"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." -- Galatians 6:14
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.
-- By Isaac Watts from Hymns & Spiritual Songs, 1707; used with tune Newton, p. 242 in the Cooper Sacred Harp Book
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
-- From Hymns by John Bowring, 1825 and used with tune Peace & Joy by Paine Denson, p. 532 in the Denson Sacred Harp Book
5 comments:
I love the old hymns, just as this Welsh hymn is my favourite, but I will give it in English:
I've found the pearl of greatest price,
My heart doth sing for joy;
And sing I must, for Christ I have -
Oh, what a Christ have I
Cheers,
Jim
By the way, this is that hymn in Welsh:
Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus,
Aur y byd na'i berlau mân:
Gofyn wyf am galon hapus,
Calon onest, calon lân.
Cytgan:
Calon lân yn llawn daioni,
Tecach yw na'r lili dlos:
Dim ond calon lân all ganu-
Canu'r dydd a chanu'r nos.
Pe dymunwn olud bydol,
Hedyn buan ganddo sydd;
Golud calon lân, rinweddol,
Yn dwyn bythol elw fydd.
Hwyr a bore fy nymuniad
Gwyd i'r nef ar edyn cân
Ar i Dduw, er mwyn fy Ngheidwad,
Roddi i mi galon lân.
Cheers,
Jim
Yes, amity, those two verses are also by Watts. I was just using what was on p. 242 of the Cooper Book. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" is considered by many to be one of the best hymns in the English language.
Jim, thanks for the Welsh hymn. My family has some Welsh heritage and I understand our last name is fairly common there.
Are you familiar with a song that uses the phrase "As I am" in it quite a bit? I can't remember just how all it goes. Something like, "I am the vilest sinner, as I am, as I am,..." It is sung to a beautiful (in my opinion) minor tune that is called something like "twr gwyn" -- Don't have it in front of me and can't remember the spelling.
Robert, I knew there was something I liked about you. Croeso i Gymru....Welcome to Wales. My mother was Welsh and I was schooled in Wales at llanelli.
Twr Gwyn is actually a Baptist Church building in Bangor, North Wales...in Welsh it means blessed tower.
I am not familiar with the hymn, but it may come to me in time.
Cheers,
Jim
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