The Bible in Song - my blast from the past

The songs below were recorded by the Medical Mission Sisters in the 1960's. I learnt them when I was in primary school and loved them. I've taught what I remembered of them to my children but until recently, when I found them on youtube, I didn't have a recording of them.
Some of the words are available here.

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet: Matthew 22 & Luke 14.
This is our favourite & is fun to sing.





The story of Zacchaeus the tax collector: Luke 19




Luke 17 - this isn't the original recording & isn't the best quality but it's the only one I could find.




'Come down Lord my son is ill...Do not come to my house, I'm unworthy...'
Based on Matthew 8:





John 6 - a hymn I remember from years ago.




Not a Bible story as such but a song about Joy:

Ideas for Hymn Study - A Mighty Fortress is Our God by Martin Luther

A Mighty Fortress

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.

'Martin Luther described Jesus as "Lord Sabaoth." That's a Hebrew word that means "armies ready for war." The idea behind this name of Jesus is that He is Captain of the Lord's army and He us ready to go to battle for us and defend us.'

Seasons of Praise by Rebecca Hayford Bauer

See here for some historical background to this hymn


Thunderstorm in the Church by Louise A. Vernon is a fictionalised account of the life of Martin Luther told through the eyes of his son, Hans. The author travelled throughout England and Germany to find out her information firsthand before writing the book and she tells an engaging story for children around 6 to 12 years of age. It's a good family read aloud if you have younger children and is an excellent introduction to the life of Martin Luther and the times in which he lived.

Queen of the Reformation by Charles Ludwig is centred around Martin Luther's wife, Katie and the events that led to their marriage and their life together. Born in 1499, Katherine von Bora lost her mother when she was a child and was rejected by her stepmother. At the age of 16 years she made her vows and entered the convent at Nimbshen in Germany. Eight years later she fled the convent with a group of fellow nuns and at the age of 26 years she married Luther who was 16 years her senior.

The book is a well-researched fictionalised story of Katie and her life with Martin Luther. There is much historical information intertwined with an interesting and lively account of their relationship and the tumultuous times in which they lived and of the inspiration behind Luther's famous hymn which was later declared to be "The Marseillaise of the Reformation." 

The Peasant Revolt, the plague and the threat of Suleiman the Magnificent come to life within its pages and Luther is portrayed realistically as a great man who struggled with his own share of human foibles and frailty. Towards the end of his life Luther was living under immense strain and suffered greatly from kidney stones, depression and other afflictions and Katie was heartsick over the changes she saw in him.

That spirit of generosity was now leaving him. His quill, always sharp, became a surgeon's scalpel. In 1545 he denounced the Roman church in the darkest words that seeped into his mind.
He also carved a few Protestants, especially those who disagreed with him about the presence of Christ in the communion bread and wine.

These statements, which have caused Luther's enemies to gloat, were viewed by Katie with more understanding eyes. She knew her husband better than anyone else, and she knew his heart was right even though his speech and writing smoked with brimstone.

I don't think that there are many books that portray Luther's other half (for children at least) and I was pleased to find this one. The author has also included a few maps (something I always appreciate in books with historical settings) and short extracts of letters and documents. There are one or two very brief comments on some of the atrocities that occurred during the Peasant Revolt, but otherwise the book is suited to around the ages of 12 to 15 years.

224 pages.

This website has some information on Katharina von Bora and other people such as the artist Lucas Cranach who were involved in her life.

Hymn Study: Before the Throne of God Above

Originally written by Charitie Lees Bankcroft (1841-1923), this is probably one of my favourite hymns. The tune here was put to the original words by Vikki Cook in 1997.
I've written elsewhere about being driven as opposed to resting in relation to homeschooling and mothering and the second verse, 'When Satan tempts me to despair,' is so applicable in that context.

Despair:

A destitution of hope or expectation.
Synonyms: gloom, disheartenment, discouragement, despondency.

We despair or become disheartened because we're looking in the long places and listening to the wrong voices. Marriage and motherhood are spiritual battle zones and we do have an enemy and when I sing this wonderful hymn it reminds me of this. It points me to a place of rest and enables me to have an eternal perspective at the same time as it strengthens and renews me to fight and keep on going.




Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.

Hymn - Wayfaring Stranger

There are a quite a few variations on the words in this hymn but this is what we are singing:

I am a poor wayfaring stranger,
While traveling through this world of woe.
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I’m going there to see my Father;
I’m going there no more to roam.

I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.

I know dark clouds will gather round me;
I know my way is rough and steep.
But golden fields lie out before me
Where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep.
I’m going there to see my mother,
She said she’d meet me when I come.

I’m only going over Jordan,
I’m only going over home.

January Hymn Study: Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Hymn Study: Glorious Day

The words to this hymn were written around 1908 by J. Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918). The version below has the original words to this hymn with some added lines and with music written by Casting Crowns in 2009.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my Example is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day they left Him alone in the garden,

One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!

Hymn Study - The Love of God

There's an interesting background to this song. It's attributed to Frederick Lehman (1917) but it has its roots in a Jewish poem written in the 11th century - the words to the third verse were actually found after the inmate of a mental asylum died; they were found pencilled on the walls of his room. For more information see the blog posts I found here and here (this one has a free download of the song but it's a different tune to the one I've got here).

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Hymn for April - Come Ye Sinners Poor & Needy

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy
Weak and wounded, sick and sore
Jesus ready stands to save you
Full of pity, love and power

Refrain

I will arise and go to Jesus
He will embrace me in His arms
In the arms of my dear Savior
O there are ten thousand charms

Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome
God’s free bounty glorify
True belief and true repentance
Every grace that brings you nigh

Come, ye weary, heavy laden
Lost and ruined by the fall
If you tarry till you’re better
You will never come at all

View Him prostrate in the garden
On the ground your Maker lies
On the bloody tree behold Him
Sinner, will this not suffice?

Lo! the incarnate God ascended
Pleads the merit of His blood
Venture on Him, venture wholly
Let no other trust intrude