Ponderable Hymns

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BEAUTY FOR ASHES  (Crabbe, 1889)

I sing the love of God, my Father,
Whose Spirit abides within,
Who changes all my grief to gladness,
And pardons me all my sin.
Though clouds may lower, dark and dreary,
Yet He has promised to be near;
He gives me sunshine for my shadow,
And "beauty for ashes" here.

Refrain

He gives me joy in place of sorrow;
He gives me love that casts out fear;
He gives me sunshine for my shadow,
And "beauty for ashes" here.


I sing the love of God, my Savior,
Who suffered upon the tree,
That, in the secret of His presence,
My bondage might freedom be.
He comes "to bind the brokenhearted";
He comes the fainting soul to cheer;
He gives me "oil of joy" for mourning,
And "beauty for ashes" here.

Refrain


I sing the beauty of the Gospel
That scatters, not thorns, but flowers,
That bids me scatter smiles and sunbeams
Wherever are lonely hours.
The "garment of His praise" it offers
For "heaviness of spirit" drear;
It gives me sunshine for my shadow,
And "beauty for ashes" here.

Refrain

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FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE (McAnlay, 1897)

O God of grace, increase our faith!
Help us to daily trust Thy Word;
Give us the strength that always comes
From leaning on our blessed Lord.

Refrain
O God of grace, in Jesus' name
Increase our faith, upbuild our hope,
Our  hearts  with zeal inflame,
Send down Thy Spirit from above,
Till faith and hope are lost in love.


O God of grace, upbuild our hope!
Let not a doubt our spirit sway;
Be Thou our constant shield of light
That we may walk the narrow way.

Refrain


O God of grace, inspire our love!
Fill our cold hearts with holy fire,
That we may live each passing day
As our Redeemer doth desire.

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UPHELD BY HOPE  (Crawford, 1902)

"Upheld by hope" -- a glorious hope
As days and years roll by;
The coming of our Lord and King
Is surely drawing nigh.

"Upheld by hope"  --that wondrous hope,
That I shall see His face,
And to His likeness be conformed
When I have run the race.

"Upheld by hope" in darkest days
Faith can the light descry:
The deepening glory in the east
Proclaims deliverance nigh!

"Upheld by hope" how glad the heart!
My soul is on the wing!
E'en now His hand is on the door
He comes --my glorious King!

[anna274]

AWAKE, AWAKE! O HEART OF MINE!  (Fanny Crosby, 1887)

Awake, awake, O heart of mine!
Sing praise to God above;
Take up the song of endless years,
And sing redeeming love!
Redeemed by Him who bore our sins,
When on the cross He died;
Redeemed and purchased with His blood,
Redeemed and sanctified.

Refrain
Awake, awake, O heart of mine!
Sing praise, sing praise to God above;
Take up the song of endless years,
And sing redeeming love!


Redeemed by Him, my Lord and King,
Who saves me day by day;
My life and all its ransomed powers
Could never His love repay.
And yet His mercy condescends
My humble gift to own;
And through the riches of His grace,
He brings me near His throne.

Refrain


O love, unchanging, love sublime!
Not all the hosts above
Can reach the height or sound the depth
Of God's eternal love.
This wondrous love  enfolds the WHOLE world,
It fills the realms above;
'Tis boundless as eternity;
Oh, praise the God of love!

[anna274]

John 17:22
The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One.   


THOU GOD OF ALL, WHOSE SPIRIT MOVES  Holmes, 1879-1964

Thou God of all, whose Spirit moves
From pole to silent pole,
Whose purpose binds the starry spheres
In one stupendous whole,
Whose life, like light, is freely poured
On ALL beneath the sun,
To Thee we lift our hearts  and pray
That Thou wilt make us ONE.

ONE in the patient company
Of those who heed Thy will,
And steadfastly pursue the way
Of Thy commandments still;
ONE in the holy fellowship
Of those who challenge wrong,
And lift the Spirit's sword to shield
The weak against the strong.

ONE in the truth that makes men free,
The faith that makes men brave;
ONE in the love that suffers long
To seek, and serve, and save;
ONE in the vision of Thy peace,
The kingdom yet to be,
When Thou shalt be the God of ALL,
And ALL be ONE in Thee.

[anna274]

MANY THOUGHTS STIR MY HEART  Orsborn, 1916

Many thoughts stir my heart as I ponder alone;
Many places attract me with charms all their own;
But the thought of all thoughts is of Christ crucified,
The place of all places, the hill where He died.

...

'Tis the end of my sin and the source of all grace;
'Tis the word of God's love to a prodigal race;
'Tis the greatest, the grandest gift God could impart,
Surpassing my reason, but winning my heart.

For the sake of the Christ and the love He showed on the cross
I have yielded my all and not reckoned it loss;
There's a place in my heart which the Savior must fill;
No other can take it, and none ever will.

Phil 3:8
I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord...

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WHOM HAVE I IN HEAVEN?  Crosby, 1877  (Ps 73:25)


Whom have I in heaven above?  Only Thee, my Savior;
Whom have I on earth to love?  Only Thee my Savior;
Who my wounded heart can heal, who my every sorrow feel,
Who the light of joy reveal?  Only Thee, my Savior.

Who has led me all my days?  Only Thou, my Savior;
Who deserves my highest praise?  Only Thou, my Savior;
In my weakness who is strong, who has loved and loved me long,
Who should claim my noblest song?  Only Thou, my Savior.

Who my inmost thoughts can read?  Only Thou, my Savior;
Who for me doth intercede?  Only Thou, my Savior;
Who my secret thoughts can know, who such tender mercy show,
Who can make me white as snow?  Only Thou, my Savior.

[anna274]

REDEEMED, HOW I LOVE TO PROCLAIM IT!  Fanny Crosby, 1882

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

Refrain
Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am.


Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No words my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.


I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the dy long:
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.


I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guarded my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.


I know there's a crown that is waiting,
In yonder bright mansion for me,
And soon, with the spirits made perfect,
At home with the Lord I shall be.

[anna274]

THE PEACE OF GOD  Jewett, 1911

The peace of God --O blessed peace,
That fills the heart and calms our fears,
That bids our soul's wild tumult cease,
And gives us sunlight thro' our tears.

Refrain
We'll rest in this wonderful peace,
So blest and so filled with God's love,
Till our souls find happy release,
And we reach the mansions above.


The peace of God -- O peace divine,
That bids our restless souls be still,
Till thro' the clouds the sun doth shine,
And we behold His perfect will.


The peace of God -- O restful peace,
Thro' all life's changing scenes below;
In this we'll rest till life shall cease,
And eternity's peace we know.


Author of peace, to Thee we raise
Our prayer for strength, to e'er endure
The ills we meet, till all our days
Find rest in Thee, Thy peace secure.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.