The lyrics sung on Earl MacDonald’s “Consecrated” album are provided below. By clicking on the song title, the page will automatically scroll down to the selected song. In a few instances, artistic choices were made to eliminate verses or to modify lyrics slightly from the original hymns. (For instance, thou, thee and thy were often updated to you and your.)
Take a moment to consider and absorb these potent, thoughtful, poetic words. Or better yet, read the lyrics as you listen to the recording. Despite being written so long ago, they so beautifully articulate the human condition and our relation to the Divine, even now. Earl’s expresses his understanding and interpretation of the lyrics in his article, “Jazzified Hymns.”
1. Be Still, My Soul
2. O God of Love, Grant Us Your Peace
3. Sweet Hour of Prayer
4. Holy, Holy, Holy
5. By Our Love
6. Be Still
7. Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated
8. The Love of God
9. Be Thou My Vision
10. In His Holy Temple
1. Be Still My Soul
words: Katrina A. D. von Schlegel, 1752
music: Jean Sibelius, 1899
Be still, my soul! the Lord is on your side;
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain:
leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! your best, your heav’nly Friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul! your God will undertake
to guide the future as He has the past.
Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.
Be still, my soul! the hour is hastening on
when we shall be forever with the Lord;
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still my soul! when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
2. O God of Love, Grant Us Your Peace
words: John A. Dalles, 1985
music: English melody
lyrics © 1985 The Hymn Society. Hope Publishing Company.
O God of love, grant us Your peace,
Within each restless mind.
May all our inner turmoil cease,
God show us how to find
Your quiet rest, Your still, small voice,
Your light upon life’s way,
To walk with you our humble choice,
God give us grace to pray.
O God of hope, grant us Your peace,
Though all the earth choose war.
May global tensions now decrease,
God, lead us to adore
The way of Christ, and like our Lord,
Be merciful and just,
Surrounded by Your Living Word,
God give us grace to trust!
O God of all, grant us Your peace,
We share one human bond,
And so when others seek release,
God, help us to respond
To heal the sick, to seek the lost,
To set the captive free,
To serve and never count the cost;
May we live peacefully!
3. Sweet Hour of Prayer
words: William W. Walford, 1845
music: William B. Bradbury, 1861
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from the world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such a hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
4. Holy, Holy, Holy
words: Reginald Heber, 1826
music: John B. Dykes, 1861
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty!
Early in the morning our song of praise shall be
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore you,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before you,
you were, and are, and evermore shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God almighty!
All your works shall praise your name, in earth, and sky, and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed trinity!
5. By Our Love
based on “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love”
words & music by: Peter Scholtes
© 1966 F.E.L. Publications, assigned to the Lorenz Corp., 1991
* note: for this song, lyrics weren’t sung. Rather, Karly Epp’s vocalise (vocals without words) was incorporated as a color in the music’s orchestration. The words do appear in the animated short video.
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity
May one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians
By our love, By our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians
By our love
6. Be Still
words: Psalm 40:10
music by: Kris Allen
© 2008 Kris Allen Jazz (ASCAP)
Be still and know that I am God.
7. Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated
words: Frances R. Havergal, 1874
music: Henri A. C. Malan, 1827
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.
8. The Love of God
music: Frederick M. Lehman, 1917
The love of God is greater far
than tongue or pen can ever tell;
it goes beyond the highest star,
and reaches to the lowest hell.
The love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
When years of time shall pass away,
and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
when those who hear refuse to pray
on rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
all measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
The love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made;
were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill,
and ev’ryone a scribe by trade;
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry;
nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.
The love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
9. Be Thou My Vision
Traditional Irish melody & poem.
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word;
I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father, I thy true child,
thou in me dwelling by love reconciled.
Riches I heed not, nor earth’s empty praise;
thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
10. In His Holy Temple
words: Habakkuk 2:20
music: George F. Root (1820-1895)
The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord is in His holy temple:
Let all the earth keep silence,
Let all the earth keep silence before Him—
Keep silence, keep silence before Him.