Take the famous Advent hymn O Come Emmanuel:
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave
And:
O come, thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery
The message is clear - there is a hell, it's utterly miserable and only the Messiah promised in the Old Testament as a descendant of David, the son of Jesse, revealed in the New Testament as Jesus Christ, can save us from going there.
These musings co-incided with a quote cc came across in the national press from Rolling Stones guitarist, Keith Richards:
I don't want to see my old friend Lucifer just yet. He's the guy I'm gonna see, isn't it? I'm not going to the Other Place, let's face it (Sunday Telegraph, 17/10/10, p33).
At least Mr Richards appears to agree with the Christian writer of O Come Emmanuel that there is a heaven and a hell. But the frivolous tone in which he talks about eternal damnation, compared with the hymn's faithful biblical outlook, is clearly a major point of difference.
What other politically incorrect hymns do the youth group consider would be good for a Song of Praise?
How about this from Isaac Watts- I've just managed to get it in the church times?
ReplyDeleteStephen Walton, Marbury
Divine wrath and mercy.
Nah. 1:1-3; Heb. 12:29.
Adore and tremble, for our God
Is a consuming fire!
His jealous eyes his wrath inflame,
And raise his vengeance higher.
Almighty vengeance, how it burns!
How bright his fury glows!
Vast magazines of plagues and storms
Lie treasured for his foes.
Those heaps of wrath, by slow degrees,
Are forced into a flame;
But kindled, oh! how fierce they blaze!
And rend all nature's frame.
At his approach the mountains flee,
And seek a wat'ry grave;
The frighted sea makes haste away,
And shrinks up every wave.
Through the wide air the weighty rocks
Are swift as hailstones hurled;
Who dares engage his fiery rage
That shakes the solid world?
Yet, mighty God, thy sovereign grace
Sits regent on the throne;
The refuge of thy chosen race
When wrath comes rushing down.
Thy hand shall on rebellious kings
A fiery tempest pour,
While we beneath thy shelt'ring wings
Thy just revenge adore.
On a slightly different tack; I read recently of the hymn Amazing Grace that had been changed from
ReplyDeleteAmazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me
to
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved and strengthened me
So thats the modern answer, I guess. Surgically remove the offending words and replace with platitudes.
At Christmas, I've always liked Hark the Herald Angels sing, written by the great Charles Wesley:
ReplyDeleteHark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Plenty of biblical truth there.
But there's lots of hymns with lyrics that might be considered politically incorrect by some. How about "To God Be The Glory, Great Things He Has Done", or "Just As I Am, Without One Plea" (I hate this as it strikes me as emotionally manipulative, though). I personally really like "Come Ye Sinners (I Will Arise And Go To Jesus)" which isn't that well known but has creative lyrics and an interesting tune.
I'll do another comment with some modern hymns.
In the modern department, how about Stuart Townend's "How Deep The Father's Love For Us":
ReplyDeleteHow deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Also Stuart Townend together with Keith Getty, "In Christ Alone My Hope is Found" ... but in verse 2 instead of "Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied", some sing "... the LOVE of God was satisfied" ... All very well to say they don't like the idea of God's wrath, but what is so loving about his sending his Son to die UNLESS there is some wrath to be satisfied?
ReplyDeleteOf course, "O come O come Emmanuel" (yes, superb hymn!) was based on the Great Advent Antiphons, used anciently before and after the Magnificat at Vespers on the last seven or eight days before Christmas, and now available again in the Common Worship daily office (see http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/daily/morneve/epadvent.html#antiphons for the texts).
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever wondered what "O Sapientia" on 16th December in the Prayer Book Calendar was, it was the start of the "countdown" and referred to the first antiphon. The countdown now starts on 17th December as the compilers of Common Worship have dropped the antiphon for 23rd December (which was "O virgo virginum", "O virgin of virgins" - not all the changes in Common Worship have moved in a "catholic" direction!) and so the sequence starts one day later. (I wish the CW compilers had also used the antiphon for Christmas Eve, which was "Hodie scietis" - "Today you will know that the Lord will come among you, and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord.")
I believe that there were verses written for "O come, O come, Emmanuel" for all seven of the antiphons, but only the five we are familiar with are usually printed in hymn books.