Written in the 1970s by Australian Catholic nun Sister Deirdre Browne, Come as you are is now sung throughout the world. Sister Deirdre says that the song’s appeal is simply its singability and its strong message of acceptance and forgiveness. Also in this week's programme, Charles Wesley's well-known hymn Love divine, all loves excelling is given a contemporary twist with a setting by English composer, Howard Goodall.
SONG: COME, LET US JOIN OUR CHEERFUL SONGS
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Isaac Watts/Christopher Norton
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 582
Come, let us join our cheerful songs
with angels round the throne;
ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
but all their joys are one.
'Worthy the Lamb that died,' they cry,
'to be exalted thus';
'Worthy the Lamb,' our lips reply,
'for he was slain for us.'
Jesus is worthy to receive
honour and power divine;
and blessings, more than we can give,
be, Lord, for ever thine.
The whole creation joins in one
to bless the sacred name
of him that sits upon the throne,
and to adore the Lamb.
SONG: LOW IN THE GRAVE HE LAY
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Robert Lowry
Recording: Marquis Classics
Low in the grave He lay
Jesus my Saviour!
Waiting the coming day
Jesus my Lord!
Refrain:
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Vainly they watch His bed
Jesus, my Saviour!
Vainly they seal the dead
Jesus my Lord!
Refrain:
Death cannot keep his prey
Jesus, my Saviour!
He tore the bars away
Jesus my Lord!
Refrain:
SONG: GOD IS OUR HOPE AND STRENGTH (PSALM 46)
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Bill Ives (organ)
Words/Music: Psalm 46/Martin Luther
Recording: Marquis
God is our hope and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved,
And though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea.
Though the waters thereof rage and swell,
And though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same.
The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God:
The holy place of the tabernacle of the most highest.
God is in the midst of her therefore shall she not be removed:
God shall help her and that right early.
The heathen make much ado and the kingdoms are moved:
But God hath shewed his voice, and the earth shall melt away.
The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.
O come hither and behold the works of the Lord:
What destruction he hath brought upon the earth.
He maketh wars to cease in all the world:
He breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder,
And burneth the chariots in the fire.
Be still then and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
World without end. Amen.
SONG: TELL OUT, MY SOUL
Artist: Wells Cathedral Choir/Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: Timothy Dudley-Smith/Walter Greatorex
Recording: Hyperion 112105
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and forevermore!
SONG: PRAISE TO THE HOLIEST
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey, Martin Neary (dir), Martin Baker (organ)
Words/Music: Cardinal John Henry Newman/John Dykes
Recording: Griffin 224018
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.
O generous love! that he, who smote,
In man for man the foe,
The double agony in man
For man should undergo.
And in the garden secretly,
And on the cross on high,
Should teach his brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.
Praise to the holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways.
SONG: JESU, THE VERY THOUGHT OF THEE
Artist: Choir of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Catherine Palmer (dir), Ronald Jordan (organ)
Words/Music: Bernard of Clairvaux trans Edward Caswall/Gordon Slater
Recording: Marquis
Jesu, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus' Name,
The Saviour of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is,
none but his loved ones know.
Jesu, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
In Him, be all our glory now,
and through eternity.
SONG: COME AS YOU ARE
Artist: Paul Gurr
Words/Music: Sr Deirdre Browne
Recording: Spectrum Publications 1986
Come as you are, that’s how I want you
Come as you are, feel quite at home
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone?
No need to fear, love sets no limits
No need to fear, love never ends
Don’t run away, shamed and disheartened
Rest in my love, trust me again
I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous
I came to bring peace, not to condemn
Each time you fail, to live by my promise
Why do you think, I’d love you the less?
Come as you are, that’s how I love you
Come as you are, trust me again
Nothing can change, the love that I bear you
All will be well, just come as you are.
SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford, London Musici, Howard Goodall
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Howard Goodall
Recording: EMI 215047
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
