See, on this mountain

See, on this mountain the Lord is preparing

Feasts of rich food and of wines fine and pure.

All of earth's peoples are called for the sharing,

For God's providing is gracious and sure.

 

Death like a shroud covers all of the peoples;

Over the nations dark cover is spread.

God will destroy this, the light-stealing darkness

And death itself will forever be dead,

 

See, God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And our disgrace will be taken away;

No more will shame lay its burden upon us.

What God has spoken will be on that day.

 

Here, see our God who now dwells here among us,

Come now to save; for we are God's dear choice.

This is our God whom we long have awaited;

In this our saving be glad and rejoice.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, October 2026, after Isaiah 25:6-9

MUSIC: Tune O QUANTA QUALIA, Paris Antiphoner, 1681;

             harm. La Feillèe's Methode du plain-chant, 1808.

 

 This text shows up in differing ways on Easter Sunday (four different ways!) and also on All Saints' Day year B, but in this case the hymn was prompted by its appearance in Ordinary Time, specifically. (Also, it's the first time I've used this hymn tune, which actually surprises me.)

 

 

  

Praise the Lord, O my soul (Psalm 146)

          

Refrain:

Praise the Lord, O my soul, God all-knowing and all-seeing;

I'll sing praise to my God for as long as I have being.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

 

Put no trust in mortal hands

Given to war and making mayhem;

They will die and be buried,

And their plans will perish with them

Refrain

 

Let our hope be in the Lord,

The Creator of all living;

Who gives food to the hungry

And whose justice is life-giving.

Refrain

 

The Lord sets the prisoners free

And gives sight to eyes once sightless.

God lifts up those bowed over,

And God's love enwraps the righteous.

Refrain

 

Our Lord keeps a watchful eye

On the orphan, widow, stranger;

Over all generations

God will reign and shield from danger.

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, June 2026, after Psalm 146.

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody.

 

 

This one had to stay under wraps for a while because reasons, but it is now free. I'm pretty sure Psalm 146 comes up in the lectionary at some point - several times, actually... 

 

 

 

 

Give thanks to the Lord

Give thanks to the Lord, and call on God's name;

To all peoples now God's great works proclaim.

Let those who seek God live rejoicing in heart,

To God's holy name now let each sing our part.

 

Now seek out the Lord; in God's strength abide;

In God's presence stay and dwell and reside.

Remember the wonderful works God has done,

The judgments God speaks as the High Holy One.

 

The Lord is our God, whose judgments prevail,

Whose covenants will endure without fail

Through all generations, again and again;

O praise the Lord always, forever! Amen!

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2026; after Psalm 105:1-8.

MUSIC: Tune LAUDATE DOMINUM, C. Hubert H. Parry, 1894.

 

 

I haven't had much success with psalm settings. Nonetheless here is a setting of the beginning of Psalm 105, which appears in the lectionary for Ordinary 22A. 

 

 

 

 

 

When they saw their Teacher lifted

When they saw their Teacher lifted far above all human sight,

Still they stood, still gazing upward, filled with wonder and with fright.

"Alleluia, alleluia" on their lips did not seem right.

 

Then two men were standing by them, robed in white; they asked them this:

"Why do you stand gazing upward? What do you think is amiss?

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ will come back just like this!"

 

So they turned and headed homeward to Jerusalem to stay;

In the upper room they gathered there to meditate and pray,

Alleluia, alleluia! Waiting, watching for that day.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, May 2026, after Acts 1:9-14.

MUSIC: Suggested tune LAUDA ANIMA (Andrews), Mark Andrews, 1930.

                Given tune LAUDA ANIMA, John Goss, 1869.

 

 

 

I have written two hymn texts for Ascension, whatever day it might be observed. This one is Ascension-ish, but is more strictly from the reading for the seventh Sunday of Easter, year A. As for the suggested tune, it's one I like a lot and wish would be used more often, but the more common tune is given here. I will make a version to the Andrews tune as soon as I have time.

 

 

 

The God who made the world

The God who made the world and everything therein,

Who is the Lord of heaven and earth since all time did begin;

 

This God lives not in shrines built up by human hands;

The One who gives us life and breath beyond such walls expands.

 

The nations all God made to live across the earth,

And set their times and places, too, so they might seek God's worth.

 

In God we live and move and have our being all;

For we are God's own offspring, too; so let us on God call.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2026, after Acts 17:24-28

MUSIC: Suggested tune ST. BRIDE, Samuel Howard, 1762.

 

 

A text drawn from Paul's speech at the Areopagus is the basis for this fairly simple hymn, hopefully suitable for Easter 6A. It should be fairly adaptable to other short-meter tunes. 

 

 

 

  

The stones that struck the deacon down

The stones that struck the deacon down

         came not from soldiers' hands,

For neither law nor government

         did issue such commands.

No, those who seized and dragged him out

         to crush his life away

Are given no name or title here;

         the scripture calls them "they".

 

How often since, in centuries gone,

         have deeds of violence

Been done by those unnamed, unknown;

         the darkness their defense.

Our history hides in darkened doors

         while we still look away

While nameless, faceless, masked-up hate

         is killing still today.

 

Enslaving barons stealing lives

         across the distant seas

To hold in chains, to whip and shame

         and bring down to their knees;

Indigenous children taken, too,

         from family and from names;

And garment girls locked in the shop

         to perish in its flames.

 

No, Stephen likely was not first

         and certainly not last

To be struck down by mindless rage

         while we still stand aghast.

Lord, give us righteous anger now

         to make such violence cease,

And kneel before your holy throne

         and yield before your peace.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2026, after Acts 7:55-60.

MUSIC: Tune RESIGNATION, USA folk melody, Lewis's Beauties of Harmony, 1828.

 

 

References in verse 3: kidnapping, trafficking, and enslaving Africans in North America; kidnapping of Indigenous children and inserting them into "Indian schools" to strip away all Indian-ness; the death of over one hundred workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory by fire with the factory doors locked.

 

 

  

Now Christ's peace be with you

Refrain:

Now Christ's peace be with you,

And again Christ's peace be with you;

As the Father sent Jesus,

Even now, know that he sends you,

Now Christ's peace be with you.

 

Let the Holy Spirit come

Into all your soul and being.

If their sins you're forgiving,

They can know their sins forgiven.

 

Refrain

 

Is it only when you see

That your heart becomes believing?

Who believes, though not seeing,

Truest blessings are receiving.

 

Refrain

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2026, after John 20:19-31.

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody (arrangements vary).

The "doubting Thomas" account in John 20 has never cooperated well with efforts at making a hymn. In this case taking some of Jesus's words to the disciples and then to Thomas offered a route to what might serve as a hymn of instruction, in a way.

 

 

 

Rise Up

Rise up, old bones, return to life,
Take sinew, flesh, and breath;
Give witness to the power of God,
A power that overcomes death,
A power that overcomes death.

Rise up, dear friend, return to life,
No longer in the grave;
Give witness to the love of God
That drives a Savior to save,
That drives a Savior to save.

Rise up, old church, return to life,
No longer drowned in fear;
Give witness to the word of God
The world refuses to hear, etc.

Rise up, my heart, return to life,
No longer bound in sin;
Give witness to the grace of God
And let a new life begin, etc.

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, April 2014; MUSIC Tune DOVE OF PEACE, American folk melody 

 

Suitable for Lent 5A, both the dry bones and Lazarus represented. 

 

  

LIve as children of light

Refrain:

 

Live as children of light -

Live no longer in the darkness.

Turn away from the night;

Be no longer cold and heartless.

Live as children of light.

 

Seek to find out how to live

As is pleasing to our Savior;

Seek your whole life to give,

Both in word and in behavior.

 

Refrain

 

Shine a light on shameful deeds,

Things too dark to say or to do.

Sleeper, wake from the dead,

And our Christ will shine upon you.

 

Refrain

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2026, after Ephesians 5:18-24

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody

 

 

I floundered badly trying to develop a hymn text on the gospel reading for Lent 4A, from John 9. The epistle reading was far kinder to me, as epistle readings often are. The choice of an Irish melody so close to St. Patrick's Day (which is a two-week holiday for someone who grew up in Dublin, GA) was not intentional; it's just a really good tune.

 

You are the salt

You are the salt of God's earth,

to flavor and preserve.

But if the salt is tasteless,

what purpose does it serve?

  

You are the light of God's world

that cannot be concealed; 

A light that shines to all, so

God's glory is revealed.

 

The law is not abolished,

but Christ comes to fulfill; 

Not one word will be stricken

from God's own holy will.

 

Be salt and light in God's world,

show Christ for all to see;

The work of holy witness

is up to you and me.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2026, after Matthew 5:13-20.

MUSIC: Tune CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN, Melchior Vulpius, 1609.

 

 

A hymn for the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, also picking back up after an unplanned hiatus. 

Then Jesus came from Galilee

Then Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John,

Who in the Jordan's rolling flow did baptize those who came.

But John did question whether this request he should act on;

"You should baptize me here instead, in your own holy name."

 

But Jesus answered "Let this be, for this is right to do

To fulfill this one righteous call for all the world to see."

Then John consented to this task, in trust that Jesus knew

That he should carry out this work and what his role should be.

 

And then once Jesus was baptized and then raised up again,

He saw the heavens opened up and down the Spirit came.

Alighting like a dove, the Spirit cried out through the din,

"This is my Son, Beloved One, who goes forth in my name."

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2025; after Matthew 3:13-17

MUSIC: Tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; harmonization Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

A reworking of a hymn from almost two years ago, written to suit the account of Jesus's baptism in the gospel of Mark. Matthew's account goes into rather more detail than Mark's but the basic structure still worked. 

The disciples saw the Temple

The disciples saw the Temple, beautiful, with massive stone.

But their Master spoke of ruin; broken, shattered, razed and gone.

So they questioned Jesus sorely, wondering when such times might be;

And he gave them this in answer, teaching them that they might see:

 

"You see wars and insurrections; these will come, this is for sure;

See these earthquakes, plagues and famines, such disasters to endure.

You will all see persecution, prisons, trial by would-be kings;

I will give you words of answer when you undergo these things."

 

We may read these things and wonder how such times sound like our own;

Scorned by families, friends, and neighbors, feeling lost and all alone.

Still our call is to endurance, pressing on the upward way, 

So that we may still be standing, true and faithful on that day. 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, November 2025, after Luke 21:5-19.

MUSIC: Tune BEACH SPRING, The Sacred Harp, 1884

 

 

Preliminary reading on a forthcoming lectionary reading led to this hymn. It wasn't my intention to observe parallels to our current time, but some such things may have slipped out. And yes, a snippet of the old gospel hymn "Higher Ground" did sneak into the final stanza. 

 

 

Come, holy God, and write your law

Come, holy God, and write your law upon our failing hearts;

Come be our God, yea, you alone,

And let us be your very own,

Down to our inmost parts.

 

Come, living Lord, and to our souls make your true presence known;

No longer bound to teach or call,

For we will know you all in all,

Our distance from you gone.

 

Come, God of covenantal grace, and in your grace forgive;

Wash out our sin forevermore,

To fester in our souls no more.

In hope now let us live.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, October 2025, after Jeremiah 31:33-34.

MUSIC: Tune REST, Frederick Charles Maker, 1887.

 

 

Unlike usual dry spells, between the new church and piecemeal relocation my brain has been overstuffed with hymn ideas that haven't had room to materialize. Finally a bit of time opened up and (as happens only rarely) a scripture from which I am not preaching pulled itself together into a text I could set. Sometimes the hymn-writing impulse has to be pushed just a little bit. 

I give thanks to my God

Refrain:

I give thanks to my God

Every time that I remember

All your love for the saints

And your faith in our Redeemer

I give thanks to my God.

 

Verses:

Let the sharing of your faith

Be effective for our Savior

When you see how that faith

Works for good in all endeavor

 

Refrain

 

Now in love you know to do

For the "useless" ones among you

How to love and accept

As a sibling, not a stranger

 

Refrain

When we welcome those who come

With no status, power, or favor

Then our faith shows that love

Is the way of Christ our Savior

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, August 2025

MUSIC: Tune WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, Irish melody

       (Note: The tune is public domain but harmonizations or arrangements may vary 

        and may be under copyright.)

Yep, it's a hymn on the book of Philemon. Not an exact paraphrase, by any means (I mean, I hope you don't have people in your pews who have to be told to set their slaves free), but hopefully drawing a lesson from it. The word in quotation marks refers to Paul's play on the name Onesimus in verse 11.