Thursday, May 22, 2008

Anniversaries of Joy, Part I

It's said that Charles Wesley wrote the hymn, "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" in 1739 on the on one year anniversary of his conversion to Christ. A fellow named Glaser (with two dots over the middle of his name) musicalized Wesley's earnest poem. Here's the first verse and the stanza from which I borrowed the title to this nifty little blog.



"O for a thousand tongues to sing


My great Redeemer’s praise,


The glories of my God and King,


The triumphs of His grace!.....





Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise,



ye dumb,Your loosened tongues



employ;Ye blind, behold your Savior come,



And leap, ye lame, for joy.





I've a friend who's at this logging thoughts into space. He regularly posts hymns I have never heard or sung before. I like learning new ones, have many saved and looked forward to worshipping our Lord one day forever in singing them. On the other hand, Wesley's many were staples in the church which I attended as a child. This particular one is, and was a favorite of mine. I remember my dad holding his hymnal out and lowering it a bit so I could see and sing along; my dad's deep baritone voice fully engaging the melody. Every so often, dad would start singing the harmony, and off I'd go, on the same trail, sometimes making the note, sometimes not, but seldom, if ever, staying on the melody. He'd gaze over his glasses, quizzical that I'd not harmonized. I wanted to sing with him, to go with him on that wild adventure of hymn singing!
268 years ago Wesley penned this verse and left us a great legacy to share our faith. Much thanks, Charles Wesley. Much thanks to that other Charles too, my dad, whose singing of hymns is one of his greatest joys. Now, go leap for it.

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