Querfurt, where he remained until 1643, when he was appointed by Duke August of  Sachsen-Weissenfels as the chief court preacher and private chaplain at Halle. During his time in Halle, Olearius became Kirchenrath (1657) and eventually the superintendent (1664). In 1680, upon the death of Duke August, the administration in Halle fell under the control of Duke Johann Adolf, who gave Olearius many of the same positions that he already held, only this time in Weissenfels, which Olearius held until his death in 1684. During his lifetime, Olearius had published many different works, one of which was a commentary on the entire bible itself. Olearius was also known as one of the biggest contributors to the largest collection of hymns at the time, Geistliche Singe-Kunst (1671). Olearius worked on both the first edition of the collection and the second edition of the collection (published only a year later, updated with nearly 100 more hymns). Olearius is also known for having translated Thomas A. Kempis's book Imitatio Christi (the Imitation of Christ), which is a widely read book. 

            Catherine Winkworth was a woman of great note, being a well-educated woman, and a supporter of women's rights and higher education for women. Beginning her education with her mother, Winkworth was raised with her close relatives in Dresden, Germany, where she became interested in her German Hymnody. Eventually, Winkworth moved to Manchester, England, where she remained until 1862, when she moved with her family to Clifton, which is just outside of Bristol, England. Spending most of her life translating texts of German hymns, Winkworth began with a collection of hymnals from her friend, Baron Bunsen. Though the translations are often changed, most of her original translations are used in many different hymnals today. The bulk of her work was published in two collections of Lyra Germanica (1855, 1858), as well as her book Chorale Book for England. In this collection (Chorale Book for England), Winkworth was sure to pair each tune with the appropriate German text, which was annotated by two gentleman, Sterndale Bennet and Otto Goldschmidt. During her lifetime, Winkworth also translated biographies of German Christians who supported ministries to the poor and to the sick, as well as biographies of German hymn writers, and published them in Christian Singers of Germany (1869).

            Originally written as an accompaniment for the text from Psalm 42, the tune "Freu Dich Sehr" was composed by Louis Bourgeois. Born in 1510, Bourgeois was a famous French Renaissance composer and music theorist. Though almost nothing is known about Bourgeois's early life, it is known that his first publicatioin was a collection of secular chansons published in 1539 in Lyon, France. In 1547 however, Bourgeois moved to, and became a citizen of Geneva, where he published his first collection of four-voice psalms. Between 1549 and 1550, Bourgeois worked on a number of tunes that were supposed to accompany psalms. Though it was known that Bourgeois had worked on this collection, the extent to which he was a composer, compiler or arranger was unknown until a copy of a long-lost copy of the Genevan Hymnal was brought to the library at Rutgers University. In an avertissement (or note) to the reader, Bourgeois specified the exact work that had been done by his predecessors, what he had changed, and which arrangements were his. Bourgeois is one of the three main composers who contributed to the Genevan Hymnal. 

            Around this time, Bourgeois lost his reputation with musical authorities around France, and was eventually thrown in jail in 1851 for having made changes to popular hymn-tunes "without a license." Eventually, Bourgeois was released from prison on a personal recommendation from John Calvin himself, but, even after his release, the controversy continued. Because the singers had already learned the original tunes, had no desire to learn anything new, the town council demanded that a burning of his instructions be held, claiming that his instructions were too confusing and unnecessary. Shortly after this incident, Bourgeois (understandably) left Geneva, and moved to Lyon, which his wife followed sometime after. Shortly after his move, his employment in Geneva was terminated. Eventually, in 1560, Bourgeois moved to Paris, where he published a fierce piece of invective against the publishers in Geneva. During his time in Paris, a Parisian publisher came out with a collection of four-voice chansons written by the composer, a form of music which Bourgeois had claimed to be "dissolute," during his time in Geneva. Oddly enough, his daughter was born around this time, and she was baptized as Catholic. Nothing is known of Bourgeois's life after 1560, though most hymnals print his date of death as 1561. Bourgeois is the most responsible for the tunes in the Genevan Psalter, a source for music in both the Reformed Church, and the church in America. Though many of his tunes were written in a monophonic style (containing only one part for voice), it is known that he had written harmonization for each of his tunes, but that was usually reserved for performances in his home. Of all Bourgeois compositions, perhaps the most famous is known as the Old 100th, which many in the protestant church known as the tune for the Doxology.

The Text:

(1) Comfort, comfort ye my people,

Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;

Comfort those who sit in darkness,

Mourning 'neath their sorrows' load;
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them,
Tell her that her sins I cover,
And her warfare now is over.

(2) Yea, her sins our God will pardon,

Blotting out each dark misdeed;

All that well deserved His anger

He will no more see nor heed.
She hath suffer'd many a day,
Now her griefs have passed away,
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever-springing gladness.

(3) For Elijah's voice is crying

In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance,

Since the kingdom now is here.
Oh that warning cry obey,
Now prepare for God a way;
Let the valleys rise to meet Him,
And the hills bow down to greet Him.

(4) Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain,
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits His holy reign;
For the glory of the Lord
Now o'er earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall fee the token
That His Word is never broken.

My Take on the Hymn:

            This hymn is very important to the message that is coming with the season of Advent. In the time of Advent, it is important that we take the time to not only to admit the sins we had committed, but also to atone for them. In the first verse, the voice of the text speaks to those who are in times of trial. When we are struggling with something, sometimes it is very difficult for us to admit that we are struggling, but that is all God requires of us, to give our sorrows and struggles to Him. The second stanza speaks to God’s ability to forgive and forget. The fact that God is willing to accept us into his house, no matter what we have done, is incredible. Christ is the only one who can forgive us our sins, but we must go through Him in order to be completely forgiven. Into the kingdom of heaven, there is no shortcut, and there is no easy way in, which leads us into the third stanza. This stanza is all about atoning for the sins that we have committed, which is the only way that Christ will forgive us. God knows the sins we have committed, but he wants us to admit to Him that we know what we have done, and that we know that what we have done is wrong. The fourth stanza is all about the power of Christ. At the end of time, Christ will bring everything to light, and he will take what is crooked and make it straight, and he will take everything that once was dark, and he will awaken the dead, and raise them up into the realms of glory!

            On another note, I feel that the magnitude of what has occurred this past week deserves a response. The event that took place at Stony Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, is one that has no explanation, no reasoning, or any resemblance of an iota of sense. For the parents of the children that have been killed (as well as the rest of their family), and to the families of those adults who were killed, I am truly sorry for your loss, and I pray that you will be able to heal and find comfort in the time to come. Please remember, there are two powers at work in this world, Satan, and God himself. Though it may seem easier to blame God for this, he would not ever cause his children this much pain. This may be the darkest hour in your life so far, but through God, healing will come, and he will not allow you to go through this alone. Christ will be with you, He will be with you, and He will provide for you the things you need to heal. The thing that we must concentrate on most now more than ever, is how we can help the families heal, and then we can deal with things as they come.

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just play the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

"Comfort, Comfort Ye My People." Hymnary.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Louis Bourgeois." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Catherine Winkworth." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "Johann Olearius." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

Julian, John. "FREU DICH SEHR." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

"Comfort, Comfort Ye My People." Comfort, Comfort Ye My People. The Hymns and Carols of Christmas, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.