Job 19:25, 26 I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand on the latter day upon the earth: And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. 1Corinthians 15:20 [For] now is Christ risen from the dead. . . the firstfruits of them that [sleep].
(46) Since by man came death
1Corinthians 15:21,22 Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
(47) Behold I tell you a mystery
1Corinthians 15:51,52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet;
(48) The trumpet shall sound
1Corinthians 15:52b-53. the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(49) Then shall be brought to pass
1Corinthians 15:54b (Isaiah 25:8) then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
(50) O death where is thy sting?
1Corinthians 15:55-56 (Hosea 13:14) O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(51) But thanks be to God
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(52) If God be for us
Romans 8:31, 33, 34 If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.
(53) Worthy is the Lamb
Revelation 5:12, 13 Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. . . . Blessing, and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen.
John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.
(23) He was despised
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. . . Isaiah 50:6 [He]gave [His] back to the smiters, and [His] cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: [He] hid not [His] face from shame and spitting.
(24) Surely He hath borne our griefs
Isaiah 53:4,5 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. . . . . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:the chastisement of our peace was upon him,
(25) And with His stripes we are healed
Isaiah 53:5b and with His stripes we are healed
(26) All we like sheep have gone astray
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(27) All they that see him laugh him to scorn
Psalm 22:7 All they that see [him]laugh [him] to scorn: they shoot out their lips, they shake their heads, saying:
(28) He trusted in God
Psalm 22:8 (Matthew 27:43) He trusted [in God] that he would deliver him:let him deliver him, if he delight in him.
(29) Thy rebuke hath broken His heart
Psalm 69:20 [Thy] rebuke hath broken [his] heart; [He is] full of heaviness. [He]looked for some to have pity [on Him], but there was none; neither found [He] any to comfort [Him].
(30) Behold, and see if there be any sorrow
Lamentations 1:12 Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto [his] sorrow. . .
(31) He was cut off out of the land of the living
Isaiah 53:8b he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of [Thy] people was He stricken.
(32) But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell
Psalm 16:10 (Acts 2:27) [But] thou [didst] not leave [his] soul in hell; neither [didst]thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.
(33) Lift up your heads, O ye gates
Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
(34) Unto which of the angels said He at any time
Hebrews 1:5 (Psalm 2:7) For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
(35) Let all the angels of God worship Him
Hebrews 1:6b "Let all the angels of God worship Him."
(36) Thou art gone up on high
Psalm 68:18 (Ephesians 4:8) Thou art gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men; yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
(37) The Lord gave the word
Psalm 68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of [the preachers].
(38) How beautiful are the feet
Romans 10:15 (Isaiah 52:7) How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
(39) Their sound is gone out
Romans 10:18 (Psalm 19:4) their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.
(40) Why do the nations so furiously rage together?
Psalm 2:1,2 (Acts 4:25-26) Why do the heathen rage, and why do the people imagine a vain thing? 2. The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed,
(41) Let us break their bonds asunder
Psalm 2:3 Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.
(42) He that dwelleth in heaven
Psalm 2:4 He that dwelleth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.
(43) Thou shalt break them
Psalm 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
(44) Hallelujah
Revelation 19:6 Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Revelation 11:15 15. . . the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 19:16 . . .KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS.
After my last post about a song that quoted Luke 2, I kept thinking about a recitative from Handel's Messiah. A recitative is a song that is usually short and uses ordinary speech rhythms to sound as if it is being recited or spoken. The specific recitative on my mind was "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying," which then launches into the more familiar "Glory to God". Handel's Messiah is one of my favorite oratorio and is often thought of at Christmas (though it really depicts much more about our Savior than just his birth). I couldn't resist sharing this scriptural concert with you. I was introduced to Handel's Messiah as a child, hearing it at concerts. During the 90's, my parents took our family to Handel's Young Messiah concerts. I am so thankful that they drove us more than two hours to go to concerts where the popular Christian singers of the day like Steven Curtis Chapman, 4Him, Sandi Patty, Carman, and the Winans rocked modern versions of Handel's Messiah. If you have yet to hear this, I highly recommend it.
In my college years, I was blessed to join the college choir that performed this and other oratorios. That only enhanced my appreciation for this masterpiece as I finally understood all of the emotion Handel built into it. First, Handel ushers into the holy sanctuary with the Overture and then captures the feeling behind each scripture perfectly. From the comforting Comfort Ye, to the glorious Glory of the Lord. From the dark The People That Walked in Darkness, to the joyful Rejoice Greatly. From the pastoral He Shall Feed His Flock to the light His Yoke is Easy. This masterpiece definitely helps the listener to comprehend the depth of our Promised One, the Messiah.
(1) Overture
(2) Comfort Ye
Isaiah 40:1-3 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. . . .The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
(3) Every Valley
Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.
(4) And the Glory of the Lord
Isaiah 40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
(5) Thus saith the Lord
Haggai 2:6,7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Yet once, a little while and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come Malachi 3:1 The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: Behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
(6) But who may abide the Day of His Coming?
Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire.
(7) And He shall Purify
Malachi 3:3 And He shall purify the sons of Levi. . . that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
(8) Behold A Virgin Shall Conceive
Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:23) Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL, God with us.
(9) O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion
Isaiah 40:9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, and be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
(10) For behold, darkness shall cover the earth
Isaiah 60:2,3 For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
(11) The people that walked in darkness
Isaiah 9:2 (Matthew 3:16) The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
(12) For unto Us a Child is born
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
(13) Pastoral Symphony
(14) There were shepherds abiding in the field
Luke 2:8-9 There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
(15) And the Angel said unto them
Luke 2:10,11 And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
(16) And suddenly there was with the Angel
Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
(17) Glory to God
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
(18) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion
Zechariah 9:9,10 (Matthew 21:5) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Savior. . And he shall speak peace unto the heathen.
(19) Then shall the eyes of the blind
Isaiah 35:5,6 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.
(20) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd
Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; and he shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Matthew 11:28, 29 Come unto [Him], all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and [He shall]give you rest. Take [his] yoke upon you, and learn of [Him]; for [he is] meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
(21) His yoke is easy
Matthew 11:30 [His] yoke is easy, and [his]burden is light.
This hymn is not a Christmas hymn, but the first lines happen to be a quote from Luke 2. Let it remind us of where Jesus was headed when he came to earth. Even as a baby, He was sent to be our Savior. An angel of the Lord came to Joseph and told him "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His nameJesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21). Praise the Lord for sending our Savior to redeem us! "For Godsoloved the world, that He gave His onlybegottenSon, that whoeverbelieves in Him shall not perish, but haveeternallife." (John 3:16) If you are unfamiliar with this beautiful, majestic hymn, here is a link to its music.
Glory to God on High
by Thomas Kelly (1769-1854)
Glory to God on high, Peace upon earth and joy, Goodwill to man!
Luke 2:13-14 (KJV) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying , "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
We who God's blessing prove, His name all names above,
Of Jesus in Philippians 2:9-11 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Sing now the Saviour's love, Too vast to scan.
Psalm 36:5 (NLT) Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
Mercy and truth unite, Oh, 'tis a wondrous sight, All sights above!
Psalm 85:10 (KJV) Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
John 1:14, 17 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth... For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
Jesus the curse sustains, Guilt's bitter cup He drains,
Matthew 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."
Nothing for us remains, Nothing but love.
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Love that no tongue can teach, Love that no thought can reach,
Ephesians 3:19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
No love like His!
Jesus says in John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
God is its blessed source,
1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Death ne'er can stop its course, Nothing can stay its force,
Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matchless it is.
Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Blest in this love we sing, To God our praises bring, All sins forgiven:
Psalm 32:1-2 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
Jesus, our Lord, to Thee Honour and majesty Now and for ever be Here, and in heaven.
Jude 1:24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
