Present Joys

My friend Bruce mentioned his idea to sing through all of Lift Up Your Hearts in 2015. I liked the idea, but I realized I should probably familiarize myself with my own denomination’s hymnal before I try anything else.

So, this year I’m going to try to sing through the 1990 edition of the Trinity Hymnal. At just over 2 songs per day, I think it’s an attainable goal. I made a little plan for myself with some thoughts in mind:

• Each day, I’ll sing at least two songs from Trinity, each one from different places in the book. (The first 300 or so hymns address God and the following 400 or so address the Christian life, so this will balance out nicely.)
• I’ll attempt to sing seasonal hymns at the calendar-appropriate time of year. For example, one hymn per day is included from the Advent/Christmastide section starting around november 27 and continuing through Epiphany (january 6).
• Since there are more than 365 × 2 hymns in the book, I’ll work in the shorter “service music” (such as doxologies and amens) at the end of each month.

My plan is to sing every verse of every hymn in the book. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll include singing as part of my daily devotional time or as part of my daily accordion practice time… I’ll report back and write about how it’s going.

I made a pdf of my singing plan for my own use. You can download a copy if you’d like to try it too: Trinity Hymnal in a year.

For the herald’s voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all men to repentance,
since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way!
Let the valleys rise to meet Him,
and the hills bow down to greet Him.

Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light,
and usher in the morning.
O shepherds, shudder not with fright,
but hear the angel’s warning:
this child, now weak in infancy,
our confidence and joy shall be,
the power of Satan breaking,
our peace eternal making.

Heap on His sacred altar
the gifts His goodness gave,
the golden sheaves of harvest,
the souls He died to save:
your hearts lay down before Him,
when at His feet ye fall,
and with your lives adore Him
Who gave His life for all.

I heard the voice of Jesus say
‘Come unto Me and rest;
lay down, thou weary one, lay down
thy head upon My breast.’
I came to Jesus as I was,
weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
and He has made me glad.