Any good hymn texts on "Truth"?
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,890
    Greetings all,
    I was wondering if anyone knows of or has written a good hymn text that hammers home the fact that the truths of the Faith are just that: the truth (and that Truth doesn't change). Seems we have a lot of people thinking it's OK to rewrite the book these days. I was wondering how I might counteract this trend in song.
    Thanks
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    Faith of our Fathers is as good as always.
    Thanked by 1MarkB
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    When I lived in DC, and a certain now-defrocked now-former cleric was my cardinal archbishop, I went to a Sunday evening Mass he said, on Pentecost. Having gone to Mass earlier in the day, I left after the SHOCKING homily. The lies! About the Bible! I couldn't believe it.

    There was a pub on the way home and I stopped in and wrote the following, which is in my 2005 CanticaNOVA collection, Hymns for the Liturgical Year.

    If this world should pass away, 
    If an army block my way, 
    Should the fruit fall from the vine 
    Long before its harvest time, 
    If You cut the final thread, 
    Cast my youth among the dead, 
    I shall rest in hope of You, 
    And Your promise shall prove true.

    Jesus, when You prayed that night, 
    Sweating blood in anguished fright, 
    Held the dreadful cup in view— 
    Still You knew Your Father true. 
    You know Him from ancient days: 
    Know His kind eternal ways. 
    You in Him and I in You: 
    As You trusted I shall too.

    Jesus, risen from the dead,
    Ev'rything is as You said.
    You the Teacher, we the school,
    In a world so often cruel:
    Hostile to the truth we say,
    Hostile to the vows we pay.
    Lord, they persecuted You;
    We are persecuted too.

    Now the green wood has turned dry,
    And You dwell in heaven high.
    Give Your Church the eyes to see
    Glorified humanity:
    Promise long ago proved true
    In Your Mother and in You:
    Soul and body past all strife,
    Home in Your abundant life.

    C. 2005 CanticaNOVA Publications
    Thanked by 6francis CHGiffen ServiamScores irishtenor Andrew_Malton Randolph Nichols
  • Schönbergian
    Posts: 1,063
    Funnily enough, I find many of Luther's works relevant in these times. I sympathize very much with his situation, much as I may disagree with the path he ended up taking.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    "I Am a Faithful Catholic" comes to mind.
    Thanked by 1oldhymns
  • Drake
    Posts: 221
    Ave Verum Corpus

    While this hymn is first and foremost an affirmation of the True Presence, I think there is an allegory to the Church, which ever follows her Divine Lord. Applying the hymn to the Church, we affirm the full corpus of the deposit of Faith, which is true, unchanging and perennial. Conceived from the pierced side of the New Adam, she is the Mystical Body of Christ, mysteriously incorporated into the very body of her Divine Spouse. Like her Lord, she has also Mary for her mother. Like her Lord, she will follow Him through the terrors of his passion and death.

    Being thus conceived and incorporated, she is inviolate, but she is not immune from the taunts, jeers, scandals, stripes, thorns, nails, or contempt with which Christ was assailed. Nor are her members yet delivered from these present sorrows. Indeed, lost souls may hemorrhage from her side, like water. And what a piercing pain that is!

    Going the way of the cross, she is assured of her victory over death and hell, though even Peter himself deny her or Judas betray her or the religious intelligentsia reject her, or if virtually the entire body of apostles should flee their posts in terror. Though abandoned, she remains true to the end.

    When Christ returns, will he find faith on earth? I think the answer will be yes--but not much faith. I think, just as Our Lady brought St. John to the foot of the cross, so will she bring some to the foot of the Church's cross. On the other hand, without Our Lady's direct intervention, I think the answer would likely be no. But that's just my opinion.

    Amazing times we are living in.
    Thanked by 3WGS Don9of11 CHGiffen
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 835
    https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/truth_sent_from_above.htm

    https://youtu.be/5M_8vjqWYmM
    Thanked by 3Kathy M. Jackson Osborn ServiamScores
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 440
    I love St John Henry Newman's text Firmly I Believe and Truly.
    Thanked by 6Andrew_Malton Kathy CHGiffen chonak M. Jackson Osborn ServiamScores
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    Fuller version of Truth Sent from Above with 16 4-line verses, and links to variants (with 8 8-line verses).
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    I thought of another relevant text in my CanticaNOVA collection. I like to sing this to O Waly Waly.

    I lift my eyes to you, O Lord,
    Until you speak your promised word;
    Mine like the eyes of maids who stand
    Until the mistress waves her hand.

    So shall I wait upon your will,
    Commands that seem of good or ill.
    For even harshest words from you
    Shall still prove holy, kind and true.

    So Jesus listened and obeyed
    When in his human will afraid.
    Despised, rejected, sought and killed—
    He yet attended to your will.

    So may this Church which you have wrought,
    And with your own blood dearly bought,
    Delight to ponder and obey
    The hard or gentle words you say.

    Have mercy, Lord, have mercy long,
    Our very weakness render strong,
    Until the earth, like heav’n is filled
    With sweet concordance to your will.

    C. 2005 CanticaNOVA Publications.

    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen
  • PLTT
    Posts: 150
    It doesn't fit exactly, but how about "O Word of God Incarnate" which is about Scripture?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,799
    TRUTH has a Topical Index header in several GIA hymnals; it's remarkable that the Battle Hymn of the Republic isn't among the entries.
  • teachermom24
    Posts: 327
    I noticed this hymn for vespers for the Feast of Christ the King:

    To Thee, Prince of All That Be

    1. To thee, O Prince of all that be, Thou Christ, O King eternally; O Framer of the mind and heart, Our one true Judge we say thou art.
    2. The wicked protest, wail and cry, Christ Jesus’ reign they would deny; Rejoice we at thy glorious name, Thou Highest King we do proclaim.
    3. O Christ! The Source of all our peace, Make all our sinful thoughts to cease; And still in us our loves misplaced, As Thy one sheepfold be we embraced.
    4. For this, hanging on cruel tree, With arms outstretched, for all to see; His heart is pierced by soldier’s spear, Revealing burning love most dear.
    5. From this the altar of the tree Thy blood flows forth from Calvary; As wine to us it doth appear, To thine own heart it draws us near.
    6. Thou Governor of all that be, May all thy creatures honour thee; All those who rule, O Lord renew! Source of all precepts just and true.
    7. To regal glory, all submit, All crowns and honours we do remit;— To thy scepter—so sweet and mild! Submit we as a little child.
    8. All glory be, Jesu, to thee, Thy scepter over all that be; All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete. Amen

    This is a great feast day for proclaiming the unchanging Truth under the banner of Christ our King!
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 440
    teachermom24, do you have the music for the vespers hymn?
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,890
    Thank you all for your suggestions. I particularly like "This is the Truth sent from above". Remarkably this is new to me, and it is stunning.
  • teachermom24
    Posts: 327
    This is the source for the vespers hymn:
    http://gregorian-chant-hymns.com/publications/vespers-christ-the-king.pdf

    Our family set the English to "All Creatures of Our God and King", adding the alleluias and making a couple changes in verses 3 and 7 for sing-ability. Works wonderfully!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Nathan_the_Organist
    Posts: 440
    Thank you.
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