FIFTH LETTER
OF MY FAVORITE HYMNS AND THE SIX THAT SHOULD BE SUNG AT MY BURIAL
Dear Beloved,
You well know that I am a lover of the ancient hymns. I wish that the first six of the hymns below are sung on the day of my burial. Aside the six, I also wish to have these two local songs sung: “Yε Wᴐ Ɔman bi wᴐ hᴐ” by Helena Rubbles, and “Ɔko yi” by Yaw Sarpong & Asomafo
Let the sixth hymn (THROUGH ALL THE CHANGING SCENES OF LIFE) be sung at the burial site or should we say at the cemetery particularly when my body is being lowered down the grave.
I pray you; let all the hymns be sung by a choir including the local ones.
Of the first hymn
ROCK OF AGES, CLEFT FOR ME
By Augustus Montague Toplady
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!
Let the water and the blood
From Thy riven side which flow'd,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring;
Simply to Thy Cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the Fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die!
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to world unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment-throne;
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!
Of the second Hymn
ABIDE WITH ME
By Henry Frances Lyte
Abide with me! Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens: LORD, with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away:
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou, who changest not, abide with me!
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word,
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, LORD,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free,
Come, not to sojourn, but abide, with me!
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings;
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings:
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea:--
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me!
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O LORD, abide with me!
I need Thy presence every passing hour:
What but Thy grace can foil the Tempter's power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me!
I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless:
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is Death's sting? where, Grave, thy victory?
--I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy Cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies:
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee:--
In life and death, O LORD, abide with me!
Of the third hymn
HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS SOUNDS
By John Newton
How sweet the Name of JESUS sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear!
It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast;
Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear Name! the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding-place,
My never-failing treasury, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace,--
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am own'd a Child.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But, when I see Thee as Thou art,
I'll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then, I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!
Of the fourth hymn
THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
By George Bennard
On a hill faraway stood an old rugged
cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the
dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain
So I’ll cherish that old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised
by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory
above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In that old rugged cross, stained with
Blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ‘twas on that old cross Jesus suffered
and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
To that old rugged cross, I will ever be
true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home
far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share
Of the fifth Hymn
I’LL PRAISE MY MAKER WHILE I’VE BREATH
By Isaac Watts
I’ll praise my maker while I have breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobkler powers;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
Why should I place in man my trust?
Princes must die and turn to dust,
Vain is the help of flesh and blood.
Their breath departs, their pomp and power
Their thoughts are gone within an hour
Nor can they make their promise good.
Happy the man whose hope relies
On Israel’s God! He made the skies,
And earth and sea, with all their train;
His truth for ever stands secure,
He saves the oppressed, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His promise vain.
The Lord pours eyesight on the blind,
The Lord supports the fainting mind;
He sends the laboring conscience peace;
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow, and the fatherless,
And grants the prisoner sweet release.
Of the sixth Hymn
THROUGH ALL THE CHANGING SCENES OF LIFE
By Nicholas Brady
Through all the changing scenes of life,
In trouble and in joy,
The praises of my God shall still
My heart and tongue employ.
Of his deliverance I will boast,
Till all that are distressed
From my example comfort take,
And charm their grief to rest.
O magnify the Lord with me,
With me exalt His name;
When in distressed to Him I called,
He to my rescue came.
The hosts of God encamp around
The dwelling of the just;
Deliverance He affords to all
Who on His succour trust.
O make but trial of His love;
Experience will decide
How blest they are, and only they,
Who in His truth confide.
Fear Him, ye saints, and you will then
Have nothing else to fear;
Make you His service your delight,
He’ll make your wants His care.
Of the seventh hymn
TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
By Frances Ridley Havergal
Take my life , and let it be
Consecrated Lord to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
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.
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
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.
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
Take my love; my Lord I pour
At thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee.
Of the eight hymn
JESUS SHALL REIGN WHERE’ER THE SUN
By Isaac Watts
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Doth his successive journey runs;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till sun shall; rise and set no more.
For Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His Head;
His name shall sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their young Hosannas to His name.
Blessing abound where’er He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to loose his chains;
The weary finds eternal rest;
And all the sons of wants are blest.
Where He displace His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more;
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.
Let every creature rise and bring
Its grateful honours to our king;
Angel descend with song again,
And earth prolongs the joyful strain.
Of the ninth Hymn
KING OF GLORY, KING OF PEACE
By George Herbert
King of glory, King of peace,
I will love Thee;
And that love may never cease,
I will move Thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me;
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.
Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing Thee,
And the cream of all my heart
I will bring Thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
Thou didst clear me;
And alone, when they replied,
Thou didst hear me.
Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise Thee;
In my heart, though not in Heaven,
I can raise Thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
To enrol Thee;
E'en eternity is too short
To extol Thee.
Of the tenth Hymn
LET HIM TO WHOM WE NOW BELONG
By Charles Wesley
King of glory, King of peace,
I will love Thee;
And that love may never cease,
I will move Thee.
Thou hast granted my request,
Thou hast heard me;
Thou didst note my working breast,
Thou hast spared me.
Wherefore with my utmost art
I will sing Thee,
And the cream of all my heart
I will bring Thee.
Though my sins against me cried,
Thou didst clear me;
And alone, when they replied,
Thou didst hear me.
Seven whole days, not one in seven,
I will praise Thee;
In my heart, though not in Heaven,
I can raise Thee.
Small it is, in this poor sort
To enrol Thee;
E'en eternity is too short
To extol Thee.
Of the eleventh Hymn
HAIL THE DAY THAT SEE HIM RISE
By Charles Wesley
Hail the day that see Him rise; Allelujah
Ravished from our wistful eyes
Christ awhile to mortals given,
Reascends His native Heaven
There the glorious triumphs wait, Allelujah
Lift your Head eternal gates, Allelujah
Wide unfold the radiant scene, Allelujah
Take the King of Glory in, Allelujah
Him though highest Heaven receives, Allelujah
Still He loves earth He leaves, Allelujah
Though returning to His throne, Allelujah
Still He calls mankind his own, Allelujah
See He lifts His hands above, Allelujah
See He shows the prints of love, Allelujah
Hark His gracious lips bestow, Allelujah
Blessing on His Church below, Allelujah
Master parted from our sight, Allelujah
High above yon azure height, Allelujah
Grant our heart may thither rise, Allelujah
Following thee beyond the skies, Allelujah