Title: Sing Praises to God Source:
[None] URL Source:[None] Published:Oct 31, 2014 Author:group sharing Post Date:2014-10-31 15:31:47 by Orthodoxa Keywords:favorite hymns Views:9297 Comments:25
Post some of your favorite hymns to God.
To get things started, here is Fr. Seraphim bit-Karibi leading a few members of his flock in singing the Trisagion Hymn in an unfinished Church building that is being built in the country of Georgia. Although in Georgia, they are Assyrian Orthodox and singing in Aramaic -- the language of Jesus Christ when he was Incarnate among us.
A translation of the hymn in English:
"Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!"
Did the Jewish people of two thousand years ago not speak Hebrew?
Actually many did not speak it fluently. The Septuagint, for example, was a translation of the Old Testament into Greek for Jews that did not understand Hebrew well. In many parts of the New Testament, they are actually quoting from the Septuagint translation -- since the original New Testament was written in Greek and Aramaic. Those two languages were the most commonly used "international languages" at the time of Christ.
Writing the Scriptures in those languages enabled most people within the Roman Empire to be able to read and hear it in a language that they knew.
To give one clear example of the fact that Jesus spoke Aramaic (He undoubtable know some Hebrew and Greek as well) were His words spoken on the Cross:
" Eloi Eloi lema sabactani"
That is not Hebrew. It is the beginning of Psalm 22 in Aramaic. The fact that He used Aramaic when he was quoting the Bible on the Cross itself says a lot.
The discussion brought to mind another of my favorite hymns of the Church year.
This is from Holy Week in the Orthodox Church. At the beginning of the video, you can hear one of the accounts of Christ's crucifixion being read in the original Greek and Aramaic, and it is followed by one of the most moving and solemn hymns that I have ever heard.
The hymn contrasts the fact that the Creator of the universe allows himself to be tortured to death by his own creatures.
"A crown of thorns is placed upon the head of the King of Angels"
"He is wrapped in purple robes of mockery who covered the heavens with clouds."
"He who fed His people manna in the wilderness is given vinegar to drink."
"He is slapped upon the face by hands that He himself created."
Here is another sublime hymn sung by monks from the Russian Orthodox monks of Valaam that they sang in English to commemorate the evangelization of Alaska by some monks from their monastery in missionary work to the Aleuts and other tribes when Alaska was part of the Russian empire.
The words of the hymn are:
"Come Let us Worship and Fall Down Before Christ, Save us O Son of God, who didst rise from the dead as we sing to Thee, Allelluia."
I like that hymn as well. Here's another of a similar genre that I'm fond of.
For any unfamiliar with the somewhat obscure reference in the song, the "great speckled bird" is taken from Jeremiah 12:9 -- "Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her" and so is seen in this song as a reference to the Church.
When you think about it, most hymns give us tears. :)
It is true that quite a lot give us tears, but there is some variety. Hymns like the first one I listed and this Russian Orthodox arrangement of the Lord's Prayer make me feel very peaceful and calm.
I remember as a child the first time I visited some Russian Orthodox friends at their home and they SANG the grace before the meal. I was astounded, their prayer was harmonious in more ways than one. :)
And some hymns give great joy, here is a Georgian Orthodox Christmas Carol, the most oft repeated phrase is "Christ is born in Bethlehem, Alleluia!" Alilo is how they pronounce Alleluia there.
Can you imagine the horror and outcry that certain quarters would display if we had parades in America with the Cross displayed so prominently? ;)
The ACLU and a certain vomit-prone individual may well be driven over the edge by such displays. ;)
Here's a sweet little song from the old western caroling tradition, where people would sing and ask God's blessing upon the inhabitants of a house and usually in exchange be given some small gift.
I'm glad that you enjoyed it. It truly sounds heavenly to me.
It is a shame and scandal that John McCain and Barack Obama and the other establishment leaders seem to agree that these voices need to be silenced forever -- since they provided the ISIS terrorists with the American weapons that are being used to slaughter these Christians.
They keep claiming that they only want to provide the "moderate Muslims" with weapons, and ISIS always winds up getting them. Why do none of them suggest providing the CHRISTIANS in the Middle East with weapons? They would be happy to be able to defend their homes and kill the head-hackers and would not turn the weapons against the United States.
Here is a little Doxology that is sung in a number of Protestant Churches. The "Doxo" in Doxology is from the Greek word for "Glory". These hymns are meant to give glory to God.
This Army Hymn is sung to the same melody as the little Doxology above, the "Geneva Old 100th" melody.
"The Army Hymn
Oh, Lord of Hosts! Almighty King! Behold the sacrifice we bring! To every arm Thy strength impart, Thy spirit shed through every heart.
Wake in our breasts the living fires, The holy faith that warmed our sires; Thy hand hath made our Nation free! To die for her is serving thee.
Be Thou a pillar for to show The midnight snare, the silent foe; And when the Battle thunders loud, Still guide us in its moving cloud.
God of all Nations! Sovereign Lord! In Thy dread name we draw the sword, We lift the Starry Flag on high, That fills with light our stormy sky.
From Treason's rent, from murder's stain, Guard Thou its folds till Peace shall reign, Till fort and field, till shore and sea Join our loud anthem: praise to thee!"
Here's a classic from back in the day. Do y'all remember back when most of America's popular entertainers actually supported the nation's faithful instead of working against us?
