Lyrics: Louisa M.R. Stead, 1882.

Music: William J. Kirkpatrick

Theme: Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Proverbs 30:5

Louisa Stead lived an amazing life, one in which events must have tempted her many times to lose trust instead of resting upon His promise. And yet . . .

Louisa had always felt a calling to be a missionary and go to China. But due to fragile health she was kept home in the US. She married Mr. Stead, and the couple had a daughter named Lily. When Lily was four years old the family went on vacation to a nearby beach. While there, relaxing and enjoying their vacation, they saw a young boy drowning in the ocean. Mr. Stead swam out and tried to rescue him, but he was pulled under by the boy and both Mr. Stead and the boy drowned as Louisa and her daughter watched from shore. Louisa was left without any means of support except for God’s care. She and her daughter were in dire poverty. One day when there was no food in the house and no money to purchase any, Louisa opened the front door to find someone had left groceries and money sitting there for her. That same day she sat down and wrote “Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” She later became a missionary to Africa, remarried and once again was forced to return to the US due to her health. But once recovered she went back into the missionary field in Rhodesia and later died in Zimbabwe. Her daughter Lily married and became a missionary as well.

1. ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood!

3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.

4. I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.

Peggy Nickles of Hymn Blessings sent me her list of favorite 10 hymns when I was taking votes back in May, and she told me about her new business. ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus was on Peggy’s list, a combined list of her favorites and her customers’ most requested hymns. Here’s the short version of how she came to create Hymn Blessings:

“My collection of old hymn books, the ones in really bad shape with pages loose from their bindings, the ones that were battered, discarded, and rescued by me, were the inspiration for the first Hymn Blessing.

A loose page fell to the floor. I picked it up and found it to be one of my father’s favorite hymns Great Is Thy Faithfulness. I had an idea! I mounted the hymn on a very fine ivory linen card stock and painted my father’s favorite yellow roses around its borders. I slipped it into a warm, brown, wood frame, and later realized I had created the first Hymn Blessing.”

Submit your story about a favorite hymn before September 30, to be entered into a drawing to win your own Hymn Blessing.

Lyrics: Frederick Lehman, 1917.

Music: Frederick Lehman, arranged by his daughter, Claudia Mays.

Theme: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9.

Frederick Lehman: “The profound depths of the lines moved us to preserve the words for future generations. Not until we had come to California did this urge find fulfillment, and that at a time when circumstances forced us to hard manual labor. One day, during the short intervals of inattention to our work, we picked up a scrap of paper and added the first two stanzas and chorus to the existing third verse lines.”

Brother Maynard calls this hymn “The Greatest Hymn Ever Written” and recounts the entire story of its genesis, a story that includes an Orthodox Jewish rabbi and poet, an anonymous inmate in an insane asylum, and Mr. Lehman, a Nazarne pastor and hymnwriter.

I remember this hymn from earliest childhood because my mother used to hum and sing it frequently, and she still does. In fact, I heard her singing “It shall forevermore endure, the saints’ and angels’ song” just a couple of weeks ago in my car.

Lyrics: Frances Havergal, 1876.

Music: WYE VALLEY by James Mountain, 1876.

Theme:

Frances Havergal: “Writing is praying with me. You know a child would look up at every sentence and say, ‘And what shall I say next?’ That is just what I do; I ask Him that at every line He would give me not merely thoughts and power, but also every word, even the very rhymes.”

Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Thanks to Rebecca at Rebecca Writes: The North Valley Baptist Church Men’s Choir sings Like a River Glorious.

Sources:
Center for Church Music: Like a River Glorious.
Frances RIdley Havergal by LIzzie Alldridge at Wholesome Words.

Lyrics: Henry Baker, 1868. Mr. Baker was the editor of the standard Anglican hymnal in Victorian England, called Hymns Ancient and Modern, first published in 1860. Although he was primarily a collector of hymns, Baker also wrote his own lyrics, translated lyrics, and composed tunes. The various editions of Hymns Ancient and Modern sold more than 60 million copies.

Music: ST COLUMBA, Ancient Irish Melody.
Or DOMINUS REGIT ME by John Bacchus Dykes.

Theme: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? Luke 15:4

Barbara at Stray Thoughts: “I think the third stanza is my favorite, though all of it is good.”

The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
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.

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.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O 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 for ever.

While researching this hymn, I found this website which looks like a nice resource. It has a downloadable version of the Dykes tune for this hymn in addition to other hymns available for free download or for purchase on CD.

I’m not familiar with this particular hymn, based on Pslam 23, but here is the Westminster Abbey Choir singing at Princess Diana’s funeral, The King of Love My Shepherd Is to the tune Dominus Regit Me. Descant on the last verse:

Lyrics: Author unknown. Translated to English by John Mason Neale, 1851.

Music: Unknown composer. Arranged and harmonized by Thomas Helmore, 1854.

Theme: And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith THE LORD. Isaiah 59:20.

Brandon at Siris: “no single human hand sat down and wrote it, and it has been sung by countless people across the centuries and the continents, its format adapted and re-adapted many times, and yet the message is still crystal clear and the hymn itself still exquisite.”

Amanda: “I have a thing for Advent. Waiting for Jesus.”

According to a book we own called Color the Christmas Classics, this Christmas carol dates back to the time of Emperor Charlemagne of France. It was originally sung in Latin and was an antiphon, “a short liturgical text sung in response to a psalm or other spoken text.” The carol was sung over a period of seven days, from December 17th to the 23rd, in response to a scripture about the brith of Christ read by the priest. You can go to this website to see all seven antiphons (or verses) in Latin and in various English translations.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night
And pierce the clouds and bring us light!

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.