Forgetful Again

I was thinking that I was just going to delete the previous post; it was too dumb. We all forget things. But then I started thinking how this is like my "forgetting" with the hymnal. Habits just don't go away easily. I know there's road construction, but nevertheless I keep driving on the road I normally use. I know the words in the new hymnal are different, but nevertheless I keep saying the old words, no matter how hard I try not to. Just the other day in Bible class, we were praying Ps 46 out of the hymnal, and I noticed the words were different. I concentrated on saying the right word. My eyes saw the right word. My brain was attuned to the change. But even so, my mouth just couldn't say "The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Sheesh, even when I try to type it, I start typing "refuge" and have to go back and erase.)

I feel like a little kid learning to read. When a child is struggling to decode the words, the reading comprehension isn't really there. That's where I am with the new hymnal. When there's so much attention required to try to wrestle the right word out of my mouth, I miss the message of the hymn or the collect. I think it's called "losing the forest for the trees." But maybe in a few years I'll be back in the forest rather than clumsily bumping into one tree after another.

Unrelentingly Forgetful

The road going into town has a small section under construction. It started two and a half weeks ago. I usually go to this nearby town four times a week, to do my paper route. So the first time I get to the construction zone, I have to detour. Not too bad; it's only 2 miles out of my way. Six hours later I came back to town, and forgot the construction. Forty-eight hours later, I came back to town again, and forgot again. Twenty hours later, the same thing. And it happened again the next week. And it happened again for the first three runs to town this week. Andrew and I keep saying that we'll remember next time that we should take the route into town that won't require a detour. But do we? Noooooo!

I'd like to blame this on old age, but that doesn't explain my spiffy young teenager's obliviousness to choosing the right path into town to avoid the backhoes and dump trucks. You know we'll finally remember for the first time when the construction is neatly finished.

About LSB

Although there are things in TLH that are wonderful and will hopefully continue to be used, that doesn't mean LSB is inferior to TLH. Not by a long shot! I posted on one of the comment pages a list of great hymns that are available in LSB that aren't in TLH. And that was just a quickie-list I threw together prior to the 2004 convention. Since that time, I've found more treasures in the hymn section.

The Agenda for LSB is absolutely incredible. It's significantly superior to the previous agendas.

I don't mean to imply by yesterday's posts that there are serious deficiences in LSB. Yes, the list may be long of what's been left out of LSB, but that doesn't mean all of those (or even most of those) should've been included in the new hymnal. Christopher mentioned a week or so ago that he'd like to see "an overall factual review of LSB hymnody stating the major alterations (which hymns were eliminated, added, which hymns were partially eliminated)." I was doing that for myself anyway, so I just went ahead and posted the list here. For my purposes, I would've just listed the changes that I thought were important, and not bothered mentioning the changes I agreed with. But I didn't think it would hurt anything to provide the factual and unemotional list for people who might want to see it.

That said, I wouldn't want to discourage people from getting LSB. It's a good book. I think it's better than TLH. But like Pastor Petersen had said repeatedly, it's not as much better as I'd hoped it would be. And there are a couple of areas that I dearly hope will be remedied "next time." But the fact that it's not the perfect hymnal does not undo the fact that LSB is a very good hymnal.

Underhanded Political Ads

In Wisconsin next week, the ballot will have a question regarding whether we support a constitutional change to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. It is frequently referred to as the referendum on "gay marriage."

What has stunned me is the shocking duplicity of some of the commercials recently being run. A group that advocates gay rights is running commercials that encourage people to vote no. However, they're not being honest about their position. They're doing it by having the actors in the commercial say that they're against gay marriage, and so they're going to vote no on the amendment "to say 'no' to gay marriage." This gay-rights group is running commercials that look like conservative people in favor of marriage are opposed to this referendum. (Now, of course, some conservatives are opposed to the referendum for reasons that have more to do with constitutional amendments, and nothing to do with supporting privileges for homosexuals.) But, wow, ... to run ads for the express purpose of confusing the people as to whether a "yes vote" is a "yes" to gay marriage or a "yes" to traditional marriage.... They must not have much confidence in this referendum being turned down on its own merits. And so they resort to deception. The scary thing is that it's working to convince a lot of people that they should vote 'no.'

TLH Stanzas Not Included in LSB

58 O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee (5-6, 8)
77 All My Heart This Night Rejoices (4-5, 8b-15a)
105 Praise God the Lord (4-5)
171 Upon the Cross Extended (5, 7, 9b-12a)
207 Like the Golden Sun Ascending (1, 3, 5)
292 Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide (5, 7-8)
349 Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me (3, 5-6)
364 How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds (4)
444 Rise! To Arms! (4)
473 The Church's One Foundation (3)
520 Commit Whatever Grieves Thee (3-5, 7, 9-10)
523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me (4, 6, 8)
524 In Thee, Lord, Have I Put My Trust (3, 5)
528 If God Himself Be For Me (2, 7-10)
589 Oh, How Blest Are Ye Whose Toils Are Ended (5)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

26 Praise the Almighty (4)
66 Hark the Glad Sound! (3)
67 The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us (3-4, 6)
86 Christ the Lord to Us Is Born (3-6)
90 Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising (2-3)
91 Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord (4-5, 7)
106 The People That in Darkness Sat (3)
110 Across the Sky the Shades of Night (5)
132 O God of God (4)
133 Within the Father's House (6)
142 A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth (4-5)
191 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today (5-6)
192 Awake, My Heart, with Gladness (7)
206 Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense (6-7)
212 A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing (5)
235 O Holy Spirit, Enter In (2b-3a, 4-5, 7-8)
258 Lord of Our Life and God of Our Salvation (5)
264 Preserve Thy Word, O Savior (4)
275 My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord (2b, 5b-6)
305 Soul, Adorn Thyself with Gladness (4-5)
315 I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table (2, 4, 7-8, 10)
320 Lord Jesus, Think on Me (5, 7)
343 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star (2)
366 One Thing's Needful (2, 4)
371 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness (3)
373 By Grace I'm Saved (3)
383 Seek Where Ye May (5)
417 How Can I Thank Thee, Lord (3, 6)
446 Rise, My Soul to Watch and Pray (6)
512 O Christ, Our True and Only Light (4)
522 When in the Hour of Utmost Need (3, 5)
529 I Leave All Things to God's Direction (3)
535 Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing (6-7)
550 O Splendor of God's Glory Bright (4-5, 7-8)
552 Abide with Me (3, 5)
554 Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow (4)
598 Who Knows When Death May Overtake Me (1-7, 10)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

9 O Day of Rest and Gladness (3-5)
30 O That I Had a Thousand Voices (5)
38 The Lord,My God, Be Praised (5)
56 Jesus Came, the Heavens Adoring (5)
57 O Bride of Christ, Rejoice (5, 7)
59 Hail to the Lord's Anointed (4)
94 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (4)
123 Our God, Our Help in Ages Past (5, 7)
139 In His Temple Now Behold Him (4)
163 The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord (5, 7)
168 The Royal Banners Forward Go (6)
172 O Sacred Head, Now Wounded (2a, 3a, 6-7)
196 I Am Content (3)
208 Ye Sons and Daughter of the King (10)
234 Holy Ghost, with Light Divine (6)
238 All Glory Be to God Alone (6)
272 When All the World Was Cursed (4)
294 O Word of God Incarnate (2b-3a)
298 Baptized into Thy Name Most Holy (3, 6)
324 Jesus Sinners Doth Receive (4)
395 O God, Thou Faithful God (4a, 5b, 6)
399 Thee Will I Love (5)
402 O God, Forsake Me Not (5)
415 Lo, Many Shall Come (2, 4-5)
427 How Firm a Foundation (2, 4)
430 What Is the World to Me (2, 5-7)
442 Lord of Glory, Who Hast Bought Us (4)
459 Come, My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare (5)
462 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord (3, 6)
465 Christ Is Our Cornerstone (3)
467 Built on the Rock the Church Doth Stand (4-5)
511 Jesus Shall Reign Where'er the Sun (5)
514 God Moves in a Mysterious Way (2)
596 This Body in the Grave We Lay (6)
597 For Me to Live Is Jesus (5, 8)
605 The World Is Very Evil (3b, 4b)
619 Jerusalem, O City Fair and High (4-5, 7)
652 I Lay My Sins on Jesus (4)
660 I'm But a Stranger Here (4)

TLH and LSB

Some changes that I'm noticing as I go through the hymnal:

It seems that the word "Jehovah" has been avoided. It wasn't entirely excised, but just avoided most of the time. I wonder if that's because of the JWs.

From what I saw, it appears that there are no longer references to our "joining the angelic choir." Although there is nothing wrong with saying that, I think it does lend itself to misunderstanding. For example, the Milwaukee Children's Choir may join the symphony choir for a few pieces at a concert, but that doesn't mean the children are now adults. When we "join the angels singing" that doesn't mean we become angels ourselves. But so many people think we do, it's probably good that those references were adjusted.

Two sections of hymns in TLH were almost entirely discarded. One was the section on prayers "Thy will be done" (in the vicinity of the 420s) and the other is prayers for the pastors and the Office of the Ministry (in the vicinity of the 480s).

I am still concerned about the lines in hymns (or more precisely, the lack thereof) regarding "your sin shall not harm you." Luther's Christmas hymn is one example: "What harm can sin and death then do? The true God now abides with you." Another interesting peek at this is observed when you look at the hymns where only one verse was dropped, or maybe two in a rather long hymn. There's not as much acknowledgement in LSB as there was in TLH that we are sinners, surrounded by evil, and trapped in sin. In LSB it comes off more as "we were sinners." That's not something consistent across the board, but it is a tendency. And from what I've seen, I'm guessing that it wasn't so much something that happened in the last decade as LSB was being prepared, but that it was a hold-over from LBW and LW. But what that ultimately means is that the changes made in the late 70s slowly and subtly affected our theology so that when it was time for a new hymnal, the deficiency didn't even register on our radar as something that ought be fixed.

Pastor was pointing out in Bible class last Thursday that the sacramental hymnody in LSB is so far superior to either what's in TLH or LW. He explained how, over time, the lack of sacramental hymns affected our theology. I hope that, in years to come, in future hymnals, the lack of hymns reflecting the struggle of Romans 6-7 will be remedied, just as the paucity of sacramental hymns has been remedied in LSB.

TLH Hymns with Significant Translation Changes in LSB

The translation changes noted below include only places where there was a lot of change. Very brief changes, even if it seems to me that they are "significant changes," are not listed. (Some examples would be the last few lines of "A Mighty Fortress" or the end of stanza 2 in "The Law of God is Good and Wise" or stanza 3 in "Creator Spirit by Whose Aid."


58:6 Ye need not toil nor languish
77 All My Heart Again Rejoices
105 Praise God, the Lord, Ye Sons of Men
167 O Darkest Woe
171:6 The load Thou takest on Thee
231 We Now Implore God the Holy Ghost
237 All Glory Be to God on High
258 Lord of Our Life and God of Our Salvation
275 My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord
292 Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide
312 Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Living Bread
446:5 But while watching also pray
483:2 Anoint them prophets
523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me
526 In God, My Faithful God
656 Behold, A Host Arrayed in White

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

19 All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
34:4 God's grace alone endureth
80 All Praise to Thee, Eternal God
82 Come Rejoicing, Praises Voicing
94:3 Hail, Thou heav'n-born Prince of Peace
95 Savior of the Nations, Come
131 The Star Proclaims the King Is Here
132 O God of God
137 In Peace and Joy I Now Depart
172:4 My burden in Thy passion
187 Christ Is Arisen
208 Ye Sons and Daughters of the King
296 Speak, O Lord, Thy Servant Heareth
314 Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray
316 O Living Bread from Heaven
343 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star
355:1 Thou art the way, to Thee alone
366 One Thing's Needful
383 Seek Where Ye May
393 From God Shall Naught Divide Me
398:2 Destroy in me the lust of sin
409 Let Us Ever Walk With Jesus
507 Spread, Oh, Spread, Thou Mighty Word
520 Commit Whatever Grieves Thee
524 In Thee, Lord, Have I Put My Trust
564 O Trinity, Most Blessed Light
613 Jerusalem the Golden
619 Jerusalem, O City Fair and High

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

102 Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
168 The Royal Banners Forward Go
287 That Man a Godly Life Might Live
618 Jerusalem, My Happy Home

TLH Hymns That Aren't in LSB

If I counted right, there are 317 hymns listed below,
77 in the first two groupings and 240 in the final group.



25 I Will Sing My Maker's Praises
99 Now Are the Days Fulfilled
100 Christians, Sing Out with Exultation
103 To Shepherds as They Watched by Night *
104 Now Praise We Christ, the Holy One
108 We Sing, Immanuel, Thy Praise *
115 O Blessed Day, When First Was Poured
148 Lord Jesus Christ, My Life, My Light
150 Lord Jesus, Thou Art Going Forth *
165 Behold the Lamb of God!
202 Welcome, Happy Morning
211 Lo, Judah's Lion
220 Jesus, My Great High Priest
226 Come, Oh, Come, Thou Quickening Spirit
228 Oh, Enter, Lord, Thy Temple *
260 O Lord, Look Down from Heaven
266 O God, Our Lord, Thy Holy Word
268 Zion Mourns in Fear and Anguish *
317 Alas, My God, My Sins Are Great
319 In Thee Alone, O Christ, My Lord *
323 With Broken Heart and Contrite Sigh
348 Jesus, Jesus, Only Jesus
353 Lord Jesus Christ, My Savior Blest
379 I Do Not Come Because My Soul
385 Now I Have Found the Firm Foundation
485 Lord Jesus, Who Art Come
594 When My Last Hour Is Close at Hand
607 Day of Wrath, O Day of Mourning


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2 To Thy Temple, I Repair
21 Jehovah, Let Me Now Adore Thee
32 Redeemed, Restored, Forgiven
33 The Lord Hath Helped Me Hitherto
35 Songs of Praise the Angels Sang
65 When Sinners See Their Lost Condition
69 Arise, Sons of the Kingdom
78 Hail the Day So Rich in Cheer
93 O Lord, We Welcome Thee
107 We Christians May Rejoice Today
112 To God the Anthem Raising
118 Father, Let Me Dedicate
120 Help Us, O Lord
122 Now Let Us Come Before Him
152 When O'er My Sins I Sorrow
157 There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood
169 Jesus Christ, Our Lord Most Holy
173 Lord Jesus, We Give Thanks to Thee
174 Throned upon the Awefull Tree
190 Christ the Lord Is Risen Again
194 Abide with Us, the Day Is Waning
209 Who Is This that Comes from Edom
217 Oh, Sing with Exultation
223 We Thank Thee, Jesus, Dearest Friend
227 Come, Holy Ghost, in Love
232 Let Songs of Praises Fill the Sky
253 In One True God We All Believe
267 If God Had Not Been on Our Side
269 O Lord, Our Father, Shall We Be Counfounded
340 Awake, My Soul to Joyful Lays
350 Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee
356 Jesus, Savior, Come to Thee
386 My Savior Sinners Doth Receive
406 Lord, As Thou Wilt
407 Farewell I Gladly Bid Thee
411 From Eternity, O God
419 O'er Jerusalem Thou Weepest
471 Hark! the Sound of Holy Voices
493 Thou Who the Night in Prayer Didst Spend
494 Awake, Thou Spirit Who Didst Fire
510 Savior, Sprinkle Many Nations
516 In the Hour of Trial
545 While Yet the Morn Is Breaking
548 My Inmost Heart Now Raises
549 God, Who Madest Earth and Heaven
553 Through the Day Thy Love Hath Spared Us
556 O God, Be With Us
557 At Even, When the Sun Did Set
599 My Course Is Run
601 All Men Living Are But Mortal


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

7 As We Begin Another Week
8 Father, Who the Light This Day
11 Safely Through Another Week
12 This Day at Thy Creating Grace
13 Before Jehovah's Awefull Throne
18 Lord, We Come Before Thee Now
20 God of Mercy, God of Grace
22 Lord, When We Bend Before Thy Throne
24 Lord of My Life, Whose Tender Care
28 Now Let All Loudly Sing Praise
29 Through All the Changing Scenes of Life
31 When All Thy Mercies, O My God
41 Wondrous King, All Glorious
42 O Thou Love Unbounded
43 We Sing the Almighty Power of God
44 Ye Lands, to the Lord Make a Jubilant Noise
45 Now, the Hour of Worship O'er
48 How Blest Are Thy who Hear God's Word
51 Now May He who from the Dead
64 Jesus, Thy Church with Longing Eyes
70 Hosanna to the Living Lord
71 Watchman, Tell Us of the Night
83 Hark! What Mean These Holy Voices
84 Christians, Awake
88 This Night a Wondrous Revelation
109 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night
111 Thou who Roll'st the Year Around
113 While with Ceaseless Course the Sun
116 To the Name of Our Salvation
119 Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand
121 For Thy Mercy and Thy Grace
124 O Lord, Our Father, Thanks to Thee
125 The Old Year Now Hath Passed Away
130 O Jesus, King of Glory
138 Thou Light of Gentile Nations
141 Enslaved by Sin and Bound in Chains
155 Sweet the Moments Rich in Blessing
164 Twas on That Dark, That Doleful Night
176 Behold the Savior of Mankind
177 Our Blessed Savior Seven Times Spoke
188 Hallelujah! Jesus Lives
197 Where Wilt Thou Go Since Night Draws Near
203 Morning Breaks Upon the Tomb
213 Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise
214 Lo, God to Heaven Ascendeth
221 Hark! Ten Thousand Harps and Voices
225 Come, Holy Spirit, Come
229 Holy Spirit, Hear Us
230 Holy Spirit, God of Love
241 Father in Whom We Live
242 Father of Heaven, Whose Love Profound
243 Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices
248 Father of Glory, to Thy Name
256 Around the Throne of God a Band
257 Jesus, Brightness of the Father
259 Flung to the Heedless Winds
265 Thine Honor Save, O Christ, Our Lord
270 Jesus Calls Us
271 Word Supreme, Before Creation
273 Sweet Flowerets of the Martyr Band
274 Praise We the Lord This Day
278 Delay Not, Delay Not
280 Return, O Wanderer, Return
281 The Savior Calls, Let Every Ear
282 Christian, Come, in Sweetest Measures
284 Father of Mercies, in Thy Word
285 How Precious Is the Book Divine
286 How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts
289 The Law Commands and Makes Us Know
290 We Have a Sure Prophetic Word
291 Lamp of Our Feet Whereby We Trace
299 Dear Father, who Hast Made Us All
302 The Savior Kindly Calls
303 This Child We Dedicate to Thee
304 An Awefull Mystery Is Here
308 Invited, Lord, by Boundless Grace
321 O Faithful God, Thanks Be to Thee
322 And Wilt Thou Pardon, Lord
325 O Thou That Hearest
327 Out of the Deep I Call
328 O Jesus, Lamb of God, Thou Art
330 I Come to Thee, O Blessed Lord
332 Arm These Thy Soldiers
333 Blessed Savior, Who Hast Taught Me
335 My Maker, Be Thou Nigh
336 My God, Accept My Heart This Day
337 Our Lord and God, Oh, Bless This Day
345 Jesus, Lover of My Soul
346 Jesus! and Shall It Ever Be
357 Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever
358 Lamb of God, We Fall Before Thee
362 My Soul's Best Friend
363 To Our Redeemer's Glorious Name
365 Jesus I Will Never Leave
368 The Lord My Pasture Shall Prepare
374 Grace! Tis a Charming Sound
378 All That I Was, My Sin, My Guilt
382 Lord, We Confess Our Numerous Faults
391 Blessed Are the Sons of God
392 Blest Is the Man, Forever Blest
396 Oh, For a Faith That Will Not Shrink
397 O Love, Who Madest Me to Wear
403 Savior, Thy Dying Love
404 Soul, What Return Has God, Thy Savior
405 I Gave My Life for Thee
408 Jesus Christ, My Pride and Glory
418 My God, My Father, While I Stray
420 My Jesus, As Thou Wilt
422 Savior, I Follow On
423 Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken
424 My God, My Father, Make Me Strong
426 The Lord My Shepherd Is
432 In Hope My Soul, Redeemed to Bliss Unending
433 Jesus, My Truth, My Way
434 O God of Jacob, by Whose Hand
435 My Spirit on Thy Care
438 Almighty Father, Heaven and Earth
440 Lord, Lead the Way the Savior Went
443 O Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea
445 Am I a Soldier of the Cross
448 Brief Life Is Here Our Portion
449 My Soul, Be on Thy Guard
450 Soldiers of the Cross, Arise
453 We Are the Lord's
454 Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
455 Our Heavenly Father, Hear
456 Approach, My Soul the Mercy Seat
460 Behold the Sure Foundation-Stone
461 Hark! the Church Proclaims Her Honor
468 For All Thy Saints, O Lord
470 Rise Again, Ye Lion-Hearted
472 Rise, Ye Children of Salvation
474 Zion Stands by Hills Surrounded
476 Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand
478 The Saints on Earth and Those Above
479 Zion, Rise, Zion, Rise
480 Lord of the Worlds Above
481 Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow
482 Dear Lord, to Thy True Servants Give
484 We Bid Thee Welcome
486 O Thou Whose Feet Have Climbed Life's Hill
487 How Beauteous Are Their Feet
488 Lord of the Harvest, Hear
489 Lord of the Church, We Humbly Pray
490 Pour Out Thy Spirit from on High
492 Lord of the Living Harvest
495 From Greenlands Icy Mountains
497 The Morning Light Is Breaking
498 Rise, Thou Light of Gentile Nations
499 Look from Thy Sphere of Endless Day
501 Soldiers of the Cross, Arise
502 Saints of God, the Dawn Is Brightening
503 Rise, Crownded with Light, Imperial Salem, Rise
504 O Spirit of the Living God
505 O'er the Gloomy Hills of Darkness
506 Send Thou, O Lord, to Every Place
508 Thou Whose Almighty Word
509 There Still Is Room
513 Art Thou Weary
515 O Thou From Whom All Goodness Flows
519 Beloved, "It Is Well"
525 As Pants the Hart
530 Thy Ways, O Lord, with Wise Design
531 Come, Ye Disconsolate
532 Thy Way, Not Mine, O Lord
533 Nearer, My God, to Thee
534 God of My Life, to Thee I Call
537 Every Morning Mercies New
538 Now the Shades of Night Are Gone
542 The Sun Arises Now
543 When, Streaming from the Eastern Skies
545 The Morning Sun Is Brightly Beaming
546 How Lovely Shines the Morning Star (Wiesenmeyer)
547 The Radiant Sun Shines in the Skies
551 Sun of My Soul, Thou Savior Dear
555 The Day Is Past and Over
560 Gracious God, Again Is Ended
561 Now That the Day Hath Reached Its Close
562 Round Me Falls the Night
563 The Sun's Last Beam of Light Is Gone
565 Savior, Breathe an Evening Blessing
566 Chirst, by Heavenly Hosts Adored
567 O Lord, Whose Bounteous Hand Again
569 O Lord, I Sing with Lips and Heart
570 Praise, Oh, Praise, Our God and King
571 What Our Father Does Is Well
572 Praise to God, Immortal Praise
573 To Thee, O Lord, Our Hearts We Raise
576 Judge Eternal, Throned in Splendor
578 Lord, While for All Mankind We Pray
579 Almighty Lord, Before Thy Throne
580 To Thee, Our God, We Fly
581 All Ye Who on This Earth Do Dwell
582 God, Lord of Sabaoth
583 Great King of Nations, Hear Our Prayer
584 Swell the Anthem
585 I Fall Asleep in Jesus' Wounds
586 A Pilgrim and a Stranger
587 Asleep in Jesus
588 I Would Not Live Always
591 Jesus, I Live to Thee
592 I Know of a Sleep in Jesus' Name
593 Why Do We Mourn Departing Friends
595 Tender Shepherd, Thou Hast Stilled
600 O Lord, My God, I Cry to Thee
602 It Is Not Death to Die
603 In the Resurrection
604 Great God, What Do I See and Hear?
606 O'er the Distant Mountains Breaking
608 Let Thoughtless Thousands Choose the Road
610 And Will the Judge Descend
612 That Day of Wrath, That Dreadful Day
614 For Thee, O Dear, Dear Country
615 A Rest Remaineth for the Weary
616 Forever with the Lord
617 There Is an Hour of Peaceful Rest
620 Lord, Who at Cana's Wedding-Feast
622 The Voice that Breathed O'er Eden
623 O Perfect Love
624 O Blessed Home
626 O Happy Home
627 Gracious Savior, Gentle Shepherd
630 Ye Parents, Hear What Jesus Taught
631 Savior, Who Thy Flock Art Feeding
632 In the Name which Earth and Heaven
633 O Lord of Hosts, Whose Glory Fills
634 Come, Jesus, from the Sapphire Throne
635 Here in Thy Name, Eternal God
636 Great Is the Lord, Our God
637 Founded on Thee, Our Only Lord
638 In Loud, Exalted Strains
639 For Many Years, O God of Grace
640 God the Father, Son, and Spirit
641 One Thy Light, the Temple Filling
642 Arise, O God, and Shine
643 Holy Father, in Thy Mercy
650 Behold a Stranger at the Door
654 Now the Day Is Over
655 I Pray Thee, Dear Lord Jesus

Psalm 46

Some things I've been thinking about as we've prayed the psalm for Reformation Day this week. I don't quite have the energy to put it into sentences, but I'm gonna throw the thoughts out anyway.


"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."

John the Baptist,
and Isaiah's "every valley shall be exalted,
and every mountain and hill made low."
Also, there were earthquakes when God died on Calvary.



"There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High."

John 1 -- Jesus tabernacled among us.
His body on the cross is the place of the mercy seat, the real place of sacrifice to which the Old Testament Holy-of-Holies pointed, the place where the blood of the true Lamb was poured out on the ultimate Day of Atonement.
The river in Revelation flows from the tree of life.
The streams of water and blood that pour forth from Jesus' side make glad the Church in Baptism and the Supper.



"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn."

The Evangelists tell us that the women came to Jesus' tomb at the break of dawn.



"The nations raged.
The kingdoms were moved.
He uttered His voice; the earth melted."

The nations raged: the Sanhedrin, the Roman soldiers, Herod, and finally Pilate acquiesced.
"He uttered His voice." Jesus spoke seven times from the cross, and it melts our hearts of stone.



"The Lord of hosts is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge."

Immanuel -- which means "God with us."



"Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth."

Sometimes in my NASB the words "lifted up" are translated "exalted" and sometimes they're translated "lifted up" like the bronze serpent was "lifted up" for the people to see, or like Jesus was "lifted up" on the tree of the cross.
"Stand still and see the salvation which the Lord your God will accomplish for you this day. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
We hear at Easter Vigil, "This is the night you brought our fathers, the children of Israel, out of bondage in Egypt and led them through the Red Sea on dry ground. This is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality. Oh, how wonderful and beyond all telling is Your mercy to us, O God, that to redeem a slave You gave Your Son."

My Friend

Pastor Fenton made his announcement public yesterday. I don't know what to say; so much has been said over the last three years or so. But I very much appreciated what Pr Petersen wrote. Likewise I appreciate the post on Beggars All. I'd like to add to JLD's list that Pastor Fenton encouraged us to make use of private confession, and for that I will ever be in his debt.

Infant Communion

If anyone had tried to look up my husband's website in the last couple of months, he would've found the link unavailable. That's because we changed ISPs. He now has the old site uploaded to our new ISP. Scott Marincic's paper, Gary's paper, and a sizeable bibliography on the subject can be found at this website.

Jesus Our "Surprise"

I've been looking through the hymnals, comparing and contrasting. Last night, I noticed one called "Stay With Us." The last line of the first stanza is "Jesus, be our great surprise." I had no idea what that was all about. Continuing to look at this song, it didn't mean much to me. There was also a line about "Walk with us, the road will bend: make all our weeping, wailing end." The road will bend? What road? Bend where? Why does it matter if the road will bend? After a bit, I noticed that the Scripture reference was Luke 24, so I figure this song is a take-off on the story about the Emmaus disciples, but still, it doesn't seem to say much.

Having been caught giggling over the "surprise" line, I wondered what other things this poet had written. So we looked up another LSB hymn by Brokering. We found "Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen." It's one of those hymns that seems way too sparse on verbs. I really dislike those hymns that are noun upon noun upon noun, images thrown out there, instead of sentences constructed (with verbs and nouns) to state something. Well, this second Brokering hymn we looked at is an Easter hymn and has the line "Breaking our bread, giving us glory: Jesus our blessing, our constant surprise." We laughed. This guy likes the word surprise. And what's with "constant surprise"; isn't that oxymoronic?

My teenager's query in response to this hymn was - what would happen if the pastor, distributing the elements during communion, said, "Open your mouth and close your eyes, and I will give you a big surprise."

By this time, we wanted to know if "surprise" is in every hymn this guy writes. So we turn to the next one: "Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise." Ah, another hymn where the verbs are all gerunds or are in subordinate clauses -- no predicates, that is, no verbs actually doing something. And sure enough: "Thine the kingdom Thine the prize Thine the wonder full surprise." (Precious little punctuation too.)

By now, a couple of us are cracking up. That's probably terribly impious of us and I probably shouldn't admit it in public. But I still don't quite get Jesus as "our surprise." Turned to the final hymn by Brokering in LSB, and found it was "Earth and All Stars." That's certainly no surprise.