Singing through the Hymnal: week 49

   We are about to embark on an impossible task of singing all the Christmas carols in just a few short weeks. I'm going to give you a few to focus on each week. If you have littles, teach them the repeated phrases or choruses. One thing I love about Christmas is that we are singing the breadth of church history. Some of these texts date back to the early church and some have just been written. What an amazing privilege to be able to celebrate and sing as one of God's people!

 For this first week of Advent, we are going to focus on God promising salvation from before the world began and the longing of God's people for salvation to come.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - I would teach this as an antiphon (call and response). You sing the stanzas and your children sing the chorus back to you.
Verse: Matthew 1:23

Text: Latin Antiphon, 12th century, Latin Hymn, 1710 (Translator, John Mason Neale)

• an antiphon is a song sung back and forth between two groups with a call and response
• in the Middle Ages, the Church worshippers would sing 7 antiphons the week before Christmas. These all begin with "O Come" (and called the "Great O's). Each song would use an Old Testament name for the coming Messiah, such as:
• Emmanuel (God with us) Isaiah 7:14
• Rod of Jesse (David's Offspring) Isaiah 11:1,10
• Dayspring (Morning Star) Numbers 24:17
• Key of David Isaiah 22:22
• by the 12th century, these became the "Latin hymns" and were sung as one song.
• Each verse asks the Messiah to ransom, save, cheer, guide, and bring peace
• After singing each of these calls, the congregation responds with "rejoice" knowing in faith that God will answer.
• the translator wrote Good Christian Men Rejoice, Good King Wenceslas and translated Of the Father's Love Begotten

Tune: Plainsong, 13th century (wow!!!)

• VENI EMMANUEL is Latin for "Come, Emmanuel." 
• first appeared in Hymnal Noted, Part II (1854)
• Another word for plainsong is chant.

To Ponder: 

• This carol anticipates Jesus' coming on multiple levels. Stanza 1 - asks Christ to come in the flesh and end Israel's captivity. Stanza 2- asks that He come and save us from sin. Stanza 3 - asks the Holy Spirit to dwell with us and help us in our daily struggles. Stanza 4 - gives Him the title of "Key of David" who will unlock our heavenly, eternal home.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Verse: Haggai 2:17

Text: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

• the writer of Hark the Herald. He published both in 1744 in Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord.
• Wesley's texts are full of prophecy and applications of the Gospel. 
• The first stanza is the first advent and the second is for the second advent. A GREAT song for God's people to be singing! 

Tune: Rowland Prichard (1811-1887)

• the first tunes used for this text poorly matched it and so it was not sung
• After set to HYFRYDOL it became popular and well-loved. 
• He wrote this when he was about 20 in 1830
• HYFRYDOL means good cheer

To Ponder: 

• we, like God's people of old, are waiting for Him to come. There is something that we wait for that is even better than presents on Christmas day, and that is the return of Jesus! 

Of the Father's Love Begotten
Verse: John 1:1,14
Text: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

• translation of the Latin poem Corde natus. 
• written in the 4th century (born into a Christian family in the Roman province of Spain)
• retired to write religious poetry after a life of law
• the translation we sing today from John Mason Neale and Henry Baker - Neale helped translate over 400 hymns. Baker, an English clergyman, served as editor for Hymns Ancient and Modern

Tune: 12th century plainsong

• Plainsong is monophonic (one sound - or a single, unaccompanied melodic line)
• It has freer rhythm and is called DIVINUM MYSTERIUM (divine mystery)

To Ponder:

• you are singing the mystery of the Gospel. Read and re-read these words and let them sink into your heart. 

 Joy has Dawned - like most Christmas carols, I can barely get through them without weeping. This last stanza is no exception. "Reconciling God and man, Christ our Mighty Champion. What a Savior! What a friend! What a glorious Mystery!"

Verse: 1 Peter 1:19

Text: Stuart Townend (1963-)

• He is known for writing spiritually deep texts
• He states: "It is so important that our lives are built not on our feelings or circumstances, but on the Word of God, and songs can help us to meditate on and retain truth." Yes!!!
• Townend and Getty wrote this song while working on a project on the Apostle's Creed. They realized there was a shortage of hymns on some important Christian foundations such as the Incarnation

Tune: Keith Getty (1974-)

• His Christmas version of "In Christ Alone"
• It tells the story of prophecy to wise men just as In Christ Alone tells the whole Gospel story

To Ponder: 

• Even though this talks a lot about Jesus' birth story, it could be sung all year because it declares so much of what God has done for us through Christ - paying a ransom, reconciling, becoming a Champion over sin and death, and being our Savior AND our Friend. 

Our hymnal states: "the simplicity of the story [Gospel] may puzzle you, the humility of God in Christ will astound you, but the truth of what Jesus came to earth to do should change you forever." Amen!

 Happy Singing! Happy Advent!