The Sabbath day was made

The Sabbath day was made to serve the needs of humankind;

We are not made to serve the day nor how it is designed.

This day was made for human good in body, soul, and mind; 

Oh, let us keep this day to serve the needs of humankind.

 

How shall we keep the Sabbath day? How shall we do God's will?

Are we to act to help or harm? Are we to heal or kill?

This day is meant to bring us life, our yearning souls to fill; 

Oh, we shall keep the Sabbath day and do our God's good will.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, May 2024, after Mark 2:23-3:6.

MUSIC: Tune KINGSFOLD, English Country Songs, 1893; 

       harmonization Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.

 

 

The gospel reading here appears on the second Sunday after Pentecost, year B, but only under certain conditions, apparently. That is, it doesn't come up every year B, and resources for it are sometimes hard to find, hymns included. Well, here's one.