Are You Weary, Heavy Laden
Background: Written by Stephen
the Sabaite, a nephew to John ofDamascus. John had been tutored by a slave who
had later beenfreed, and both retired to a monastery in the wilderness of
Judea.Stephen was taken with them to the monastery, and after the deathof his
uncle and the slave, Stephen wrote this hymn. It was laterrecreated by Dr. Neale
in 1862 combining the experience of Stephenand himself in the
sons.
Doctrines portrayed:
* Eternal rest given by Christ
*
Sufferings of Christ portrayed
* Kingship of Christ
* Acceptance
of Christ
* Blessings of Christ
Applications: Comfort and
fellowship because of the undeservedsuffering of Christ. It is a hymn of
praise.
Scriptural Basis: Matt. 11:28; John 6:39; Mark
13:31.
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
Background: Written by
Elizabeth Clephane near the end of herlife in 1869. She had a glimpse of her
eternal future in a betterland and could imagine her footprints leading to that
better goal(Dying Grace concept).
Doctrine:
* Christ, the Rock of
salvation in a weary land of sin
* The sufferings of Christ for
sins
* Unworthiness of man (Grace)
* Blessings received from the
death of Christ
* Eternal love of God
Scripture basis: Matt.
27:36
Blest Be The Tie That Binds
Background: This hymn was
written by John Fawcett who was a pastorin a small Yorkshire village. He was
planning to leave his smallchurch and take a larger and wealthier church in
London. But heand his wife could not bear to leave the people who were so
closeto them. So they stayed, and Fawcett wrote this hymn as an expressionof the
love of the brethren.
Doctrine:
* Christian Love, verse 1
*
Prayer, verse 2
* Responsibilities within the Body, verse 3
*
Doctrine of Goodbyes and Hellos, verse 4
Scripture: 1 John 1:7; John
13:34,35
Breathe On Me, Breath of God
Background: Written
by Edwin Hatch in 1886. He wrote from hissoul what he imagined that the
disciples in the Upper Room hadfelt when Jesus was speaking to them; he thought
that Christ atthat time breathed the Holy Spirit on them.
Doctrine: The
following doctrinal errors are apparent in thissong.
* We do not have to
ask for the Holy Spirit. The Spirit indwellsus permanently from the moment of
salvation. The Spirit fillsus upon condition of our confession of sin.
*
The song refers to the filling of the Spirit, but the principleof confession is
not mentioned.
* The concept of the cleansing of the Holy Spirit at
confessionis confused with the process of edification (Verse 2)
* The
issue of outward production in Christianity is confusedin verse 3 with the
concept of fiery manifestations which showedup only on the Day of
Pentecost.
* The song puts the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit as
somethingin the future (verse 4), so it lacks emphasis on the assuranceof the
believer as having possession of eternal life (see
Ephesians1:13,14)
Christ the Lord is Risen
Today
Background: Written by Charles Wesley out of a desire to
elevateman's thinking by the inspiration of poetry. The message is
doctrinalapplication and reveals a sense of victory and assurance whichwe do not
always see in Wesley's somewhat somber background.
Doctrines:
*
Christ's resurrection calls for men and angels to rejoice
* Death of
Christ on the Cross is evidence of His love and thatHe has won the battle. His
resurrection overcame death and providesa release for Old Testament saints. This
is correct if it is understoodthat this release occurs just preceding the
Millennial reign ofChrist.
* Christ as the King, alive, died once for
salvation.
* Salvation is for all who believer (Although Wesley
apparentlydid not believer in universal salvation.)
Scripture: 1 Cor.
15:55-57
Come, Thou Almighty King
Background: Authorship
attributed to Charles Wesley, but realauthor is unknown. During Revolutionary
War days, it was introducedin a Long Island, NY, church by a group of American
patriots whena band of British soldiers demanded that the congregation sing"God
Save the King." Instead, the church sang "Come,Thou Almighty
King."
Doctrines:
* Sovereignty of God the Father and the Kingship
of Christ, verse1
* Incarnation of Christ, verse 2
* Holy Spirit,
verse 3
* Doctrine of the Trinity, verse 4
Application: This is a
true devotional hymn, well balanced torender worship, praise, and self
exhortation. It is a prayer ofthe heart that the three persons of the Godhead
may exercise controlon the one who is singing, that he may be able to praise God
infullness.
Scripture: Psalm 51:15
Crown Him With Many
Crowns
Background: Written by Matthew Bridges when he and a group
ofothers left the Church of England and joined Roman Catholicism.The original
title was The Song of the Seraphs, one of the poemsfound in a volume called The
Passions of Jesus.
Doctrines:
* Verse 1: kingship of Jesus Christ
in eternity; the crowningof Christ, victorious and ruling; Jesus Christ as the
Lamb ofGod
* Verse 2: Christ, the son of God in eternity past; Christ,
theson of man in time; Christ the faithful high priest
* Verse 3: Christ,
the resurrected one; Christ, the one who conquereddeath of us
* Verse 4:
Christ, in a human body, yet glorified; Christ theeternal one worthy of praise
for all eternity
Scripture: Rev. 19:12
Dear Lord and Father of
Mankind
Background: Written by John Greanleaf Whittier in 1872, the
settingof this song is actually another poem, The Brewing of Soma, referringto
the brewing of a terrible storm. Whittier wrote this hymn incontrast to the
great tumult and destruction of such a storm.It reveals the deep calm and peace
which stills the souls of thosewho hear the message of the Gospel and respond to
it in faith.
Doctrine: Bible doctrines are not clearly portrayed in this
song...
* The doctrine of the Fatherhood of God is not clear in
verse1.
* The doctrine of forgiveness is not correctly described. It
isportrayed as being asked for rather than as a result of confessionof
sin.
* Doctrines of Faith and Obedience are weakly alluded to in
verse2.
* Doctrines of Peace, Stability, Depression are expressed in
ageneral way in verse 3.
* Misuse of the concept of prayer in verse 4
asking God to manifestsome overt expression to teach spiritual lessons through
naturalphenomena.
Scripture: Ostensibly 1 Kings 19:11,12; Isa. 30:15;
Mark 1:17,18;Phil. 4:7
Fairest Lord Jesus
Background: This
is a German hymn written in the 17th Century.Also called the Crusaders Hymn, but
there's no proof crusadersever sang it. Published in America by Richard Willis
in 1850.The "fairness" is associated with Jesus as a boy ofage 12 and with His
growth in wisdom and stature.
Doctrine:
* Jesus as Ruler of
universe and nature
* Jesus, the perfect Son of God and Perfect Son of
Man
* Jesus, greater than the angels
* Doctrine of Salvation which
brings joy and gladness to the sinner.
Scripture: Song 5:16; Isa.
60:2,3
Faith of Our Fathers
Background: Written by
Frederick Faber in 1849, probably as aresult of being acquainted with many who
had died for their faithin Christ. This song has long been a hymn of Christian
loyaltyand was closely connected with the early faith of the Fatherswho found
America.
Doctrine:
* Faith as a quality that never dies; faith
lives on in the heartsof men regardless of the circumstances
* Undeserved
Suffering
* Dying Grace
* Evangelization, "winning the
nations"
* Liberty, only through the Word
Scripture: Heb.
11:1,13,16; 1 Tim. 6:12
Glory Be to the Father
Background:
Part of this hymn dates back to the time of the apostlesand post-apostolic
fathers. It is called the Lesser Doxology.The second part was written in 529 AD
and is called the GreaterDoxology. Sung in many churches after sermons and
prayers andat the dedication of churches.
Doctrine:
* Trinity:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit
* Praise
* Immutability
*
Eternity
Scripture: Jude 25
Glorious Things of Thee Are
Spoken
Background: Written by John Newton when he was a slave ship
captain.He had been taught the Word of God as a child but he forsook
thoseteachings and became a rough sailor. After a vicious storm atsea, he turned
to study the Word again and eventually enteredthe ministry. This hymn was
written in 1779 from this background.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: the
Church pictured as a prepared city; the Word ofGod; the Rock; Salvation and
Victory
* Verse 2: Family relationship; Grace
* Verse 3:
Leadership; Eternal purpose of God
Scripture: Psalm 87:3; 46:4; Rev.
21:2
God of Our Fathers
Background: Written by Rev. Daniel
Roberts as a U. S. Centennialhymn to be sung on the 4th of July in 1876. This
was an expressionof praise to God for victory received for our nation and as
amemorial to it.
Doctrine:
* God the omnipotent Creator
*
Divine Institutions; God related to our forefathers
* Verse 2: God
related to the leadership of the nation; the basisfor law in a nation
*
Verse 3: God as national preserver; God's grace and provision
* Verse 4:
The Christian Way of Life in trouble, labor, toil
Scripture: Psalm
44:1-3,8
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Background: Written by
Charles Wesley in 1739. The hymn was revised,and some obsolete words were put
into better style, by a Mr. Kelly,Wesley's book
steward.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Christ as King; Peace; Mercy;
Reconciliation
* Verse 2: Christ in eternity past; Fullness of time;
virgin birthof Christ, Incarnation; Hypostatic Union
* Verse 3: Christ as
Prince of Peace; Christ our Righteousness;resurrection; the New
Birth
Scripture: Isa. 9:6; Luke 2:13,14
He Leadeth
Me
Background: Written by Joseph Gilmore during the darkest hoursof
the Civil War (1862). He was attending Brown University andNewton Theological
Institution and was asked to occupy the pulpitfor a couple of weeks at the First
Baptist Church in Philadelphia.He wrote this hymn from Psalm 23, which he had
given as an expositionat a mid-week service.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1:
Divine guidance, from the standpoint of comfort
* Verse 2: doctrine of
National Disaster and pressure with divineguidance
* Verse 3: One Day at
a Time; Status Quo
* Verse 4: Dying Grace; Eternity
Scripture:
Psalm 23:1-3; Rev. 7:17
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God
Almighty
Background: Written by Reginald Heber in 1827. He attended
OxfordUniversity and received honors for his Latin verse. He was thevicar at
Hadnet for 16 years and wrote many hymns for specialSundays of the church
year.
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Holiness of the Godhead; Worship; Mercy
of God; Trinity
* Verse 2: Worship in Eternity; Angelic Worship of
Christ; Immutabilityof God
* Verse 3: Sin and Darkness; sinfulness of
Man; attributes ofGod
* Verse 4: Sovereignty of God; Omnipotence;
Creation
How Firm a Foundation
Background: Not much known
about the origins of this song. Possiblywritten by Robert Keene in
1787
Doctrine:
* Verse 1: Completed Canon; Christ as Refuge of the
soul
* Verse 2: Fear and its remedy; provision for the believer intime;
Omnipotence of God
* Verse 3: Undeserved Suffering and Sorrow;
Testing
* Verse 4: Testing; sufficiency of Grace; refinement of
faiththrough testing
* Verse 5: Eternal Security
Scripture: Isa.
43:1,2; Heb. 13:5
Send comments or questions to:
Warren
Doud...wdoud@bga.com
1705 Aggie
Lane
Austin, Texas 78757