He sat to watch o’er customs paid,
A man of scorned and hardening trade,
Alike the symbol and the tool
Of foreign masters’ hated rule.
But grace within his breast had stirred;
There needed but the timely word:
It came, true Lord of souls, from thee,
That royal summons, ‘Follow me.’
Enough, when thou wast passing by,
To hear thy voice, to meet thine eye:
He rose, responsive to the call,
And left his task, his gains, his all.
O wise exchange! with these to part,
And lay up treasure in the heart –
Who now with crown of light doth shine
Among the apostolic line.
Come, Saviour, as in days of old;
Pass where the world has strongest hold,
And faithless care and selfish greed
Are thorns that choke the holy seed.
Who keep thy gifts, O bid them claim
The steward’s, not the owner’s name;
Who yield up all for thy dear sake,
Let them of Matthew’s wealth partake.
.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
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Details
Tune: Winchester New
Meter: LM
Style: Baroque, Lutheran, Traditional German
Composer: Unknown from Musickalisches Handbuch (1690)
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
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Buy a copy of the score
Details
Tune: Richmond
Meter: CM
Style: Classical
Church Year: General
Composer: Thomas Haweis (1724 – 1820) adapted by Samuel Webbe the Younger (1770 – 1843)
I am very happy for my friend and hymn/songwriter and collaborator Colin Gordon-Farleigh who has successfully launched a new career as a country singer in Nashville, USA. In the last year, his songs have been winning numerous number one slots and awards. Together we have produced two bluegrass hymns for congregational singing – Oh lead us by the hand Lord and I can hear the Saviour calling as well as more traditional hymns that can be found here.
He has just launched a brand new album “Second Chances” – please like and share!
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.
It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,
For ’tis well secured by the Savior’s hand;
And the cables, passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy that blast, thro’ strength divine. Refrain
Will your anchor hold in the Straits of Fear,
When the breakers roar and the reef is near?
Though the surges rave, and the wild winds blow,
Shall the angry waves then your bark o’erflow? Refrain
Will your anchor hold in the Floods of Death,
When the waters cold chill your latest breath?
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While your anchor holds within the Veil. Refrain
Will your eyes behold through the morning light
The city of gold, our harbour bright?
We shall anchor safe by the heav’nly shore,
When life’s storms are past forevermore. Refrain
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
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When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died;
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
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First Tune: Rockingham
Composer: Unknown, adapted by Edward Miller (1735 – 1807)
Style: Classical
Church Year: Good Friday, Lent, Passiontide
Meter: LM
Lyricist: Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748)
Music and Lyrics Copyright Public Domain
Performances Copyright ℗ 2018 Richard M S Irwin. Certain rights reserved.
There is a green hill far away,
Outwith a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.
We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.
He died that we might be forgiv’n,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heav’n,
Saved by His precious blood.
There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in.
O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him, too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
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Tune: Horsley
Meter: CM
Style: Classical
Composer: William Horsley (1774 – 1858)
Lyricist: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818 – 1895)
Church Year: Lent, Good Friday, Passiontide
Music and Lyrics Copyright Public Domain.
Performances Copyright ℗ 2018 Richard M S Irwin. Certain rights reserved.
Hymn – Take up thy cross, the Saviour said – Lyrics
Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,
If thou wouldst My disciple be;
Deny thyself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after Me.
Take up thy cross, let not its weight
Fill thy weak spirit with alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart and nerve thine arm.
Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
Nor let thy foolish pride rebel;
Thy Lord for thee the cross endured,
And saved thy soul from death and hell.
Take up thy cross then in His strength,
And calmly sin’s wild deluge brave,
’Twill guide thee to a better home,
It points to glory o’er the grave.
Take up thy cross and follow Christ,
Nor think til death to lay it down;
For only those who bear the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.
To Thee, great Lord, the One in Three,
All praise forevermore ascend:
O grant us in our home to see
The heavenly life that knows no end.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
To keep up to date with the latest recordings, please follow us on SoundCloud and Facebook. If you use our hymns, please consider a donation to help keep this service free.Click Here to Download
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death, [originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
To keep up to date with the latest recordings, please follow us on SoundCloud and Facebook. If you use our hymns, please consider a donation to help keep this service free.Click Here to Download
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death, [originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
To keep up to date with the latest recordings, please follow us on SoundCloud and Facebook. If you use our hymns, please consider a donation to help keep this service free.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry;
O Saviour meek, pursue thy road
with palms and scattered garments strowed.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
o’er captive death and conquered sin.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
The angel-squadrons of the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes
to see the approaching sacrifice.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;
the Father on his sapphire throne
expects his own anointed Son.
Ride on! ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
bow thy meek head to mortal pain,
then take, O God, thy power, and reign.
Recordings
The music used in this recording belongs in the Public Domain, but the Performance rights ℗ belong to Richard M S Irwin. You may click the Download Button to obtain the MP3 recording for use in Worship or for personal use only. For other uses of the recording, please Contact Us.
To keep up to date with the latest recordings, please follow us on SoundCloud and Facebook. If you use our hymns, please consider a donation to help keep this service free.Click Here to Download
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