Hymns of Hope and Comfort: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

During this time of fear and uncertainty in the COVID-19 wilderness, I’ve decided to do something a little different. I’m going to be daily using my blog to share texts and videos of hymns that pass along hope and comfort until the restrictions are lifted, and we can worship in our buildings once again. I hope you find them to be encouraging and edifying during this time.

Take care, everyone. Wash your hands. And keep the faith.

Here is the choir and glorious Schoenstein organ of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in my hometown of heavenly Houston, Texas, from the funeral of Barbara Bush. Here is one of the great hymns of the church, and the one, of course, from which the title of this blog is taken.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation;
O my soul, praise Him, for he is thy health and salvation:
Join the great throng,
Psaltery, organ, and song,
Sounding in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord; over all things he gloriously reigneth:
Borne as on eagle-wings, safely his saints he sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How all thou needest hath been
Granted in what he ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy way and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and mercy shall ever attend thee;
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with his love doth befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath breath join with Abraham’s seed to adore him!
Let the “Amen”
Sum all our praises again
Now as we worship before him.

– Joachim Neander, 1680; trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863

Photo:
pixabay