Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. (1 Chronicles 16:7 KJV)
Writer – David
Musicians –
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. (1 Chronicles 16:4-6 KJV)
Tune – No idea
This psalm, written by David, was given to the singers under Asaph to thank and praise the Lord for all His Wondrous Works. Birds are not mentioned in the hymn or song, but these references to creation merit this song being included here in the Birds in Hymns:
make known his deeds among the people
talk ye of all his wondrous works
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done
his wonders
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth
Declare his glory among the heathen
his marvellous works among all nations
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name
let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD
Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula) by Ian
1 Chronicles 16:8-36 (KJV)
Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;
And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;
When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.
And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;
He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.
Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
(1 Chronicles 16:8-36 KJV)
American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by J Fenton
Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) by Lee Lowry Pk Zoo
Based on:
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3 KJV)
Words by ~ Josiah Conder (1789-1855), in The Congregational Hymn Book, 1836.
Music ~ “Dix” ~by~ Conrad Kocher, Stimmen aus dem Reiche Gottes, 1838
O Give Thanks To Him Who Made
O give thanks to Him Who made
Morning light and evening shade;
Source and Giver of all good,
Nightly sleep and daily food;
Quickener of our wearied powers,
Guard of our unconscious hours.
O give thanks to nature’s King,
Who made every breathing thing;
His, our warm and sentient frame,
His, the mind’s immortal flame.
O how close the ties that bind
Spirits to the Eternal Mind!
O give thanks with heart and lip,
For we are His workmanship;
And all creatures are His care: Not a bird that cleaves the air
Falls unnoticed; but who can
Speak the Father’s love to man?
O give thanks to Him Who came
In a mortal, suffering frame—
Temple of the Deity—
Came for rebel man to die;
In the path Himself hath trod
Leading back His saints to God.
Green-billed Toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus) by Dario Sanches
Based on:
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 KJV)
Words by Isaac Watts, 1707. Charles Wesley reportedly said he would give up all his other hymns to have written this one.
Music is Hamburg, by Lowell Mason, 1824;
Alternate tune: Rockingham (Miller), Edward Miller, 1790
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
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?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.
This hymn was used even though a bird is not mentioned specifically. The verse with “Were the whole realm of nature mine,” always reminds me of all the birds and other critters that God created. To me, it belongs in with the Birds in Hymns section. Also, the message of the whole hymn tells of the Savior’s love and death on the cross for our salvation.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)
Words by Isaac Watts,
Found in Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I, 1707, #48.
Born 1674 in Southampton, England.- Died 1748 in Stoke Newington, England
Music: Trell by Lowell Mason and Carmina Sacra, 1844
Alternate tunes:
St. Petersburg, attributed to Dmitri S. Bortniansky, 1825
Samson, arranged from George F. Handel (1685-1759)
Awake, Our Souls; Away, Our Fears
Awake, our souls; away, our fears,
Let every trembling thought be gone;
Awake, and run the heavenly race,
And put a cheerful courage on.
True, ’tis a strait and thorny road,
And mortal spirits tire and faint;
But they forget the mighty God,
That feeds the strength of every saint.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) by AestheticPhotos
Thee, mighty God! whose matchless power
Is ever new, and ever young;
And firm endures, while endless years
Their everlasting circles run.
From Thee, the overflowing spring,
Our souls shall drink a fresh supply;
While such as trust their native strength
Shall melt away, and droop, and die.
Swift as an eagle cuts the air, We’ll mount aloft to Thine abode; On wings of love our souls shall fly, Nor tire amidst the heav’nly road.
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. (Matthew 20:22 KJV)
Words: Reginald Heber, 1812.
(This hymn was sung in the 1975 movie The Man Who Would Be King, which was nominated for several Academy Awards.)
Music: All Saints, Henry S. Cutler, in The Hymnal with Tunes Old and New, by John Ireland Tucker, 1872
Alternate tunes:
Old 81st, Day’s Psalter, 1562
St. Anne, William Croft, 1708
Warrior, Archibald MacDonald, 1877
In Mrs. Ewing’ Story of a Short Life it is the favorite hymn in the barracks, where the soldiers call it the ‘tug of war’ hymn. The officer’s son, who had been crippled for life by an accident, begs just before his death that the soldiers will sing it again. They go under his window, and when in the midst of the verse, ‘A noble army, men and boys,’ a hand is seen at the window pulling down the blind. The brave sufferer is gone. The story made the hymn widely popular among children as the ‘tug of war’ hymn. Telford, p. 410
The Son of God Goes Forth to War
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The Son of God goes forth to war,
A kingly crown to gain;
His blood red banner streams afar:
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below,
He follows in His train.
That martyr first, whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave;
Who saw his Master in the sky,
And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue,
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong:
Who follows in his train?
A glorious band, the chosen few
On whom the Spirit came;
Twelve valiant saints, their hope they knew,
And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant’s brandished steel,
The lion’s gory mane;
They bowed their heads the death to feel:
Who follows in their train?
A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior’s throne rejoice,
In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of Heav’n,
Through peril, toil and pain;
O God, to us may grace be giv’n,
To follow in their train.
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Silver-breasted Broadbill (Serilophus lunatus) by Peter Ericsson
We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)
Here is another hymn from the past. This time written by Stopford A. Brooke (1832-1916) and composed by George W. Chadwick (1854-1931)
Words by Stopford A. Brooke, Christian Hymns, 1881.
Music is called “Armstrong” (Chadwick) by George W. Chadwick , 1888
When The Lord Of Love Was Here
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When the Lord of Love was here,
Happy hearts to Him were dear,
Though His heart was sad;
Worn and lonesome for our sake,
Yet he turned aside to make
All the weary glad.
Meek and lowly were His ways,
From His loving grew His praise,
From His giving, prayer;
All the outcast thronged to hear,
All the sorrowful drew near
To enjoy His care.
When he walked the fields, He drew
From the flowers and birds and dew
Parables of God;
For within His heart of love
All the soul of man did move,
God had His abode.
Lord, be ours Thy power to keep
In the very heart of grief,
And in trial, love;
In our meekness to be wise,
And through sorrows to arise
To our God above.
Fill us with Thy deep desire
All the sinful to inspire
With the Father’s life;
Free us from the cares that press
On the heart of worldliness
From the fret and strife.
And, when in the fields and woods
Were are filled with Nature’s moods,
May the grace be given
With Thy faithful heart to say,
“All I see and feel today
Is my Father’s Heaven.”
Costa's Hummingbird on Nest (Calypte costae) by Bob-Nan
Based on:
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7 KJV)
Words by – Anne R. Cousin, in The Christian Treasury, 1857.
From this hymn came the title of Cousin’s 1876 work, Immanuel’s Land and Other Pieces by A. R. C.
Music: Rutherford, Chrétien d’Urhan, 1834; arranged by Edward F. Rimbault, 1867
The Sands of Time Are Sinking
The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of Heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Oh! Well it is forever, Oh! well forevermore,
My nest hung in no forest of all this death doomed shore:
Yea, let the vain world vanish, as from the ship the strand,
While glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
There the red rose of Sharon unfolds its heartsome bloom
And fills the air of Heaven with ravishing perfume:
Oh! To behold it blossom, while by its fragrance fanned
Where glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
The King there in His beauty, without a veil is seen:
It were a well spent journey, though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army, doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Oft in yon sea beat prison My Lord and I held tryst,
For Anwoth was not Heaven, and preaching was not Christ:
And aye, my murkiest storm cloud was by a rainbow spanned,
Caught from the glory dwelling in Immanuel’s land.
But that He built a Heaven of His surpassing love,
A little new Jerusalem, like to the one above,
“Lord take me over the water” hath been my loud demand,
Take me to my love’s own country, unto Immanuel’s land.
But flowers need night’s cool darkness, the moonlight and the dew;
So Christ, from one who loved it, His shining oft withdrew:
And then, for cause of absence my troubled soul I scanned
But glory shadeless shineth in Immanuel’s land.
The little birds of Anwoth, I used to count them blessed,
Now, beside happier altars I go to build my nest:
Over these there broods no silence, no graves around them stand,
For glory, deathless, dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Fair Anwoth by the Solway, to me thou still art dear,
Even from the verge of Heaven, I drop for thee a tear.
Oh! If one soul from Anwoth meet me at God’s right hand,
My heaven will be two heavens, In Immanuel’s land.
I’ve wrestled on towards Heaven, against storm and wind and tide,
Now, like a weary traveler that leaneth on his guide,
Amid the shades of evening, while sinks life’s lingering sand,
I hail the glory dawning from Immanuel’s land.
Deep waters crossed life’s pathway, the hedge of thorns was sharp;
Now, these lie all behind me Oh! for a well tuned harp!
Oh! To join hallelujah with yon triumphant band,
Who sing where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
With mercy and with judgment my web of time He wove,
And aye, the dews of sorrow were lustered with His love;
I’ll bless the hand that guided, I’ll bless the heart that planned
When throned where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Soon shall the cup of glory wash down earth’s bitterest woes,
Soon shall the desert briar break into Eden’s rose;
The curse shall change to blessing the name on earth that’s banned
Be graven on the white stone in Immanuel’s land.
O I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner into His “house of wine.”
I stand upon His merit—I know no other stand,
Not even where glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
I shall sleep sound in Jesus, filled with His likeness rise,
To love and to adore Him, to see Him with these eyes:
’Tween me and resurrection but paradise doth stand;
Then—then for glory dwelling in Immanuel’s land.
The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory but on my king of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth but on His piercèd hand;
The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.
I have borne scorn and hatred, I have borne wrong and shame,
Earth’s proud ones have reproached me for Christ’s thrice blessed name:
Where God His seal set fairest they’ve stamped the foulest brand,
But judgment shines like noonday in Immanuel’s land.
They’ve summoned me before them, but there I may not come,
My Lord says “Come up hither,” My Lord says “Welcome home!”
My king, at His white throne, my presence doth command
Where glory—glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Old School House in Anwoth, Scotland
Anwoth is a settlement near the Solway Firth in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright, in South West Scotland, within a parish of the same name in the Vale of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway. Anwoth lies a mile (1.5 km) to the west of Gatehouse of Fleet.
Anwoth’s most famous inhabitant was the Rev. Samuel Rutherford (1600? – 1661), who was the minister at Anwoth Old Kirk from 1627 until 1636 when he was banished to Aberdeen. On a nearby hill, there is Rutherford’s Monument, a 55 foot high granite obelisk erected in 1842. A millennium cairn opposite the monument lists the names of all the ministers of Anwoth and Girthon until the year 2000 when it was erected. The Old Kirk was in use until 1825, but is now just a ruin.
West Anwoth Parish Church was built in 1826–1827. It is a Walter Newall Gothic box style church with tower and hood-moulded windows. It closed in 2002.
The Church of Scotland sold the Church to a neighbouring family who now keep it as a hall fo ceremonies and parties. The church was re-roofed in 2007 and is being kept in the best of condition.
An ancient fort on nearby Trusty’s Hill was occupied by Iron Age people and may have been attacked and burned by a Pictish raiding party, who carved a series of symbol stones in a rock beside the entrance passage.
Anne Ross Cousin’s hymn, The Sands of Time are Sinking, mentions Anwoth, because of its historic spiritual connection with Samuel Rutherford. Verses 9 & 10 of her original nineteen stanza poem are:
The little birds of Anwoth, I used to count them blessed,
Now, beside happier altars I go to build my nest:
Over these there broods no silence, no graves around them stand,
For glory, deathless, dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.
Fair Anwoth by the Solway, to me thou still art dear,
Even from the verge of heaven, I drop for thee a tear.
Oh! If one soul from Anwoth meet me at God’s right hand,
My heaven will be two heavens, In Immanuel’s land.
Sources – CyberHymnal and Wikipedia
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Another great hymn by Anne R. Cousin is worth listening to an meditating on the words. She sums up what we desire for all who visit this blog.
Is Jesus Able To Redeem?
Based on:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 KJV)
Words: Anne R. Cousin (1824-1906).
Music: Esrom, Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908)
Is Jesus able to redeem
A sinner lost, like me?
My sins so great, so many seem!
O sinner, “come and see.”
The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”
Is Jesus willing to forgive
A rebel child, like me?
Who would not in His favor live?
O rebel, “come and see.”
The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”
Is Jesus waiting to relieve
A wanderer, like me,
Who chose the Father’s house to leave?
O wanderer, “come and see.”
The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”
Is Jesus ready now to save
A guilty one, like me,
Who brought Him to the cross and grave?
Come, guilty one, and see.
The blood that Jesus shed of old
Was shed for you and me:
And there is room within the fold—
O “come to Him and see.”
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The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. (Song of Solomon 2:12 ESV)
Words by Reginald Heber (1783-1826).
Music – Gosterwood, English melody, arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
In The English Hymnal (London: Oxford University Press, 1906), number 299
When Spring Unlocks The Flowers
When spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil;
When summer’s balmy showers refresh the mower’s toil;
When winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and the flood;
In God the earth rejoiceth still and owns his maker good.
The birds that wake the morning and those that love the shade;
The winds that sweep the mountain or lull the drowsy glade;
The sun that from his amber bower rejoiceth on his way,
The moon and stars their master’s name in silent pomp display.
Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,
Shall man alone, unthankful, his little praise deny?
No; let the year forsake his course, the seasons cease to be,
Thee, Master, must we always love, and Savior, honor Thee.
The flowers of spring may wither, the hope of summer fade,
The autumn droop in winter, the birds forsake the shade;
The winds be lulled, the sun and moon forget their old decree;
But we, in nature’s latest hour, O Lord, will cling to Thee!
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Exodus 19:5 KJV)
Words by Neil Barham, 2005. (1962-)
Music – Protection – from A Compilation of Genuine Church Music, by Joseph Funk (Winchester, Virginia: J. W. Hollis, 1832)
Alternate Tune – St. Denio, by John Roberts, 1839
Being His
His oceans all rumble and batter His shore,
But He will be new when its waves are no more.
His mountains reach skyward to touch His sweet face;
His forests burst forth as He showers their place.
The mighty Leviathan leaps in His seas,
The eagle mounts up on the joy of His breeze.
The creatures of earth borrow life from His hand,
Their days are all numbered by His firm command.
Eternity springs from His Infinite Mind—
All time and all space from His fingers unwind,
His intricate, limitless, unbounded skill
Spins threads of His sovereign, inscrutable will.
The thunder of Sinai resounds in our ears,
The judgment of God stirs the deepest of fears!
But, awesome and wondrous—more staggering still—
The flashes of lightning from Calvary’s hill!
But O! How mighty, how perfect, how free,
How blessèd, how precious, how lovely is He!
And O! How grand, and how sweet to behold
The trophies of grace He has won from of old!
A radiant triumph illumines His face!
He strides to His throne, the Colossus of Grace!
He sits, and His Father proclaims Him True Son!
His strife is now over; His battle is done.
We bow, we adore, we fall down at His throne,
He gathers us into His arms as His own!
He seats us in glory beside Him above,
To crown His achievement with splendors of love!
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What a great old hymn that tells of the Lord’s grace to us and the Worship that is due Him.
Neil Barham grew up in Louisiana and has lived all over the southern United States. He was trained as a Presbyterian pastor and served as a teacher in Christian schools in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana. As of 2005, he lived in Miami, Florida, where he, his wife Julie, and his children Hannah, Seth, and Leah are members of the Kendall Presbyterian Church.
Inspired by the example of William Cowper, Neil began writing hymns to combat spiritual depression. He has 19 hymns on Cyber Hymnal.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20 KJV)
Birds in Hymns – Get Close To Jesus
Words by Alice Larry Woodcock
Music by Alice Larry Woodcock
Get Close To Jesus
Whene’er your trials are too hard for you,
Burdens are heavy, and your friends seem few,
Go to your Savior, kneel to Him in prayer,
He’ll hear you, for He’s always there.
Refrain
Get close to Jesus, He’s your best friend; Get close to Jesus, He’ll comfort send; In times of trial, in times of fear, Get close to Jesus, He’s always near.
He is the friend above all others rare;
Even the sparrow is within His care;
Much more to you will He His love bestow
If to Him you will only go.
Refrain
Get close to Jesus, He’s your best friend; Get close to Jesus, He’ll comfort send; In times of trial, in times of fear, Get close to Jesus, He’s always near.
So for tomorrow and its needs ne’er fear;
Leave all to Him, have faith, be of good cheer;
Then go and help some others’ cross to bear,
And tell them of His wondrous care.
Refrain
Get close to Jesus, He’s your best friend; Get close to Jesus, He’ll comfort send; In times of trial, in times of fear, Get close to Jesus, He’s always near.
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 