Hymn of the Week: June 1-5 (Last week of school!) LSB 498: Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest
After 50 days of celebration, the official Church Year celebration of Eastertide is now concluding with Pentecost, the festival we celebrated on Sunday. On Pentecost, so-called because it is the 50th day of Easter and “pente” means “five” in Greek, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, appearing as tongues of fire over their heads. In “Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”, then, we are singing about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, and asking for his “grace and heav’nly aid”.
Hymn of the Week: May 25-29 LSB 493: A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing
Which season of the Church Year are we still in? Easter! That’s right, we are still celebrating our Lord’s resurrection, but we are adding to that the remembrance and celebration of Christ’s ascension into heaven. Remember our hymn from last week: “See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph”? That hymn told the story of the ascension on the 40th day of the Easter season. This week, we are still celebrating with the hymn “A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing”.
Notice the “Easter A word” repeated over and over again in this hymn. “Alleluia” means “praise the Lord”. We are declaring this over and over again because Christ has conquered death and has ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father. Can you count how many times we sing “Alleluia” in each stanza?
Hymn of the Week: May 18-22 LSB 494: See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph
Although we are still in the Easter season, “See, the Lord Ascends in Triumph” tell us about Christ’s bodily ascension into heaven. 40 days after Easter, Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to them and help them to witness to others about him. He then rose up and was taken from their sight.
This hymn triumphantly proclaims Christ’s ascension through both its text and its music. The sturdy and kingly melody accompanies words that describe Jesus as our King, triumphantly riding to the gates of heaven in a chariot. The “Lord ascends in triumph” because he has conquered sin, death, and Satan. He is going to take his place at the Father’s right hand and rule over heaven and earth.
Hymn of the Week: May 11-15 LSB 463: Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia
“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia” is an invitation to the “Paschal Feast”, the celebration of Easter Day. The word paschal comes from the Greek pascha which itself comes from the Hebrew word pesach, meaning “Passover”. Paschal originally referred to the Passover, then, but soon came to refer to Christ’s Passion. Later, it came to refer to the Resurrection which is why we call Easter the “Paschal Feast”. The author of the hymn, thought to be Wipo of Burgundy in the 11th century, connects Christ to the Passover lamb.
Hymn of the Week: May 4-8 LSB 458: Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands
“Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands” is Martin Luther’s hymn for Easter Day. It is still the Easter season, so we are still singing Easter hymns! The first half of stanza 1 tells us the story of Easter, how Christ who once was dead—he “lay in death’s strong bands”—now is risen and reigns at God the Father’s right hand in heaven. Luther then tells us that because of this, we should be joyful and sing Alleluia!
Luther describes death as strong—“death’s strong bands”. We certainly know this is true. Death seems scary and final. But Jesus went to suffer and die for us—“for our offenses given”. Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we are joyful. Death has been defeated! Jesus rose again and destroyed death’s strength. Now, even though we die, we shall live.
Hymn of the Week: April 27-May 1 LSB 709: The King of Love My Shepherd Is
The Latin name given to this past Sunday is “Misericordias Domini”, mercies of the Lord, taken from the first line of the Introit: “The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord”; however, Sunday is commonly referred to as “Good Shepherd” Sunday based on the Gospel reading (John 10). It makes sense, then, that we would sing “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”.
This hymn is a paraphrase of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” The “King of love” is Jesus, also called our shepherd. His goodness never stops, and he provides us with everything we need. The final line of stanza 1, “I am His and He is mine forever”, reminds us of part of Sunday’s Gospel: I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). We are still celebrating Eastertide, and this hymn reminds us that Jesus has risen and so grants us eternal life with him in heaven.
Hymn of the Week: April 20-24 LSB 471: O Sons and Daughters of the King
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
So says Jesus to the well-known “doubting” Thomas, the story which this week’s hymn details. “O Sons and Daughters of the King” is an Easter hymn which tells how, when the disciples were gathered in fear one night, Jesus appeared to them. When they later told the story to Thomas who was not with them, he told them he would not believe unless he saw and touched the crucifixion marks on Jesus’ body. Jesus again appeared to the disciples, this time with Thomas present. He then invited Thomas to touch the marks in his hands and side.
Hymn of the Week: April 13-17 LSB 457: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Hymn of the Week: April 6-10 (Holy Week) LSB 444: No Tramp of Soldiers’ Marching Feet
One can hardly keep from marching while singing “No Tramp of Soldiers’ Marching Feet”. The English tune KINGSFOLD fits the opening stanza well as the text details what did NOT happen when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. There was NO tramp of soldiers’ marching feet, NO sound of music, NO bells, NO city gates swinging open. As this Palm Sunday hymn continues, the text tells us what DID happen, what it led to, and what the result is.