One of the hymns we'll be singing at our Good Friday service, is this wonderful text by Isaac Watts newly set by Henry Owen.
Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heav’nly Lamb, Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they.
My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of Thine,
While, like a penitent, I stand, And there confess my sin.
My soul looks back to see The burdens Thou didst bear
When hanging on the cursèd tree, And hopes her guilt was there.
Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace Or wash away the stain.
Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove;
We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, And sing His bleeding love.
Text: Isaac Watts, 1709; Music: Henry Owen, 2008.
© 2008 Greyfriars Press, Used by Permission.
5 comments:
The Good Friday service really did give a picture of how we got from the first sin to our redemption. It was a wonderful service, and I was glad to get to enjoy it twice. Thank you for your hard work.
GW: Henry Owen's music is fantastic. Thanks for bringing his work to the forefront.
Most of the Owen pieces I've heard all have a contemporary (but not modern), southern, high-folk, Celtic blend. "Not All The Blood of Beasts" from last night's services really reminded me of Vaughan Williams.
That's fitting, too, I think. Someone once said that when listening to Vaughan Williams "one is never quite sure whether one is listening to something very old or very new."
Apt with Owen too.
Greg,
I just stopped by because we sang your arrangement of "The Strife is O'er the Battle Won" as our anthem for Easter worship today. When we started rehearsing it a month or so ago, another choir member said, "Oh, this is a song by Greg Wilbur, that guy you know." Well, I feel like we don't really know you any more, but I wanted you to know your music is still being used at Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Oh, what a piercing photo, Greg. What a picture of the sacrifice.
Just a note to let you know The Cyber Hymnal (linked from your blog), has a new URL: http://www.hymntime.com/tch. Please spread the word!
God bless...
Dick
Post a Comment