Father, long before creation

B33 C31 CB33 E33 F219 G33 K31 P24 R14 T33
1
Father, long before creation,
  Thou hadst chosen us in love;
And that love, so deep, so moving,
  Draws us close to Christ above,
And will keep us, and will keep us,
  Firmly fixed in Christ alone,
  Firmly fixed in Christ alone.
2
Though the world may change its fashion,
  Yet our God is e'er the same;
His compassion and His cov'nant
  Through all ages will remain.
God's own children, God's own children,
  Must forever praise His name,
  Must forever praise His name.
3
God's compassion is my story,
  Is my boasting all the day;
Mercy free and never failing
  Moves my will, directs my way.
God so loved us, God so loved us,
  That His only Son He gave,
  That His only Son He gave.
4
Loving Father, now before Thee
  We will ever praise Thy love;
And our song will sound unceasing
  Till we meet Thy Son above,
Giving glory, giving glory,
  To our God and to the Lamb,
  To our God and to the Lamb.
31
Paul Tetteh

Germany

I am touched by stanza 3:

God’s compassion is my story,

Is my boasting all the day;

Mercy free and never failing

Moves my will, directs my way.

This corresponds to Lamentations 3:22-23 : It is Jehovah's lovingkindness that we are not consumed, For His compassions do not fail; They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

The fifth step is the turning. For example, after the remembrance of the Lord, we need to turn to worship the Father. Sometimes the Lord's table has not reached the point of worshipping the Father, but a brother selects Hymns, #33; sometimes a brother selects Hymns, #101 immediately after the bread and the cup have been passed. Both are inappropriate. Hence, there is the need of a sixth step for correction. Sometimes a meeting may be quite long. For example, when a great number of saints gather together, it may take a longer time for the bread and the cup to be passed. If this is the case, there may be the need to maintain the spirit through a hymn or some prayers. This is the seventh step, maintaining the spirit for the meeting. Even though we use hymns and prayers to maintain the spirit, there may still be the need to fill up the time with more prayers and singing. This is the eighth step. Then toward the end of the meeting comes the ninth step to sing a concluding hymn. Sometimes even though the meeting has ended, there is still a lingering air; thus, we may select another hymn to send the saints off. This is the tenth step. This can be compared to sending off a friend who has visited you by walking a distance with him.

Piano Hymns