Spiritual Songs

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Short Summary
The discourse highlights the spiritual significance of music and hymns, tracing their heavenly origins and their role in expressing faith, joy, and hope. It examines several notable hymns, discussing their historical backgrounds, authors, and scriptural connections to illustrate how these songs inspire believers to deepen their relationship with God. The message concludes by summarizing the lessons each hymn imparts about assurance, prayer, unity, love, guidance, grace, and focus on Jesus.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Hymns and Their Biblical Foundations

Acknowledgments and Introduction
– Thanks given to Brother Harry for collaboration and inspiration.
– Gratitude expressed to Brother Jayaprasad from India for gifting the books *101 Hymn Stories*, which were crucial for preparing the discourse.
– Emphasis on music as vital to human experience—from lullabies to nursery rhymes, and music’s role in teaching emotions, history, and spirituality.
– Assertion that music and songs originate from the heavenly spiritual realm.

Biblical Foundation of Music and Singing
Job 38:4,6-7: When God laid the earth’s foundations, “the morning stars sang together; and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”
Luke 2:13-14: Angels sang at Jesus’ birth: “Glory to God in the highest…”
Zephaniah 3:17: God Himself sings over Israel: “He will rejoice over you with singing.”
– Future heavenly songs:
Revelation 15:2-4: Victorious saints sing the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb,” praising God’s righteousness and holiness.
Psalm 98:1-4: Call to sing a new song for God’s marvelous deeds and salvation revealed to all nations.

Exhortation for Christians to Sing
Psalm 100:2: “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.”
Ephesians 5:18-19: Be filled with the Spirit, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude.
Colossians 3:16: Let the Word of Christ dwell richly, teaching and admonishing through singing with thankfulness.

Examination of Specific Famous Hymns and Their Biblical Connections

1. Blessed Assurance (Words by Fanny Crosby; music by Phoebe Knapp)
– Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 hymns despite blindness.
– Hymn inspired by a tune from Knapp; Crosby immediately responded with “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.”
– Biblical ties:
– Romans 8:16-17: Assurance of being God’s children and heirs with Christ.
– Hebrews 1:14: Angels as ministering spirits helping believers.
– Colossians 3:1-2: Encouragement to set minds on things above.

2. Sweet Hour of Prayer (Attributed to William Walford; music by William B. Bradbury)
– Story of authorship possibly involving a Congregational minister.
– Hymn emphasizes the power and peace found in prayer.
– Biblical ties:
– Luke 21:34,36: Guard hearts against worry and pray continually.
– Hebrews 4:16: Approach God’s throne with confidence for mercy and grace.
– Philippians 4:6-7: Prayer with thanksgiving brings God’s peace.

3. Onward Christian Soldiers (Sabine Baring Gould; tune “St. Gertrude” by Arthur Sullivan)
– Written for school festival; became broadly popular.
– Focus on unity and oneness in the body of Christ.
– Biblical ties:
– 1 Corinthians 12:12-14,24-25: One body, many members, no division.
– Ephesians 4:4-6: One body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

4. Nearer My God to Thee (Sarah Adams; music by Lowell Mason)
– Inspired by Jacob’s dream (ladder to heaven).
– Hymn associated with historical events (Johnstown flood, Titanic).
– Biblical ties:
– Ephesians 2:13: Brought near by the blood of Christ.
– Genesis 28:11-12: Jacob’s dream of angels ascending and descending ladder reaching heaven.

5. More Love to Thee (Elizabeth Prentiss)
– Written amid personal sorrow after losing children.
– Expresses desire for greater love for Christ and willingness to suffer.
– Biblical ties:
– Ephesians 6:24 (likely Ephesians 6:24 or 2:4-5): Grace to those who love Christ with incorruptible love.
– Matthew 10:37-38: Prioritizing love for Christ above family and self-sacrifice.
– Acts 14:22: Through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.

6. He Leadeth Me (Joseph Gilmore; music by William Bradbury)
– Inspired by Psalm 23 and experience preaching on it.
– Emphasizes God’s guidance through life’s ups and downs.
– Biblical ties:
– Psalm 23:2-3: Led beside still waters and righteousness.
– Psalm 143:8-10: Teach me to walk in your will, lead me on level ground.
– Psalm 73:23-24: Holding God’s hand and being guided to glory.

7. Boundless Grace (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing) (Robert Robinson; music by Asahel Nettleton)
– Robinson’s story: from wayward youth converted by George Whitefield.
– Hymn references God’s grace and human frailty.
– Biblical ties:
– 1 Samuel 7:12: “Here I raise my Ebenezer” (a memorial of God’s help).
– Psalm 9:1-2: Giving thanks to the Lord with whole heart.
– Ephesians 2:13: Brought near by the blood of Christ.
– Psalm 13:5-6: Trust in God’s loving kindness and salvation.

8. Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Helen Lemmel)
– Warns of distractions of life and encourages focus on Jesus.
– Written after reading a tract titled *Focus*.
– Biblical foundation: The spiritual clarity and peace found by looking fully to Christ.
– The hymn was to be sung at the close of the discourse.

Summary of Lessons from the Hymns
– *Blessed Assurance*: Confidence in salvation.
– *Sweet Hour of Prayer*: Communion and comfort in prayer.
– *Onward Christian Soldiers*: Unity and joint mission of the church.
– *Nearer My God to Thee*: Desire to draw closer to God.
– *More Love to Thee*: Growing love and willingness to suffer for Christ.
– *He Leadeth Me*: God’s guidance through life’s journey.
– *Boundless Grace*: Recognition of God’s abundant grace.
– *Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus*: Focus on Christ above earthly cares.

Conclusion and Closing
– Hymn *Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus* was played and sung by the congregation.
– Encouragement to remember the biblical truths and spiritual lessons embedded in these familiar hymns.

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Key Bible Verses Cited or Alluded To:

– Job 38:4,6-7
– Luke 2:13-14
– Zephaniah 3:17
– Revelation 15:2-4
– Psalm 98:1-4
– Psalm 100:2
– Ephesians 5:18-19
– Colossians 3:16
– Romans 8:16-17
– Hebrews 1:14
– Colossians 3:1-2
– Luke 21:34,36
– Hebrews 4:16
– Philippians 4:6-7
– 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 24-25
– Ephesians 4:4-6
– Ephesians 2:13
– Genesis 28:11-12
– Matthew 10:37-38
– Acts 14:22
– Psalm 23:2-3
– Psalm 143:8-10
– Psalm 73:23-24
– 1 Samuel 7:12
– Psalm 9:1-2
– Psalm 13:5-6

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This discourse richly weaves the stories of beloved hymns with their biblical foundations, demonstrating how music serves as a powerful medium for expressing faith, encouragement, unity, and worship throughout the Christian journey.

Transcript

There’s two credits that we need to give before we start our remarks. One is we want to thank Brother Harry because he and I worked together on this. But he was the great impetus between it and me getting started on this. So we thank him for that, and we have a brother to thank in India, Brother Jayaprasad, a very nice, lovely brother that we’ve met a number of times.

And he gave me two books, usually as a parting gift to one of our trips called 101 hymn stories, and, and they became invaluable for the background for our remarks this afternoon. So we want to thank you, and if you interested in the books, we can tell you how to obtain them.

I think it’s fascinating. The music is just such a vital part of the human experience. From the lullabies that our moms use to calm us as children and to sing us to sleep, to the nursery rhymes that taught us about Mary and her Lamb, the black sheep and his wool, and that London bridge was falling down. As we grew older, music and songs taught us about human emotions such as love and longing and the darker emotions such as hatred and rejection. They reminded us of history and how human emotions have been expressed in war and peace, victories and defeats, oppression and hope.

Think of how barren the human experience would have been without music and without songs.

And where does music and songs come from? They come from heaven. They come from the spiritual realm. For we’re told in Job 3, verses 4, 6 and 7, that when the Lord laid the foundations of the earth, when he laid its cornerstone, the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. Think of that song of celebration as the sons of God sang to the glory of God and his creation.

We find another song of celebration that was just talked about when the angels sang at Jesus birth, Luke 12, 2, 13, 14, and suddenly there was with the angel who made the announcement, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men with whom he is pleased. You know, this singing shouldn’t be thought to be unusual. Because we’re told in the scripture that even the Heavenly Father sings. He sings over the deliverance of Israel, as we’re told in Zephaniah 3:17.

The Lord your God is with you, O Israel. The mighty warrior here saves. He will take great delight in you. He will rejoice over you with singing.

But there are more songs of celebration to come. There’s one in heaven coming which every spirit begotten Child of God hopes to learn. So they can sing it with the Lord in glory. Revelation 15, verse 2, and I saw those who’d been victorious over the beast in his image and over the number of his name holding the harps of God.

And they sang the song of Moses, the bond servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God the Almighty. Righteous and true are your ways. King of the nations who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name. For you alone are holy.

For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your righteous acts have been revealed.

And yet there is another song of celebration coming to be sung by all the creation I think his brother Harry alluded to. We find that song in Psalms 98, beginning with verse 1. O sing to the Lord a new song. For he has done wonderful things. His right hand and his holy arm have gained victory for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation. He has revealed his righteousness in the sight of all nations. He has remembered his loving kindness and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of God. Shout joyfully to the Lord.

All earth break forth and sing for joy. Sing praises. Think of that song.

And what about the follower of God? What about us? We’re exhorted to sing to the Lord to express our joy and thankfulness for all of his benefits as we Read in Psalms 102 3. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful singing, for it is he who made us, not ourselves.

We are the people and the sheep of his pasture.

Paul tells us about singing in Ephesians 5, 18 and 19. Be filled with the Spirit, singing to one another or speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Think about how pleasing that is to God if we do that, and Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom and teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs Singing with thankfulness in your heart to God.

In our time remaining, we’re going to look at some of those individuals who expressed their thankfulness to God with song and left behind for us hymns so that we could do the same.

First hymn we’re going to examine is blessed assurance we find in our hymn book. The words were written by Francis Jane Crosby, otherwise known as Fanny Crosby. It’s estimated she wrote more than 8,000 hymn texts during her 95 years of life, and this is all the more remarkable because she was blind while under contract to a music publisher for a portion of her life, she wrote three hymns per week. Additionally, she wrote hymns under more than 200 pen names beside herself.

Now, oftentimes her hymns were suggested by ministers who wanted a new song for a specific purpose, and sometimes musician friends would compose a tune first and bring it and ask her for the words, and this was the case with the hymn Blessed Assurance.

The melody was written by Mrs. Phoebe Knapp, who was an amateur musician who hung up. Her husband was founder of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. She was a co spin of Fanny Crosby, and she in her own right published 500 gospel songs. So these were prodigious individuals in terms of writing.

Her hymns included Open the Gates of the Temple and Nearer the Cross. One day she played the tune for Mrs. Crosby and asked, what does that tune say? And Mrs. Crosby responded immediately, Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

You know, as we review each hymn, we’re going to take words out of some of the verses and relate them to the scriptures that they connect with. We begin with the special position that we have as a spirit begotten, child of God, heir of salvation, purchase of God, led by his Spirit washed in his blood. Doesn’t that remind us of Romans 8, 16 and 17? The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs.

Heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. If so, be that we suffer him with him, that we may be glorified with him as well. Verse 2 goes to Jacob’s dream with these words, angels descending, bring from above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

This reminds us of Paul’s words in Hebrews 1:14 that talks about angels as being ministering spirits. Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who inherit salvation? And finally, verse three talks about the attitude that this should create within us. Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love. It reminds us of Colossians 3:1, 2, which says, if we’ve been raised up with Christ, keep seeking things above, where Christ is seated on the right hand of God.

Set your mind on things above, not things on the earth.

Sweet Hour of Prayer is one of the most familiar hymns, and it is thought to be written by William Walford in 1842, who was a blind lay preacher in Coleshill, England. The story behind the hymn is that a coleshill clergyman, a Mr. Thomas Salmon, stopped by Mr. Walford’s shop one day and Mr. Walford asked him to notate a poem that he had written on a piece of paper.

Three years later, Mr. Salman is visiting the United States. He shows the poem to an editor of the New York observer, is published in the observer in 1845, and is added to the Church Melodies hymnal in 1859. The music was written by William Bachelder Bradbury in 1861, who composed music for other hymns such as the Solid Rock, He Leadeth Me, and Jesus Loves Me.

Further research in our day has raised questions about who actually wrote this hymn. William Reynolds, in his book Hymns of Our Faith, which was published in 1964, could never establish that there was a blind preacher named William Walford who actually lived in Coleshill, England at the time. But he did locate a William Walford in England who was a Congregational minister who wrote several books, including one on the manner of prayer. There are many similarities to this book and the text of the hymn. Mr.

Reynolds suggested that perhaps Mr. Solomon, when he went to New York and told the story of the hymn, exaggerated it, or perhaps both of the individuals were references to the same person. Regardless of the authorship, the hymn reminds the Christian of the communion in in prayer that we have with God and how it brings sweet, calming encouragement when we need it. First, the hymn begins with sweet hour of prayer that calls me from a world of care. It reminds us of what Jesus words in Luke 21:34 and 36 he says, Be on thy guard that thy hearts be not weighed down with the worries of life, but keep on praying that you may have the strength to escape all the things that are about to take place.

Verse 1 continues to encourage us to come to God’s throne in prayer and bids me at my Father’s throne make all my wants and wishes. None. You know. It reminds us of those famous words in Hebrews 4:16 Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may find mercy and find grace to help in time of need, and finally, the hymn exhorts us to cast all our cares on our Father’s shoulder and since he bids me seek his face, believe his word, and trust his grace, I’ll cast on him my every care and wait for thee.

Sweet hour of prayer. It reminds us of Paul’s words in Philippians 4, 6, 7 be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving make your requests be known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Onward Christian Soldiers was written in 1865 by Sabane Baring Gould. Now, he was a prolific author. He wrote 85 books on various subjects, and according to the British Museum, he had more titles to his name at that period of time than any other authority, and yet he is best known for a children’s hymn.

The hymn wasn’t written for publication. It was written for Whit Monday. It’s a day on which school festivals take place in Yorkshire, England, and his school was to join a school in a nearby village, and so he wrote to him the night before for the children to sing as they march from one village to the other. Now, it was written in great paste.

According to him, some of the rhymes are faulty, and yet he said, nothing surprised him more than the popularity of this hymn.

To have universal appeal, a great hymn text must be wedded to a fine tune, and Onward Christian Soldiers was first sung to a slow movement of Hayden’s Symphony in D, number 15.

But now it’s sung to the tune called Saint Gertrude, composed by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1871. That tune was written at the home of Mrs. Gertrude Clay Kerr Simmer, where Sir Arthur Sullivan was staying as a guest, and so he named and dedicated the tomb to her. Now, Sir Arthur Sullivan should probably be familiar to you.

He is half of the famous duo of Gilbert and Sullivan. So he composed the Lost Court, as well as a number of operettas including HMS Pinafore, the Mikado and the Pirates of Penzance. You know, I think it’s fascinating how events and individuals come together to create some of our most iconic hymns.

Now, a number of years ago, when we were participating in a general convention course, we were particularly struck by verse three of this hymn, and it was during a time when there was a great division amongst our brethren concerning the subject of chronology. Chronology, and so we like the way the verse talked about the oneness of the body of Christ. Verse three begins, like a mighty army moves the church of God, Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.

It reminds us about Paul’s words in First Corinthians, the 12th chapter, about the body of Christ in verses 12 through 14, where he says, as the human body is one and has many members, so also is Christ. For by one spirit we’ve all been baptized into one body, and we were all made to drink of one spirit. For the body of Christ is not one member, but many. We were really struck by the next part of verse three. We are not divided, all one body, we which remind us of verse 24 and 25 of First Corinthians 12.

God has so composed the body, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members have the same care, one for another. There are to be no schisms in the body of Christ, and the last part of verse three says, one in hope and doctrine, one in charity. That reminds us of Ephesians, the fourth chapter and verse four through six, where Paul is very explicit when he uses the number one. One body, one spirit, just as you called in the one hope of your calling.

When, Lord, when faith, one baptism was one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Think of how much we share as members of the one body of Christ.

Nearer My God to Thee is the next hymn we’ll look at. It was considered to be by many to be defined as hymn written by a female hymn writer. It was written by Sarah Adams of London, England in 1841. Her sister Eliza was a talented musician who wrote music for many of her hymns, and together with her sister Eliza, Scherra was asked by her minister, William J.

Fox, to prepare a new hymnal for their congregation. Together they contributed 13 hymns, 62 new tunes. During this project, Reverend Fox asked for him to conclude his sermon on the story of Jacob and Esau. To this Eliza being the good sister, said Sarah, now that’s an excellent idea. Why don’t you write your own hymn about Jacob’s dream?

And that is what she did. The hymn is based on Jacob’s dream where he sees a ladder to heaven. The angels are going up and down the ladder. But the popularity didn’t come until about 12 years later when it was paired with its current tune written by Lowell Mason. Now you’re all familiar with.

There’s many historical events associated with this hymn. In 1871, three noted theologians were visiting Palestine, and guess What? They found 50 Syrian youth singing the hymn in Arabic.

There was a missionary. It was reported that she sang this hymn as she was being drowned in the Johnstown flood.

We all remember the story about the HMS Titanic’s band playing the tune, playing the hymn as the ship sank. While the hymn has been criticized for having no reference to Christ or his work, it cleanly expresses man’s desire to know and to be near God.

The hymn begins with the desire, nearer my God to thee, nearer to Thee. Even though it be a cross, it raises me. Doesn’t that remind us of Ephesians 2:13. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Verse 2 looks back at Jacob’s experience fleeing from Esau though like a wanderer Daylight all gone Darkness comes over me My rest a stone. This reminds us of Genesis 28:11, where when the sun went down, Jacob spent the night there, because the sun had set, and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head as a pillow.

Verse three explains what Jacob saw in his dream.

There let the way appear, Steps unto heaven all thou that sendest me in mercy given Angels beckon me nearer, my God, to thee. This reminds us of the very next verse, Genesis 28:12, where Jacob had a dream and behold, the ladder was set on earth, with the top reaching to heaven, angels ascending and descending, and above the ladder God stood and made the following promise to Jacob, I am the Lord your God, the God of your father Abraham and of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give it to you and your descendants there’s an interesting connection between our last hymn, Mirror My God to Thee, and our next hymn, More Love to Thee, which will become evident in a couple of minutes. More Love to Thee was written by Elizabeth Prentice, an American born in Maine. She was a saintly woman, but frail of body, being a near invalid most of her life.

Love for God and for Christ and a willingness to suffer them was a constant thought for her. As she’s quoted as writing, I see now that to live for God is a great thing, and it is a wonderful mercy even to be allowed to suffer, if thereby one can glorify him.

To that she added this to love Christ more is the deepest need. The constant cry of my soul out in the wood and out on my bed and out driving the whisper keeps going for more love, More love, more love. She also had a gift for writing prose and poetry. In one of her books. Stepping Heavenward sold over more than 200,000 copies, which I think is pretty remarkable because the year was 1845.

Morlov Today was written by Mrs. Prentice in a time of great personal sorrow in the 1850s. The prentices lost a child at birth, and then a short time later, their youngest child also died, and from her broken heart she wrote the following I thought that traveling boys and girls would fill this empty room, that my rich heart would gather flowers from childhood’s opening bloom.

One child and two green graves are mine. That is God’s gift to me.

A bleeding, fainting broken heart that is my gift to thee.

During this time she began meditating on this same story of Jacob and how God met Jacob in a very special way during his moments of sorrow and need and she prayed earnestly for a similar experience, and she also thought about the previous hymn, Sarah Adams hymn on Nearer My God to Thee. While meditating and praying, she wrote More Love to Thee in almost the same metrical pattern as Nearer My God to Thee. She finished all four stanzas in one evening. However, she didn’t think much about it. She didn’t show it to anyone, even her husband, for 13 years, and it wasn’t printed until 1869.

William Doane composed the music especially for Mrs. Prentice’s text, as he also composed such familiar hymns as near the Cross and To God Be the Glory.

The hymn opens with the Christian’s earnest desire. Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee this is my earnest plea More love, O Christ, to thee. It reminded us of Ephesians 6:28, where Paul writes, grace be to all those who love our Lord Jesus with an incorruptible love, and isn’t that our goal, to have an incorruptible love for Jesus? The next verse focuses on the change that should be taking place in our lives, from the earthly to the spiritual.

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest now thee alone I seek Give what is best.

It reminded us of Jesus words in Matthew 10, verses 37 and 38 he who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me and he who does not take his cross up and follow me is not worthy of me.

Finally, the hymn acknowledges the importance of sending of sorrow, grief and pain. If it focuses our love on Christ, let sorrow do its work. Send grief and pain. Sweet are thy messengers Sweet their refrain when they can sing with me More love, O Christ, to thee. This reminds us of the words of Acts 14:22 it is through much tribulations that we enter the kingdom of God.

Our next hymn, He Leadeth Me, was written by Joseph Gilmour in 1862. He was born in Boston. He graduated from the Newberry theological seminary in 1861, and during his lifetime he pastored several Baptist churches. He taught Hebrew at Newberry Theological Seminary. He taught English at Rochester University.

He authored several books, and yet he is best known for the hymn He Leadeth Me, written one hurried evening while he was just 28 years old. William Bradbury You’ve heard about him before. He saw the text in Watchmen and Reflector magazine. He wrote the Currently melody, but he added the last two lines of the chorus, his faithful follower I would be for by his hand he leadeth me now he Leadeth Me was written by Mr.

Gilmore after speaking on the 23rd Psalm to a congregation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and during the lesson, he was impressed by the blessedness of being led by God, and following the service, he was being entertained by by a local deacon, Deacon Watson. He writes this says, during our conversation, the blessedness of God’s leading grew so upon him. He took out his pencil, wrote the hymn just as it stands today, handed it to his wife and thought no more about it.

Without his knowledge, his wife sent it to the watchman in Reflection magazine. Where it first appeared in print. Three years later, he’s going to Rochester, New York. He’s going to preach in a congregation, and he’s quoted as saying, I took up the hymn book, thinking, I wonder what they sing.

And the hymn book opened to He Leadeth Me, and that was the first time he had known that his hymn had found a place in the songs of the church.

The hymn opens with a thought. He leadeth me. O blessed thought. Whate’ er do, whate’ er I be still Tis God’s hand that leadeth me. Reminds us of the words of the 23rd Psalm, verses 2 and 3.

He leads me beside the still waters. He guides me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The second verse assures us that God leads us through all of our experiences. Mountaintop and valley Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom by water still over troubled sea still. Tis his hand that leadeth me.

We find this confirmed for us in Psalms 143, verses 8 and 10. Teach me the way in which I should walk for you Lift up my soul. Teach me to do your will. For you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on level ground.

And finally, the last verse acknowledges our desire to be content with God’s leading.

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine Nor ever murmur nor repine content Whatever lot I see Since Tis my God that leadeth me. We find this sentiment expressed in Psalm 73, verses 23 and 24. Nevertheless, I am continually with you. I have taken a hold of your right hand, and with your counsel you will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory first named come thy fount.

Boundless Grace was written by Robert Robinson in Swaffingham, England, in 1758. He was born to lowly parents. His father died when he was 8, and his mother sent him at 14 to the big city, to London, to learn the trade of barbering. But while in London, he joined a notorious group of hoodlums and lived a pretty bad lifestyle. At 17, he went to hear George Whitefield preach.

He and his friends had gone to scoff at the poor deluded Methodists, but instead he was so impressed with Mr. Whitestone’s message that he was converted to Christianity. After several years feeling a call to preach, he entered the Methodist ministry and later became a Baptist minister. He became an able theologian, writing a number of works and several hymns. But despite all this, his later life was marked by lapses of sin, unstableness, and then he become involved in Unitarianism.

Mr. Robinson wrote the hymn Boundless Grace when he was 23 years old, and the music was written by Reverend Asahel Nettleton, American evangelist of the early 18th century. Now there’s two interesting passages in the hymn text that we want to touch on here. One and verse two is, here I raise my Ebenezer hither By thy help I come.

Which is a reference to 1st Samuel 7:12, and the fact is, Ebenezers are a symbol of God’s faithfulness to us, and then line three says, prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it prone to leave the Lord I love. This seems almost to be prophetic of Mr. Robinson’s later struggles with lapses of faith.

Mr. Robinson alluded to these lapses some years later when on a stagecoach ride, a lady also riding with him hummed the tune to this hymn. We’re told that after bursting into tears, he told her, madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many, many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds if I had them to enjoy those feelings that I had then.

The hymn reminds us about the manifold favors of God that God has showered to us. Come, thou fount of every blessing Tune my heart to sing thy grace. Streams of favor, never ceasing, call for songs loudest praise. It reminds us of Psalm 9, verses 1 and 2. I will give the thanks to the Lord with my whole heart I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and exalt in you. I will sing praise to your name Almost high next to him. Sort of focuses on how God’s grace sought us out while we were strangers.

Jesus sought me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God he to rescue me from danger interposed his precious blood. It reminds us of Ephesians 2:13. We who were formerly afar off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Finally, the hymn acknowledges how God’s grace to us should bind our hearts to him and our heavenly Father.

O how grace too great a debtor daily I am constrained to be Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. This reminds us of the 13 Psalm verses 5 and 6 but I have trusted in your loving kindness. Your heart shall rejoice my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

In our last hymn, Turn youn Eyes upon Jesus was written by Mrs. Helen Lamell in 1918. She was born in England, moved to the US at the age of 12. She became a brilliant singer, and she gave concerts throughout the Midwest. In the early 1900s she authored 500 hymns and poems and a children’s book titled Story of the Bible, as well as many children’s musical pieces.

Later she taught voice at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and then at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, California, and this hymn warns us of the danger of being caught up in the things of this earth that would make our spiritual vision blurred and dim.

The hymn is based on a tract titled Focus, which you received in 1918, and it contained the following passage so then turn your eyes upon him, look full in his face, and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness. Ms. Lamel described the experience following the reading of the tract.

Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still and singing in my soul and spirit were the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make them rhyme or note to note to make a melody. The verses were written the same week after the usual manner of composition, but nonetheless being dictated by the Holy Spirit.

In the interest of time, we’re going to go to our conclusion because we’re going to sing that song in a minute, and you’ll be able to see all the words yourself.

So, in summary, what do we take away from these hymns in particular?

But Assurance tells us about the many assurances God has made concerning our salvation. Sweet hour of prayer, the blessed communion of prayer. Onward courses soldiers exhorts us to battle as one body in Christ. Nearer my God to Thee encourages us to draw near to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

More love to Thee implores us to more love for our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus. He leadeth me reminds us that God leads us through all of our experiences of life, good and bad, and if we follow him we’ll be successful. Boundless grace reminds us of the great grace that we’re all recipients of and turn your eyes upon Jesus reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than the cares and the issues of this life, and so we’re going to close with singing Turn your eyes upon Jesus. We’re going to sing all three of the verses.

Sister Amelia Akim has graciously agreed to play it for us. She’s going to play the whole hymn through once, in case you’re not familiar with the melody, and then we’ll sing all three verses, and the verses will be on screen.

Sam Sa you turn your eyes on Jesus. Ra.

Sam Jes.

Click Here for the PDF transcript.