Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,

  Last Sunday evening we sang three songs by William Cowper and we learned a little about his life.  He was one of the most popular poets of his time.  Cowper changed the direction of eighteenth-century poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside.  He wrote a lot of hymns and the most popular one is “There Is a Fountain.” Today, I just want to share one of his poems.

            Honor and happiness unite

            To make the Christian’s name a praise;

            How fair the scene, how clear the light,

            That fills the remnant of His days!

            A kingly character He bears,

            No change His priestly office knows;

            Unfading is the crown He wears,

            His joys can never reach a close.

            Adorn’d with glory from the high,

            Salvation shines upon His face;

            His robe is of the ethereal dye,

            His steps are dignity and grace.

            Inferior honors He disdains,

            Nor stoops to take applause from earth;

            The King of kings Himself maintains

            The expenses of His heavenly birth.

            The noblest creature seen below,

            Ordain’d to fill a throne above;

            God gives him all He can bestow,

            His kingdom of eternal love!

            My soul is ravished at the thought!

            Methinks from earth I see Him rise!

            Angels congratulate His lot,

            And shout Him welcome to the skies.

“And if children, also heirs – heirs of God and coheirs with Christ – seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17).

In His service,

Israel