Music - Thursday, 18 May 2023 – The Ascension of our Lord, Year A.

Introduction

There are many music choices available each week. You will find music suggestions for each reading drawn from the Lutheran Hymnal, the All Together song books and Together in Song. In addition, we have selected the Top 4 Public Domain hymns, the Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright and the Top 4 Contemporary Music suggestions each week. You may like to mix and match from these lists to suit your context.

Top 4 Public Domain

If you enjoy traditional hymn singing or your congregation does not have a copyright license, here are our recommended Public Domain hymns for the week:

If a title is hyperlinked, that means that modernised lyrics are available. MP3 backing tracks have been recorded for you to use.

Since Christ is gone to heaven his home – LH 106 - Backing track
Hail the day that see him rise – LH 111 - Backing track
The head that once was crowned – LH 169 - Backing track
Christ whose glory fills the skies – LH 528 - Backing track

Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright

Copyright information for the following suggestions has been provided. Please ensure that you are reporting the use of any material under copyright.

AT 126  The light of Christ (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 546 Glory and gratitude and praise (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 161 (blue) Majesty (CCLI)
AT 412 Sent by the Lord am I (CCLI)

Top 4 Contemporary Music Suggestions

The following songs have been carefully reviewed, and are recommended for use in congregational worship, primarily because they point people to Christ and proclaim the message of his word in music and song for this Sunday in the lectionary cycle. They also fit well with other selection guidelines as highlighted in Tips for song selection and Fact Sheet 6: Music in Worship. While the use of a particular song by a band or organisation is not necessarily an endorsement of that group or the entire body of their work, we recognise that any scriptural song is a Spiritual song that can be used to complement a rich diet of worship for God’s people.

Please note, the hyperlinked Youtube clips are provided to give you a sense of how music can be performed or for personal use. You must always obtain permission from the creators of the music videos and the creators of the song before using clips in worship, unless permission is explicitly stated beneath the video.

Rejoice The Lord Is King - Emu Music  - Public Domain lyrics, Arrangement CCLI by Alanna Glover, Charles Wesley, John Darwall, Philip Percival
Lord I Lift Your Name on High | Maranatha! Music - CCLI by Rick Founds
Crown Him (Majesty) - Chris Tomlin - CCLI by Chris Tomlin
No Love Is Higher - Emu Youth - CCLI by Curtis Smith, Liv Chapman & James West

Song/Hymn suggestions based on the Lectionary readings

Some LHS hymns have modernised lyrics. Click on underlined hymns to see the new lyrics.

Please click here to go to the Modernised Hymns page.

G3, G4 . . . = Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . .ro.; GS = Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

First Reading: Acts 1:1-11

LHS

90 Christ the Lord is risen again G8
106-115, esp:
106 Since Christ is gone to heaven, His home* G3
111 Hail the day that sees Him rise G5 (see TIS 369)
112 Hail, Thou once despised Jesus G3 (mod TIS 373)
113 Crown Him with many crowns G5 (see TIS 228)
114 See the Conqueror mounts in triumph G4
115 Rejoice, the Lord is King
285 To Thy most holy supper, Lord * G5
761 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing G3 (CCLI, One Licence)
771 Hallelujah! sing to Jesus G3 (Public Domain)
782 At the name of Jesus G7 (see TIS 231) (CCLI)
788 Lord, who left the highest heaven G8 (CCLI, One Licence)
843 Saviour, to the Father’s side (holy communion)

AT

26 He is Lord (Public Domain)
161 Majesty (CCLI)
162 King of kings and Lord of lords (Public Domain)
163 Hymn of glory (CCLI, One Licence)
166 Clap your hands, all you people (CCLI)
226 All is nearness (One Licence)
252 He is exalted (CCLI)
257 Jesus is living (CCLI)
370 You are glorious (contact author- see Copyright Listing)

TIS

185 Alleluia (v 5)
192 Christ is the world’s redeemer
216 Rejoice, the Lord is King
228 Crown him with many crowns
231 At the name of Jesus
365 Christ the Lord is risen again
369 Hail the day that sees him rise
373 Hail, our once despised Jesus
387 Christ is alive! Let Christians sing
415 Praise the Spirit in creation
517 Hallelujah! sing to Jesus
520 Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour (holy communion)

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23

LHS

169 The head that once was crowned with thorns G5 (see TIS 378)
528 Christ, whose glory fills the skies G5 (see TIS 212)

AT

–

TIS

212 Christ, whose glory fills the skies
224 All hail the power of Jesus’ name
237 Hail Redeemer! King divine
371 God is gone up on high
378 The head that once was crowned with thorns
685 Lord, I come to you (The power of your love)

Gospel Reading: Luke 24:44-53

LHS

219 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun G3 (see TIS 207)
221 Spread, O spread, thou mighty Word* G5 (mod TIS 450)

AT

103 Send your servant down the road (Please use freely with the permission of the author)
576 Bless us Lord (benediction) (Unable to contact)

TIS

207 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
404 Lord God, the Spirit blest
450 Spread, O spread, almighty word

Other Suitable Hymns and Songs: Ascension

LHS

FOR HOLY COMMUNION
LHS 843    Saviour, to the Father’s side

AT

A CLOSING SONG
AT 103    Send your servant down the road (Please use freely with the permission of the author)
AT 298    Let’s go out (CCLI)
AT 412    Sent by the Lord am I (CCLI)

TIS

Psalms

Psalm 47

TIS 29, Clap your hands all you nations, is a paraphrase of the psalm. The song ‘Clap your hands’, by Jimmy Owens (ATA 166), is based on Psalm 47:1.

The Iona collection Psalms of Patience, Protest and Praise contains a metrical version of Psalm 47 that could be used on this day (page 24). Note that the Iona Community is willing to allow a church or worship assembly to reproduce the words only of a song from these publications on a service sheet or overhead transparency that is to be used once only on a non-commercial basis, provided that the title of the song and the name of the copyright holder is clearly shown.

The following metrical version of Psalm 47 by David Schütz may be sung to the tune Aus meines Herzens Grunde (LH 107). If reproducing this version, please put ‘Words (c) David Schütz’ at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

O clap your hands, all peoples
and shout to God with joy.
The Lord Most High is awesome,
the King of all the earth.
He gives us victory,
and puts us over nations.
He chose a good land for us,
for Jacob, whom he loves.

See now, our God ascending
upon his throne with shouts!
See how our Lord arises
to heaven with trumpet blast!
Sing praises to our God.
Sing praises, O sing praises,
to God, the king of nations,
sing praises with a psalm.

Our God rules over nations
upon his holy throne.
The leaders of the peoples,
now gather all around,
with all God’s holy saints
who own the God of Abram.
Their forces are surrendered,
and God is Lord of all.

Music Resources Vol. 3– Psalm settings:Psalm 47 p82 , Psalm 47 p83 , Psalm 47 p84

Psalm 93

For musical settings of Psalm 93, see Music Packages 6 and 8. TIS 51, The Lord is king, is another version of Psalm 93.
Music Resources Vol 3 (Psalm settings): Psalm 93 p154, Psalm 93 p155

Advice for Musicians

Advice for Congregations Without Musicians

Other Music Resources

LCA Music Resources

Downloadable Hymnal Resources (including downloadable backing tracks and lyric PPTs)
Modernised Hymn Lyrics
Hymnal Index (by tune and scriptural link) 
All Together Index (by tune, scriptural link and theme)
Five Songs of Faith

For further Music Resources click here.

OTHER HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR CHURCH MUSIC

While the LCA does not necessarily endorse the content of these websites, you may find them helpful in your worship planning.

Together to Celebrate: lectionary based song and hymn suggestions from a variety of sources.
Singing from the Lectionary: has song and hymn suggestions based on the RCL from other hymnals.
Song Select: catalogues CCLI licensed music. You can search for more contemporary songs by theme. If your congregation has a paid subscription you can also download sheet music and other resources.
Hymns Without Words: mp3 downloads of hymn tunes.
Metrical Psalms by Dale Schoening : Psalms set to well known hymn tunes.