Hymns – Page 35 – hymnsandbooks

God’s words have such a weight – a hymn inspired by John 1

1          God’s words have such a weight
            that read, or heard or thought,
            we sense an emphasis of love.
            And such a love Christ brought.

2          The Word became a man
            that human eyes could see,
            a man who knew the pain of life
            as heaven’s refugee.

3          The echo of that Word
            has rung from age to age
            whenever love has conquered creed
            when God had centre stage.

4          And is that Word still heard?
            And does the Christ still sing?
            When love cuts through our prejudice
            yes! yes, God’s word will ring!

Andrew E Pratt

Words © 2003 © Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: SM

Tunes: CARLISLE; FRANCONIA

Where the jackals scratch a living – hymn – prepare the way of the LORD

Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”.



1	Where the jackals scratch a living, 

	in this wild, deserted place, 

	springs will bring refreshing water, 

	grass and reeds will sign God's grace. 

	

2	Here our God will build a highway 

	striding out across the land, 

	bringing hope to what was barren, 

	once again the people stand.

	

3	Once again a smile is dawning 

	on the face of every man, 

	all the children play together, 

	women talk, it's time to plan.

	

4	As we tell, recount the story, 

	in this present time and place, 

	may we build in recollection, 

	room for hope and gracious space;

	

5	Space where God can offer comfort 

	through our human words and lives, 

	love that shows in every instance 

	faith can live and hope survives.



© Andrew Pratt  Words © 2010 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd

Metre: 8 7 8 7 

Tune: ALL FOR JESUS

New Advent hymn – A quiet chill that freezes expectation

A quiet chill that freezes expectation, 
the hope of love seems distant and remote 
as war and hate are whirling all around us, 
we wait for light of which the prophets wrote.

There is no peace, no reconciliation 
as factions fired by hatred seethe and kill, 
when will it end, this constant devastation, 
when will we learn to listen, to be still? 
[When will we listen to each other, share one will?]

This advent season, dawn of love’s foundation 
is born in darkness of eternal night, 
and yet a flicker bids us hasten onward, 
as purple shadows hint at morning light.

And in this moment in our preparation 
let’s put aside our fripperies and fear, 
to make new space for gracious re-creation.
Come God, in love at last, come now, draw near. 
[Come God infuse your love in us, O come, draw near.]

Words Andrew Pratt © 2023 © Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Metre: 11.10.11.10
Tunes: INTERCESSOR, [LONDONDERRY AIR]

Note: Using the tune: INTERCESSOR sing as a four verse hymn. Ignore words in [square] brackets.
Using LONDONDERRY AIR combine verses 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 to make a two verse hymn using the use the words in  [square] brackets for the last line of each verse.

Lament for Palestine and Israel – unknowing babies sleep now

A Lament for Palestine and Israel

Unknowing babies sleep now, 
exhausted without food, 
while mothers cry in anguish – 
this lottery is crude: 
when missiles, ‘with precision’,               
seek targets, hid, unseen,
as leaders point the finger
so consciences are clean.

Amid this dust and carnage 
where human life is cheap, 
where body parts are scattered 
we turn our heads and weep, 
yet this is soon forgotten, 
the image fades, has gone, 
another channel chosen 
we sing a soothing song.

In this we are immersed now, 
our pain will soon be lost,
the anguished cries diminished, 
we need not bear the cost. 
A distant drum is beating, 
we’re deaf to hear its sound 
a tiny body buried , 
in seared, unhallowed ground.

And mothers still are sobbing 
while fathers shed salt tears, 
and lives are marked by hours now, 
yet mem’ries seethe for years.
How long, O God, can terror 
be harboured in a mind? 
How long before Your children 
are nurtured to be kind?

© Andrew Pratt 14/11/2023
Words © 2023 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Tune: NYLAND H&P 478II, REJOICE AND SING 529

Hymn for Remembrance

Hymn for Remembrance: This fragile, passing beauty

This fragile, passing beauty,
this autumn, red and gold,
a season’s recollection:
love never will grow cold.
The seasons change and fracture,
the leaves of green turn brown,
as life seems tinged with sadness,
as petals flutter down.

This time of our remembrance
that reaches back to pain,
the chill of recollection
can open wounds again;
But this we must remember
that human war and hate
are matters of our choosing
and not some random fate.

God let this time of grieving,
of memory and regret,
enable reparation,
in case we just forget.
Fill human hearts with courage,
frame human words with grace,
that love might flow among us,
make Earth a sacred place.

Metre: 76.76.D

See Notes from Singing the Faith plus: Written with a lovely Norwegian folk melody in mind:

“Bred dina vida vingar”. This is widely available online and in Andrew Pratt’s own collection, Reclaiming Praise: hymns from a spiritual journey No.142. Arrangements of the tune can be heard at https://youtu.be/V6dDt3OJf6Q (violin).

An offered alternative is Aurelia (StF 690); but for a tune whose key change reflects the mood shift half through each verse, try Wolvercote (StF 563i).

Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.