Each week, you may find information here about the
music in the traditional worship services at First United Methodist Church in
Lewisville, Texas. Some of this information is original; much of it is
"borrowed" from other sources such as Wikipedia, GBOD, and hymnary.org.
It is my hope that this information will enhance your understanding and enrich
your worship experience.
My
Shepherd Will Supply My Need – Alice Jordan
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was the son of a schoolmaster and
was born in Southampton. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in
childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing
respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to
London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent
minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church,
Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor.
The number of Watts' publications is very large. His collected works,
first published in 1720, embrace sermons, treatises, poems and hymns. His
"Horae Lyricae" was published in December, 1705. His
"Hymns" appeared in July, 1707. The first hymn he composed for religious worship, "Behold
the glories of the Lamb," was written at the age of twenty. Some of his hymns were written to be sung
after his sermons, giving expression to the meaning of the text upon which he
had preached. Montgomery calls Watts "the greatest name among
hymn-writers," and the honor can hardly be disputed. His published hymns
number more than eight hundred. There is
a monument to his memory in the South Choir of Westminster Abbey. The inscription reads, "Happy will be
that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to imitate him
in all but his non-conformity, to copy his benevolence to men, and his
reverence to God."
Psalm 23 has inspired numerous paraphrases and hymn
texts, including this text by Isaac Watts. Watts included it in his large 1719
collection of psalm paraphrases, The Psalms of David Imitated. Psalm 23 remains the most well-loved
and often recited psalm, and Isaac Watts' powerful paraphrase, coupled with the
peaceful yet strong American folk tune, make this hymn a moving rendition of
that psalm. Watts’ interpretation of the last line of psalm, “and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD forever,” gives a new understanding to the original
psalm: “No more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home.” Watts gives
us a concrete image of dwelling – a child, knowing he or she is safe and
secure, and in a place of love and comfort – to help us understand what it is
we hope for. The same peace we find in the pasture and by the stream, we find
in the house of the LORD, to which our Shepherd is leading us day by day.
My Shepherd will supply my need: Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed, Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake, In paths of truth and grace.
In pastures fresh He makes me feed, Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake, In paths of truth and grace.
Alice Jordan (1916-2011) is known for her widely published
choral and organ compositions which are regularly used in churches, schools and
colleges in this country and abroad. Some of her compositions have won
recognition in national competition. She
was the
recipient of over 40 commissions from across the United States.
The
King of Love My Shepherd Is – Sam Batt Owens
“The King of Love My
Shepherd Is” is an Anthony G. Petti (1932-1985) adaption of the 1868 Sir Henry W. Baker (1821-1877) paraphrase of Psalm 23. Baker took Holy
Orders in the Church of England in 1844. He was closely associated with hymnody
in the Church. Besides writing, translating, and composing a number of hymns,
his most notable role was as Editor-in-Chief of the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) which sold over 60 million copies. “The King of Love My
Shepherd Is” has proven to be his most enduring work. It is said that
as he lay dying his final words were those of the 3rd stanza: "Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, but yet
in love he sought me; and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing,
brought me." It is sung to the tune: St. Columba, a traditional Irish melody.
The
King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.
I nothing lack if I am his, and he is mine forever.
Where
streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.
and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish,
oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought
me;
and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.
and on his shoulder gently laid, and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I
fear no ill, with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me.
thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in
my sight; thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth!
and oh, what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the
length of days, thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever.
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever.
Sam
Batt Owens (1928-1998) enjoyed a long career as a well-known organist,
composer, and church musician. He received a B. Mus. in organ performance, from
the Birmingham Conservatory of Music, a M. Mus. in organ performance and
composition from Birmingham- Southern College, and a D.M.A. in organ
performance and musicology from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. Owens taught at Birmingham Conservatory of
Music, Birmingham Southern College, Vanderbilt University, Fisk University,
Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal School, and Christ School for Boys in Arden, N.C. He
held his fIrst position as an organist at age 12, and began solo organ
performances at age 16. He wrote more than 200 choral, organ, instrumental and
solo vocal compositions. He was one of the Episcopal Church's leading
musicians. He was President of the Association of Anglican Musicians from
1989-1991. In 1996, he had left his position at St. Andrew's on-the-Sound in
Wilmington, N.C., to become a consultant for parishes and dioceses in artistic
matters and a crusader for fair compensation and recognition of church
musicians. In his later years he taught congregations in smaller parishes how
to be full participants in corporate worship, presenting "music in liturgy
and how music upholds and supports corporate worship."
Derr
Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt – Ernst Pepping
The
Lord is my faithful Shepherd. He keeps me in His protection,
Within
which nothing can be lacking for me even to a single good.
He
pastures me continually,
for which purpose
the delicious grass Of His Holy Word grows.
He reveals pure
water to me that will refresh me,
that is His most
holy Spirit, which makes me feel at ease.
He leads me on
the right road of His commandments without fail
For His name’s
sake.
And if I wander
in the dark valley, I shall fear no misfortune,
In persecution,
sorrow, trouble, and the falsehood of this world,
For You are with
me constantly, Your rod and staff comfrort me,
I trust in Your
word.
You prepare a
table for me before my thronging enemies,
You make my heart
optimistic and fresh,
You anoint my
head with Your Spirit, the oil of joy,
And You present
to my soul the fullness of Your spiritual happiness.
Goodness and
mercy will follow after me in my life,
And I will remain
always even in the house of the Lord,
On the earth in
Christian company;
And after death I
will be with Christ, my Lord.
About the Choral Music:
The Majesty and Glory of Your Name – Tom
Fettke
Tom
Fettke has taught music in both public and Christian schools and
has served as a church choir
director and minister of music in churches large and small for over
30 years. He is a composer, arranger, clinician, and producer of Christian
music recordings. Fettke was the creator
and senior editor of the Hymnal for
Worship and Celebration (1986).
Ever since The Church Music Report's "Favorite
Anthem Survey" began surveying music ministers decades ago, only one
anthem has appeared every year at the top of their "All-time Favorite
Anthems" list: Tom Fettke's "The Majesty and Glory of Your
Name." This is his story of that
anthem:
This work is not mine.
The text is Psalm 8 and I wasn’t the author of Psalm 8. The lyric setting is by Linda Lee Johnson and this was
her first attempt at lyric writing. She
was a choir member at a church where I was Minister of Music. Linda had written a children’s Sunday School
Program which revealed some of her creative abilities. When I asked her to try writing a text based
on my favorite Psalm, her response was less than confident, but she was willing
to give it a try. A few days later she
presented to me a lyric that I felt was nearly perfect and ready for my attempt
at a musical setting.
The original piece ended with “little children praise You
perfectly, and so would we”. However, it
never felt quite right and remained in a drawer in its old form for several
months. Then, during a concert in which
my choir performed the Ken Medema anthem, “Moses”, I realised what was needed
was a warm, emotional, more fully developed personal response to God’s majesty and
glory. The next day, I wrote the “Alleluia”
section. Playing through the completed
work was an incredibly moving experience, and I just knew that God had chosen
to touch this musical and textual creation.
That’s the story.
This song is not mine, it’s God’s.
It is one of those things in life that you know, beyond a shadow of a
doubt, you had nothing to do with; you were only a tool in the hands of God to
display His handiwork.
When I gaze into the night skies
and see the work of your fingers;
The moon and stars suspended in space.
Oh, what is man that you are mindful of him?
and see the work of your fingers;
The moon and stars suspended in space.
Oh, what is man that you are mindful of him?
You have given man a crown of glory and honor,
And have made him a little lower than the angels.
You have put him in charge of all creation:
beasts of the field, The birds of the air,
The fish of the sea.
Oh, what is man?
Oh, what is man that you are mindful of him?
O Lord, our God the majesty and glory of your name
Transcends the earth and fills the heavens.
O Lord, our God; little children praise You perfectly,
And so would we.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The majesty and glory of Your name.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
About the Hymns:
O
God, Our Help in Ages Past
The hymn tune "St. Anne" to which the text is most often sung was composed by William Croft in 1708 whilst he was the organist of the church of St Anne, Soho. It first appeared anonymously in the Supplement to the New Version of the Psalms, 6th edition in 1708. It was originally intended to be used with a version of Psalm 62. It was not until sometime later when set to Watts' text that the tune gained recognition.
Where He Leads Me
Earnest W. Blandy, a Salvation Army officer, wrote this song in 1890, after choosing between a comfortable post at an established church, and an alternate assignment to the New York City waterfront and slum called "Hell’s Kitchen." He chose the latter. No other biographical information on Rev. Blandy has survived. The text is based on Matthew 16:24: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”
The melody was composed by pastor and evangelist John S. Norris, who died in 1907. Norris was born on the Isle of Wight, which is in the English Channel off the southern coast of England. His family emigrated to Canada. In 1868, a few years after the Civil War ended, he was ordained into the Methodist Church ministry. However, 10 years later he joined the Congregational Church and pastored churches in Canada and the United States. Little is known of his ministry. His only legacy is the soulful tune of this simple song of invitation and consecration.
Standing on the Promises
R. Kelso Carter became an ordained Methodist minister (1887) at the age of 38. A year earlier, he was a professor at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, where he wrote the hymn, "Standing On the Promises," after reading Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians I: 20: "For all the promise of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." I was published in Songs of Perfect Love, one of two hymns compiled by Carter. The drum-beating, military march style of the music reflects the influence of the military academy life that surrounded Carter when it was written. Carter was active in the Methodist Camp-Meeting movement, and “Standing on the Promises” was widely used in evangelistic crusades well into the 20th century and is still found in many hymnals. It is a reminder of the Christian’s daily dependence on the promises of God.
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