THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG

For several years, I served as the song leader in my church. During that time, it was my responsibility to select the music and lead the congregation in the singing every week.

I took that responsibility seriously. The hymns and songs that I selected had to be doctrinally sound, and appropriate for worship with a God-centered worldview. Within those parameters, I tried to select music that would reinforce and support the text and the subject of my pastor’s messages.

Some of us have been singing the hymns for years; the words roll off our lips but the messages often don't engage our minds or penetrate our hearts. With the apostle Paul, I want the congregation to "sing with understanding."

So it has been my practice to select one hymn each week, research it, and then highlight it with a short introductory commentary so that the congregation will be more informed regarding the origin, the author's testimony, or the doctrinal significance of the hymns we sing.

It is my intention here, with this blog, to archive these hymn commentaries for my reference and to make them freely available to other church song leaders. For ease of reference, all the hymn commentaries in this blog will be titled IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Other posts (which will be music ministry related opinion pieces) will be printed in lower case letters.

I know that some of these commentaries contain traces of my unique style, but please feel free to adapt them and use the content any way you can for the edification of your congregation and to the glory of God.

All I ask is that you leave a little comment should you find something helpful.

Ralph M. Petersen

Please follow this blog to keep notified of new entries.









Wednesday, February 12, 2020

PUBLISHED


HYMN NOTES
Published

1.    1-17-20         THE SOLID ROCK
2.    1-22-20         REDEEMED
3.    1-31-20         I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS
4.    2-7-20           THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION
5.    2-14-20         DOXOLOGY/WE GIVE THEE BUT THINE OWN
6.    2-28-20         THANKS TO GOD WHOSE WORD WAS SPOKEN
7.    3-13-20         WE ARE AN OFFERING
8.    3-20-20         WHITER THAN SNOW
9.    7-1-20           MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE
10.  7-10-20         O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING
11.  7-17-20         BIND US TOGETHER / BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS   
12.  7-24-20         MY SAVIOR'S LOVE
13.  7-29-20         IN CHRIST ALONE
14.  8-13-20         Ebenezer's, Wretches, and Worms
15.  8-21-20         SAVIOR, LIKE A SHEPHERD, LEAD US
16.  8-29-20         AT CALVARY
17   9-9-20           What A Day That Will Be
18.  9-13-20         SOLDIERS OF CHRIST, ARISE  
19.  9-18-20         My Job Description
20.  9-26-20         A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF THOMAS CHISHOLM 
21.  10-3-20         All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name
22.  10-17-20       Worthy Of Worship
23.  10-25-20       IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
24.  10-31-20       The Beginning of the Holiday Season   
25.  11-7-20         How Firm A Foundation
26.  11-14-20       Ask Ye What Great Thing I Know 
27.  11-28-20       Take My Life And Let It Be  
28.  12-12-20       Be Still My Soul
29.  12-19-20       Angels We Have Heard On High
30.  12-26-20       What Child Is This?
31.  1-2-21           We Three Kings
32.  1-9-21           Wonderful Peace
33.  1-16-21         My Religion's Not Old Fashioned
34.  1-23-21         My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me
35.  1-27-21         Jesus Saves
36.  2-5-21           O WORD OF GOD INCARNATE
37.  2-11-21         How Deep The Father's Love For Us
38.  2-20-21         To Be Used Of God
39.  3-3-21           Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
40.  3-12-21         I Sing the Mighty Power of God
41.  5-1-21           LOVE LIFTED ME
42.  5-8-21           Count Your Blessings 
43.  5-15-21         HE GIVETH MORE GRACE                        
44.  5-22-21         BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR (Fairest Lord Jesus)
45.   5-29-21        GOD OF OUR FATHERS
46    6-5-21          A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD
47.   6-12-21        I WILL SING OF MY REDEEMER
48.   6-19-21        A TRIBUTE TO PHILIP BLISS
49.   6-26-21        THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
50.   7-3-21          MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE
51.   7-10-21        COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING
52.   7-18-21        IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE GOD ONLY WISE
53.   7-24-21        THE SOLID ROCK (2)
54.   7-30-21        JESUS IS ALL THE WORLD TO ME 
55.   8-7- 21         GOD OF OUR FATHERS
55.   8-14-21        SO SEND I YOU
56.   8-21-21        STANDING ON THE PROMISES
57.   8-28-21        MY HOPE IS IN THE LORD
58.   9-4-21          IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE
59.   9-11-21        AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS
60.   9-18-21        GOD LEADS  HIS DEAR CHILDREN ALONG
61.   9-23-21       JESUS THOU JOY OF LOVING HEARTS      
62.  10-2-21        PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND
63.  10-9-21        WHAT A WONDERFUL SAVIOR
64.  10-16-21      NOW I BELONG TO JESUS   
65.  10-23-21      ONE DAY (GLORIOUS DAY)
66.  11-13-21      TAKE THE WORLD BUT GIVE ME JESUS
67.  11-20-21      WE PRAISE THEE, O GOD, OUR REDEEMER
68.  11-27-21      THANKS TO GOD WHOSE WORD WAS SPOKEN
69.  12- 4- 21      HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD
70.  12-11-21      AS WITH GLADNESS, MEN OF OLD 
71.  12-18-21     MARY DID YOU KNOW?
72.  12-25-21     DOWN FROM HIS GLORY
73.  1-8-22         LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
74.  1-15-22       ROCK OF AGES
75.  1-22-22      ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
76.  1-29-22      GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
77.  2-5-22        WE'RE MARCHING TO ZION
78.  2-11-22      HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR
79.  2-18-22      CONGREGATIONAL SINGING
80.  2-26-22      I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE
81.  3-4-22        THIS OLD HOUSE
82.  3-11-22      PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS
83.  3-18-22      SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
84.  3-25-22      AND CAN IT BE
85.  4-2-22        JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL
86.  4-9-22        MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE
87.  4-16-22      THERE IS A REDEEMER
88.  4-23-22      GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH
89.  4-30-22      MORE ABOUT JESUS
90.  5-7-22        AT THE CROSS
91.  5-14-22      HOLY, HOLY
92.  5-21-22     ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED 
93.  5-28-22     THERE IS A FOUNTAIN
94.  6-4-22      SING PRAISE TO GOD WHO REIGNS ON HIGH
95.  6-11-22     ABIDE WITH ME
96.  6-18-22     HE KNOWS MY NAME
97.  6-25-22    A CHRISTIAN HOME
98.  7-2-22      ONCE FOR ALL (Free From The Law)
99.  7-10-22    TRUSTING JESUS
99.  7-21-22    TRUST AND OBEY
100. 7-30-22   NO ONE EVER CARED FOR ME LIKE JESUS
101. 8-7-22     COME CHRISTIANS, JOIN TO SING
102. 8-14-22   NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD
103. 8-21-22  PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
104. 8-26-22  DAY BY DAY
105. 9-4-22    LO, HE COMES WITH CLOUDS DESCENDING
106. 9-10-22  WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS
107, 9-17-22  I CANNOT TELL
108. 9-24-22  CHILDREN'S HYMNS
109. 10-1-22 WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
100. 10-8-22  PRAISE MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN
111. 10-16-22 CALVARY COVERS IT ALL
112. 5-12-23 BREAK THOU, THE BREAD OF LIFE
113. 5-7-23  NAME OF ALL MAJESTY
114. 4-16 23 PRAISE THE LORD YE HEAVENS ADORE HIM
115. 4-12-23 O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS
116. 4-5-23 WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
117. 


ON CHRIST, THE SOLID ROCK, I STAND
STAND UP AND BLESS THE LORD







Ready for publication






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

 
ABIDE WITH ME  6-12-22

A CHRISTIAN HOME   6-26-22

ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED (1)   5-21-22

ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED (2)  8-18-23

ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING  1-22-22     

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS’ NAME  10-3-20        

AM I A SOLDIER OF THE CROSS    9-11-21       

A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD   6-5-21         

AND CAN IT BE   3-25-22  

AMAZING GRACE 4-30-23  

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH   12-19-20      

ASK YE WHAT GREAT THING I KNOW    11-14-20      

AS WITH GLADNESS, MEN OF OLD   12-11-21     

AT CALVARY    8-29-20        

AT THE CROSS    5-7-22

A TRIBUTE TO PHILIP BLISS   6-19-21       

A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF THOMAS CHISHOLM  9-26-20        

 

BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR (FAIREST LORD JESUS)  5-22-21        

BE STILL MY SOUL   12-12-20      

BIND US TOGETHER / BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS  7-17-20  

BREAK THOU THE BREAD OF LIFE  5-12-23

BRETHREN, WE HAVE MET TO WORSHIP  7-16-23



CALVARY COVERS IT ALL 10-16-22 

CHILDREN'S HYMNS  9-24-22

CHRIST AROSE 3-27-23

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS    5-8-21 

COME CHRISTIANS, JOIN TO SING  8-7-22         

COME THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING   7-10-21       

CONGREGATIONAL SINGING   2-18-22    

 

DAY BY DAY  8-26-22

DOWN FROM HIS GLORY   12-25-21    

DOXOLOGY/WE GIVE THEE BUT THINE OWN   2-14-20        

 

EBENEZERS, WRETCHES, and WORMS    8-13-20        

 

FAIREST LORD JESUS (BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR)   5-22-21 

 

GOD LEADS HIS DEAR CHILDREN ALONG   9-18-21       

GOD OF OUR FATHERS    5-29-21     8-7- 21       

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS    1-29-22     

GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH   4-23-22

 

HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR    2-11-22    

HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD    12- 4- 21 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE       5-15-21

HE KNOWS MY NAME  6-19-22    

HOLY, HOLY    5-15-22 

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY 7-23-23

HOW DEEP THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR US   2-11-21        

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION    11-7-20        

HYMN TO A GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN 


I CANNOT TELL   9-17-22

I GAVE MY LIFE FOR THEE   2-26-22    

I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS   1-31-20        

IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE 7-18-21 / 9-4-21         

IN CHRIST ALONE    7-29-20           

I SING THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD   3-12-21

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL    10-25-20

I WILL SING OF MY REDEEMER    6-12-21

I'D RATHER HAVE JESUS


 

JESUS IS ALL THE WORLD TO ME  7-30-21  

JESUS CALLS US  6-25-23      

JESUS, LOVER OF MY SOUL  4-2-22     

JESUS SAVES   1-27-21        

JESUS THOU JOY OF LOVING HEARTS     9-23-21      


 LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH  1-8-22

LO, HE COMES WITH CLOUDS DESCENDING 9-4-22         

LOVE LIFTED ME  5-1-21          

 

MARY DID YOU KNOW?  12-18-21    

MORE ABOUT JESUS  4-30-22   

MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE  7-1-20 /   7-3-21         

My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me  1-23-21        

MY HOPE IS IN THE LORD   8-28-21       

MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE  4-9-22     

My Job Description  9-18-20        

MY RELIGION'S NOT OLD FASHIONED  1-16-21        

MY SAVIOR'S LOVE   7-24-20        

 

NAME OF ALL MAJESTY 5-7-23

NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD 8-14-22

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS    10-16-21 

NO ONE EVER CARED FOR ME LIKE JESUS 7-30-22     


O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING  7-10-20 

O THE DEEP, DEEP LOVE OF JESUS 4-12-23        

O WORD OF GOD INCARNATE  2-5-21 

ONCE FOR ALL  7-3-22          

ONE DAY (GLORIOUS DAY)  10-23-21     

 

PRAISE MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN 10-8-22

PRAISE THE LORD YE HEAVENS ADORE HIM 4-16-23

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY 8-21-22

PRECIOUS LORD, TAKE MY HAND  10-2-21       

PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS  3-11-22   

 

REDEEMED   1-22-20        

ROCK OF AGES   1-15-22      

 

SAVIOR, LIKE A SHEPHERD, LEAD US  8-21-20 

SING PRAISE TO GOD WHO REIGNS ABOVE  6-4-22  

SOLDIERS OF CHRIST, ARISE  9-13-20        

SO SEND I YOU  8-14-21       

STANDING ON THE PROMISES  8-21-21       

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER  3-18-22   

 

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE   11-28-20       

TAKE THE WORLD BUT GIVE ME JESUS   11-13-21     

THANKS TO GOD WHOSE WORD WAS SPOKEN 11-27-21/ 2-28-20  

The Beginning of the Holiday Season   10-31-20      

THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION  2-7-20          

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS  6-26-21       

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN  5-28-22  

THERE IS A REDEEMER   4-16-22      

THE SOLID ROCK  1-17-20        

THE SOLID ROCK (2)   7-24-21       

THIS OLD HOUSE  3-4-22     

TO BE USED OF GOD  2-20-21        

TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS   3-3-21 

TRUST AND OBEY 7-21-22

TRUSTING JESUS  7-10-22           

 

WE ARE AN OFFERING    3-13-20

WE PRAISE THEE, O GOD, OUR REDEEMER    11-20-21     

WE'RE MARCHING TO ZION     2-5-22 

WERE YOU THERE?          

WE THREE KINGS   1-2-21  

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE    9-9-20          

WHAT A WONDERFUL SAVIOR   10-9-21       

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?   12-26-20 

WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS   9-10-22

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS 10-1-22      

WHITER THAN SNOW   3-20-20        

WONDERFUL PEACE   1-9-21     

WORTHY OF WORSHIP   10-17-20      

 

 





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