James Nares (1715-1783)

The souls of the righteous

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, 
and there shall no torment touch them. 
In the sight of the unwise they seem to die: 
and their departure is taken for misery: 
but they are in peace. 
For though they be punished in the sight of men, 
Yet is their hope full of immortality: 
for God proved them and found them worthy of himself. 
And in the day of visitation they shall shine, 
they shall judge the nations, 
and have dominion over the people, 
and their Lord shall reign for ever. Amen. 

Edward Woodall Naylor (1867-1934)

Vox dicentis: Clama: et dixi: Quid clamabo? 
Omnis caro foenum, et omnis gloria eius quasi flos agri. 
Vere foenum est populus. 
Exsiccatum est foenum, et cecidit flos: 
verbum autem Domini nostri manet in aeternum. 

Super montem excelsum ascende tu, qui evangelizas Sion: 
exalta in fortitudine vocem tuam, qui evangelizas Jerusalem: 
exalta, noli timere. 
Dic civitatibus Judae: Ecce Deus vester. 

Ecce Dominus Deus in fortitudine veniet, 
et brachium eius dominabitur: 
ecce merces eius cum eo, et opus illius coram illo. 

Sicut pastor gregem suum pascet, 
in brachio suo congregabit agnos, 
et in sinu suo levabit, foetas ipse portabit.

David Nield

In Christes birth this day rejoice

Rejoice, rejoice, with heart and voice,
In Christes birth this day rejoice.

This day to man came pledge of perfect peace,
This day to man came love and unity,
This day man’s grief began for to surcease,
This day did man receive a remedy
For each offence and every deadly sin
With guilty heart that erst he wandered in.

In Christ his flock let love be surely placed,
From Christ his flock let concord hate expel,
Of Christ his flock let love be so embraced,
As we in Christ, and Christ in us, may dwell.
Christ is the author of sweet unity,
From whence proceedeth all felicity.

O sing unto this glittering glorious king,
O praise his name let every living thing,
Let heart and voice like bells of silver ring
The comfort that this day to man doth bring,
Rejoice, rejoice, with heart and voice,
In Christ his birth this day rejoice.

May the grace of Christ our Saviour

May the grace of Christ our Saviour 
And the Father's boundless love, 
With the Holy Spirit's favour 
Rest upon us from above. 

Thus may we abide in union 
With each other and the Lord 
And possess in sweet communion 
Joys which earth cannot afford. 
Amen.

Now the green blade riseth

Now the green blade riseth from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

In the grave they laid him, love whom men had slain,
Thinking that never he would wake again.
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green,

Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain.
Quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Thy touch can call us back to life again;
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

Thanks to Andrew Watson for the mini-biographies

Return to Music at Kingston Parish Church

Words of anthems by other composers: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z