{"id":3371,"date":"2008-06-30T15:41:45","date_gmt":"2008-06-30T23:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=3371"},"modified":"2008-06-30T15:55:02","modified_gmt":"2008-06-30T23:55:02","slug":"my-favorite-hymns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=3371","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite Hymns"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m thinking of cutting a CD of my favorite hymns.<\/p>\n

I know it’ll be a hit.<\/p>\n

Hear "Amazing Grace" as you’ve never heard it before.<\/p>\n

I know a convert to Judaism is not supposed to dig Christian music, but I do (hey, if Rav Ovadiah Yosef can love Arab music, then I can heart some hymns).<\/p>\n

Flay me, I’m a sinner.<\/p>\n

Anyway, how could any Torah Jew object to the following lyrics of my fave hymn "Abide With Me":<\/p>\n

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
\nThe darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
\nWhen other helpers fail and comforts flee,
\nHelp of the helpless, O abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
\nEarth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
\nChange and decay in all around I see;
\nO Thou who changest not, abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
\nBut as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
\nFamiliar, condescending, patient, free.
\nCome not to sojourn, but abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
\nBut kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
\nTears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
\nCome, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
\nAnd though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
\nThou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
\nOn to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
\nWhat but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
\nWho, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
\nThrough cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
\nIlls have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
\nWhere is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
\nI triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
\nShine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
\nHeaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
\nIn life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to this<\/a>: Henry F. Lyte (died in 1847)  was inspired to write this hymn as he was dying of tuberculosis; he finished it the Sunday he gave his farewell sermon to the the parish he served so many years. The next day, he left for Italy to regain his health. He didn’t make it though; he died in Nice, France, three weeks after writing these words.
\nFor more than a century, the bells of his church at All Saints in Lower Brixham, Devonshire, have rung out "Abide With Me" daily. The hymn was sung at the wedding of King George VI of Britain, and at the wedding of his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
\nThe music used here, titled "Eventide," is by far the best known of four different tunes used over the years. Mrs. Monk described the setting for her husband’s composition of the tune:
\n"This tune was written at a time of great sorrow; when together we watched, as we did daily, the glories of the setting sun. As the last golden ray faded, he took some paper and penciled that tune which has gone all over the earth."<\/strong> Here are my favorite "Abide With Me" YouTube videos:<\/span><\/p>\n

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I’m thinking of cutting a CD of my favorite hymns. I know it’ll be a hit. Hear "Amazing Grace" as you’ve never heard it before. I know a convert to Judaism is not supposed to dig Christian music, but I … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,21],"tags":[10057,10059,10056,10060,10058,1030],"class_list":["post-3371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-personal","tag-closing-eyes","tag-eventide","tag-favorite-hymns","tag-king-of-kings","tag-morning-breaks","tag-torah-jew"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t