“On what has now been sown
Thy blessing, Lord, bestow;
The pow’r is Thine alone
To make it sprout and grow.
Do Thou in grace the harvest raise,
And Thou alone shalt have the praise!To Thee our wants are known,
From Thee are all our pow’rs;
Accept what is Thine own
And pardon what is ours.
Our praises, Lord, and prayers receive,
And to Thy Word a blessing give.O grant that each of us,
Now met before Thee here,
May meet together thus
When Thou and Thine appear
And follow Thee to heav’n, our home.
E’en so, amen, Lord Jesus, come!” Lutheran Service Book #921
Lutheran Service Book
About The Athanasian Creed
From Lutheran Service Book:
“Early in the fourth century, a north African pastor named Arius began teaching that Jesus Christ was not truly God. The Church responded decisively in AD 325 with a statement of faith (The Nicene Creed), which confessed that Jesus is, in fact, true God. Toward the end of the fifth century, another creed was written that delved further into the mystery of the Trinity. Though attributed to Athanasius, a fourth-century opponent of Arius, this anonymous creed clearly came at a later stage in the debate.
The Athanasian Creed declared that its teachings concerning the Holy Trinity and our Lord’s incarnation are “the catholic faith.” In other words, that is what the true Church of all times and all places has confessed. More than fifteen centuries later, the Church continues to confess this truth, confident that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has given Himself to our salvation.”
Hymn of the Day–“Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest”
“Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And make our hearts Your place of rest;
Come with Your grace and heav’nly aid,
And fill the hearts which You have made.To You, the Counselor, we cry
To You, the gift of God Most High;
The fount of life, the fire of love,
The soul’s anointing from above.In You, with graces sevenfold,
We God’s almighty hand behold
While You with tongues of fire proclaim
To all the world His holy name.Your light to ev’ry thought impart,
And shed Your love in ev’ry heart;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.Drive far away our wily foe,
And Your abiding peace bestow;
With You as our protecting guide,
No evil can with us abide.Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.Praise we the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit, with them One,
And may the Son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow!” Lutheran Service Book #499
Hymn of the Day–“A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing”
“A hymn of gory let us sing!
New hymns throughout the world shall ring:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ, by a road before untrod,
Ascends unto the throne of God.
Alleluia alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!The holy apostolic band
Upon the Mount of Olives stand,
Alleluia, alleluia!
And with His faithful foll’wers see
Their Lord ascend in majesty.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!To them the shining angels cry,
‘Why stand and gaze upon the sky?’
Alleluia, alleluia!
‘This is the Savior,’ thus they say;
‘This is His glorious triumph day!’
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!‘You see Him now, ascending high
Up to the portals of the sky.’
Alleluia, alleluia!
‘Hereafter Jesus you shall see
Returning in great majesty.’
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!Be now our joy on earth, O Lord,
And be our future great reward.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Then, throned with You forever, we
Shall praise Your name eternally.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
All praise to You let earth accord:
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are, while endless ages run,
With Father and with Spirit one.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” Lutheran Service Book #493
Hymn of the Day–“When Peace, Like a River”
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows, like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.He lives–oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend;
Even so it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.” Lutheran Service Book #763
Hymn of the Day–“Go, My Children, With My Blessing”
We sung these three stanzas of “Go, My Children, with My Blessing,” at our wedding 10 years ago. I still think the wedding verse is beautiful, and really captures the joy found in a Christian marriage:
Go, My children, with My blessing,
Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you;
You are My own.
In My love’s baptismal river
I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing–
You are My own.In this union I have joined you
Husband and wife,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life:
Each the other’s gladness sharing,
Each the other’s burdens bearing,
Now, My children, live together
As heirs of life.I the Lord will bless and keep you
And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you
And give you peace:
I the Lord will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, My children; I will keep you
And give you peace.
There are two additional verses which can replace verse three above, so the hymn can be used for regular services, as well, (the first of which is particularly meaningful to me):
Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you,
What I can cure.
Here you heard My dear Son’s story;
Here you touched Him, saw His glory.
Go, My children, sins forgiven,
At peace and pure.Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Closer to Me;
Grow in love and love by serving,
Joyful and free.
Here My Spirit’s power filled you;
Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished,
Joyful and free. Lutheran Service Book #922
Hymn of the Day–“O Day of Rest and Gladness”
O day of rest and gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright;
This day the hight and lowly,
Through ages joined to bless,
Sing, “Holy, holy, holy,”
The triune God confess.This day at earth’s creation
The light first had its birth;
This day for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
This day our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heav’n,
And thus this day most glorious
A three-fold light was giv’n.This day, God’s people meeting,
His Holy Scripture hear;
His living presence greeting,
Through bread and wine made near.
We journey on, believing,
Renewed with heav’nly might,
From grace more grace receiving,
On this blest day of light.That light our hope sustaining,
We walk the pilgrim way,
At length our rest attaining,
Our endless Sabbath day.
We sing to Thee our praises,
O Father, Spirit, Son;
The Church her voice upraises
To Thee, blest Three in One. Hymn #906, Lutheran Service Book
Hymn of the Day–“This Joyful Eastertide”
This joyful Eastertide,
Away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
Has sprung to life this morrow;
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!Death’s flood has lost its chill
Since Jesus crossed the river;
Lover of souls, from ill
My passing soul deliver:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!My flesh in hope shall rest
And for a season slumber;
Till trump from east to west
Shall wake the dead in number:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst His three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen! Lutheran Service Book #482
Good Friday–The Reproaches
Thus says the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. For I have raised you up out of the prison house of sin and death, and you have delivered up your Redeemer to be scourged. For I have redeemed you from the house of bondage, and you have nailed your Savior to the cross. O My people.
Thus says the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. For I have conquered all your foes, and you have given Me over and delivered Me to those who persecute Me. For I have fed you with My Word and refreshed you with living water, and you have given Me gall and vinegar to drink. O My people.
Thus say the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. What more could have been done for My vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? My people, is this how you thank your God? O My people. Lutheran Service Book
Advent in Lent
I know that Prepare the Royal Highway is an Advent hymn, but it works for Palm Sunday, too. As a matter of fact, when we were singing it last Advent, I kept thinking that I always considered it to be primarily a Holy Week hymn. I guess that just shows how well (or not) I pay attention to where in the hymnal the hymns actually are!
Prepare the royal highway;
The King of kings is near!
Let ev’ry hill and valley
A level road appear!
Then greet the King of Glory
Foretold in sacred story:
Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word!God’s people see Him coming:
You own eternal king!
Palm branches strew before Him!
Spread garments! Shout and sing!
God’s promise will not fail you!
No more shall doubt assail you!
Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word!Then fling the gates wide open
To greet your promised king!
Your king, yet ev’ry nation
Its tribute too should bring.
All lands, bow down before Him!
All nations, now adore Him!
Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word!His is no early kingdom;
It comes from heav’n above.
His rule is peace and freedom
And justice, truth, and love.
So let your praise be sounding
For kindness so abounding.
Hosanna to the Lord,
For He fulfills God’s Word. Lutheran Service Book #343