The Gift of Life (2015)……………………………………………………………John Rutter
1. O all ye works of the Lord
O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye showers and dew, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye light and darkness, ye lightnings and clouds:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord: yea, let it
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye wells, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye seas and floods, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O let Israel bless the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
(Canticle of the Three Holy Children, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer)
2. The Tree of Life
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green;
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree.
This beauty doth all things excel;
By faith I know, but ne’er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.
The tree of life . . .
For happiness I long have sought,
And pleasure dearly I have bought;
I missed for all, but now I see
’Tis found in Christ the apple tree.
I’m wearied with my former toil,
Here I shall sit and rest awhile;
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.
The tree of life . . .
This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive;
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.
The tree of life . . .
(from the collection of Joshua Smith, New Hampshire, 1784)
3. Hymn to the Creator of Light
Glory be to thee, O Lord, glory be to thee,
Creator of the visible light, the sun’s ray, the flame of fire.
Creator also of the light invisible and intellectual,
That which is known of God, the light invisible
Glory be to thee, O Lord, glory be to thee,
Creator of the light,
for writings of the law, glory be to thee,
for oracles of prophets, glory be to thee,
for melody of psalms, glory be to thee,
for wisdom of proverbs, glory be to thee,
experience of histories, glory be to thee,
a light which never sets.
God is the Lord, who hath showed us light.
(Lancelot Andrewes (1555–1626),
tr. Alexander Whyte)
Light, who dost my soul enlighten;
Sun, who all my life dost brighten;
Joy, the sweetest man e’er knoweth;
Fount, whence all my being floweth.
From thy banquet let me measure,
Lord, how vast and deep its treasure;
Through the gifts thou here dost give us,
As thy guest in heaven receive us.
(J. Franck (1618–77),
tr. Catherine Winkworth (poet) (adapted)
4. O Lord, how manifold are thy works
O Lord, how manifold are thy works: in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
Thou cover’dst it with the deep like as with a garment: the waters stand in the hills.
He sendeth the springs into the rivers: which run among the hills.
All beasts of the field drink thereof: and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation: and sing among the branches.
He bringeth forth grass for the cattle: and green herb for the service of men.
The trees of the Lord also are full of sap: even the cedars of Libanus which he hath planted;
Wherein the birds make their nests: and the fir-trees are a dwelling for the stork.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats: and so are the stony rocks for the conies.
The lions roaring after their prey: do seek their meat from God.
The sun ariseth, and they get them away together: and lay them down in their dens.
Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening.
O Lord, how manifold are thy works: in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
The glorious Majesty of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
(from Psalm 104)
For all the gifts of God’s creation fashioned by his mighty hand:
Earth and heaven, and all things living springing up at his command;
To God on high be endless glory, praise and honour to his Name,
Who was, and is, and ever shall be, through eternity the same.
How rich and fair his works of nature, bird and beast and tree and flower;
All that lives and has its being under God’s almighty power!
To him who reigns in endless glory, praise and honour to his Name,
Who was, and is, and ever shall be, through eternity the same. Amen.
(John Rutter)
5. The gift of each day
The gift of each day rising out of darkness:
the promise of light and the birth of new life,
the dawn of new hope and a new beginning,
if we turn to the light.
The gift of each day stirring all around us:
the sights of the earth, and sea, and sky,
Forever fresh as the day we first saw them,
forever new as creation’s first day.
Domine, gratias agimus tibi;
Lord God, we give you thanks, blessing, and praise.
Behold creation, so filled with miracles,
Benedictus es, benedictus es, Domine.
The gift of each day has been freely granted:
the gift of creation in glory revealed.
We thank you, Lord, for all its blessings,
we thank you, Lord, for the gift of each day,
your good gift of each day,
we thank you, Lord, for the gift of each day.
(John Rutter)
6. Believe in life
Believe in life as a stream ever flowing;
Believe in life as a tree ever growing:
The tree of life, with its branches high in the sky
and its roots so deep in the earth.
Believe in hope as a flame ever burning;
Believe in hope, like the springtime returning;
Believe in hope, lift your eyes up unto the hills,
whence comes our help from the Lord,
the Lord who made the heaven and earth.
Every step that you take could start a journey,
All the strangers you meet could turn to friends.
If you open your eyes new worlds will arise
if you just believe in your life,
believe in your hopes, believe in your dreams.
The stream rolls onward; all things must pass.
Our earthly days are short, all flesh as grass,
But through all ages long since time began,
There stands the tree of life, God’s sign to man.
(John Rutter)
The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green;
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree. Amen.
(from the collection of Joshua Smith, New Hampshire, 1784)