A couple of years ago Reformed Worship had a couple of nice Ascension hymn options. But the one we are finally getting around to is "Christ triumphant, ever reigning" (Michael Saward), to the tune GUITING POWER (John Barnard), published by Jubilate Hymns in England. I've been walking around with this hymn in my head since summer 2004. It was given to me by the lead musician at St. Andrew the Great, The Round Church, Cambridge. Don't ask why it took so long to introduce it to my hymn-loving congregation. It might just be some intersection of man's procrastination and God's providence...
Our organist, H. E. Singley, is finishing a setting for choir, congregation, brass and organ. The choir has begun to learn it in hymnbook form, and this week will see the arrangement. What a treat we all have in store. Here is Michael Saward's splendid text:
Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Savior, Master, King!
Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, hear us as we sing:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
Word incarnate, truth revealing, Son of Man on earth;
power and majesty concealing by your humble birth:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated, victim crucified!
Death is through the cross defeated, sinners justified:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
Priestly king, enthroned forever high in heaven above!
Sin and death and hell shall never keep us from your love:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
So, our hearts and voices raising through the ages long,
ceaselessly upon you gazing, this shall be our song:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
(c) Michael Saward/The Jubilate Group
underlined text is originally "stifle human" which I just find confusing
GUITING POWER is a strong tune for a majestic text, written apparently with a choir in mind - or perhaps Mr. Barnard simply had an amazing congregation capable of singing in interesting parts and with a stunning descant. Apparently the arrangement has fallen right from the tree. I particularly wanted the descant to remain intact. The congregation will hear the first 2 stanzas by the choir, and will sing the remaining three. One of the stanzas will be a cappella, with the congregation in unison on the melody. Brass parts will be in pairs: trumpets, horns, trombones.
Why we don't observe this known, given, essential part of the life and ministry of Jesus is an on-going mystery to me. We take our good time with the Passion, the Death, and the Resurrection, but fail year after year to take it on home. We speak of the exalted Christ, but don't celebrate his exaltation. We give lip service to the sending of the Spirit as the founding of the Church, but don't acknowledge our own "brithday" at Pentecost. Our heroes, the Continental Reformers, had no reservations in keeping the "Evangelical Feasts." These days are not only biblically historical, they are essential chapters in the redemption story. So for those who may say "humbug," like nephew Fred I say even though Ascension and Pentecost never put a penny in my pocket ...
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