Friday Classic Hymns
On Fridays I take an old classic hymn, tell the story behind it, analyze the lyrics and then sing it! Select one below and may you be blessed as you watch.
If you’d like to listen to the songs without the history and lyrics exposition, check out my Classic Hymns Volume 1 album.
Amazing Grace
Is "Amazing Grace" the best hymn ever? John Newton was an evil man who was saved by God's grace. The story behind this song includes ships, storms, slaves, John Wesley and George Whitefield, tombstones and more.
Take My Life And Let it Be
Is it possible to sing this classic hymn lightly? No greater words of consecration and commitment to God have been written. Let's look at its history, and the meaning of Frances Havergal's lyrics, here today.
Onward Christian Soldiers
When Sabine Baring Gould wrote this classic hymn, it was for his children's church kids to march to! Some have seen it as a call to arms, but what was he really writing about?
In The Garden
For some, Charles Austin Miles's hymn which starts "I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses" is overly sentimental and smushy. But others have found such joy and peace singing this song. How about you? Let's look at its history, and the meaning of its lyrics, here today.
O For a Thousand Tongues To Sing
Charles Wesley is one of the all time great hymnwriters. These words were inspired by the man who led him to true faith in Christ - although he'd already been an ordained minister for years!
How Great Thou Art
Two men caught in storms 50 years apart made this amazing hymn what it is today. Thank God for Stuart Hine and Carl Boberg! With them today we can sing “how great Thou art!”
O Come All Ye Faithful
A Portuguese King? Some monks who hated music? A Jacobite calling his friends to arms? Nobody really knows who wrote this wonderful Christmas song, but it is still profound and deeply meaningful for us to sing each year as we 'come to Bethlehem'.
Joy to the World
When Isaac Watts wrote his famous song poem 'Joy to the World', it wasn't meant for Christmas time - it was based on Psalm 98 and looked at Christ's second coming. But does it work both ways? Watch and find out.
Just As I Am
Charlotte Elliot's hymn "Just as I Am" was written in a moment of despair and sadness... and ended up being instrumental in leading countless people to the saving love of Christ!
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Joseph M. Scriven's beautiful hymn of Jesus' friendship was born out of a life of tragedy. And the song was almost lost in history! Thankfully his friend chanced upon the lyrics, and now we can be comforted by the beautiful words he wrote.
The Old Rugged Cross
George Bennard's hymn has been called 'the most popular hymn of the 20th century'. Is it your favourite? Deep words about the meaning of the cross give this hymn an enduring quality.
Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
A Welsh classic which is still sung all around the world today. Written in Welsh by William Williams in 1745, and translated in Peter Williams a few years later, these words encourage us to keep going through our deserts, because we have a great Guide who is the Bread of Heaven and the Living Water. Amazing words!
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Who hasn't sung "Great is Thy Faithfulness" with tears in their eyes? It's a great hymn of faith, and Thomas Chisolm who wrote it was a man of great faith himself.
Blessed Assurance
A brilliant and deep hymn by famous Methodist hymnwriter Fanny Crosby, who was blind.
It is Well With My Soul
One of the most popular and powerful hymns ever written, by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873 in tragic circumstances. What words of faith!
Abide With Me
The first classic hymn in this series! "Abide With Me" was written by the very sick Henry F. Lyte.
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November 2024
- Nov 8, 2024 Search Me, O God
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October 2024
- Oct 11, 2024 Shall We Gather at the River?
- Oct 4, 2024 Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
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September 2024
- Sep 20, 2024 Take Time To Be Holy
- Sep 6, 2024 A Charge to Keep I Have
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August 2024
- Aug 27, 2024 Love Lifted Me
- Aug 16, 2024 All People That On Earth Do Dwell
- Aug 9, 2024 Be Still My Soul (Finlandia)
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July 2024
- Jul 26, 2024 Sweet Hour of Prayer
- Jul 5, 2024 All Hail the Pow’r of Jesus’ Name
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June 2024
- Jun 14, 2024 A Mighty Fortress is Our God
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May 2024
- May 31, 2024 This is My Father’s World
- May 6, 2024 Love Divine All Loves Excelling
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April 2024
- Apr 26, 2024 Immortal Invisible God Only Wise
- Apr 19, 2024 Power in the Blood
- Apr 5, 2024 He Lives
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March 2024
- Mar 29, 2024 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- Mar 15, 2024 All Creatures of Our God and King
- Mar 1, 2024 My Jesus, I Love Thee
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February 2024
- Feb 23, 2024 O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
- Feb 16, 2024 In Christ Alone
- Feb 9, 2024 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
- Feb 1, 2024 I Stand Amazed (My Savior’s Love)
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January 2024
- Jan 26, 2024 Since Jesus Came Into My Heart
- Jan 18, 2024 Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
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December 2023
- Dec 15, 2023 It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
- Dec 8, 2023 Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- Dec 1, 2023 O Little Town of Bethlehem
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November 2023
- Nov 24, 2023 Nearer My God To Thee
- Nov 10, 2023 Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
- Nov 2, 2023 Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior
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October 2023
- Oct 27, 2023 And Can It Be?
- Oct 20, 2023 Honouring the Man Who Inspired Friday Classic Hymns
- Oct 13, 2023 Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus
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September 2023
- Sep 29, 2023 Precious Lord, Take My Hand
- Sep 22, 2023 I’ll Fly Away
- Sep 15, 2023 Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus - story behind the hymn
- Sep 8, 2023 When The Roll is Called Up Yonder
- Sep 1, 2023 Man of Sorrows What a Name!
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August 2023
- Aug 18, 2023 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
- Aug 11, 2023 Battle Hymn of the Republic
- Aug 4, 2023 Softly and Tenderly
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July 2023
- Jul 28, 2023 O How I Love Jesus
- Jul 21, 2023 Crown Him With Many Crowns
- Jul 14, 2023 Rock of Ages
- Jul 7, 2023 Jesus Lover of My Soul
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June 2023
- Jun 30, 2023 Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
- Jun 16, 2023 Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
- Jun 9, 2023 All Things Bright and Beautiful
- Jun 2, 2023 Breathe On Me Breath of God
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May 2023
- May 26, 2023 Be Thou My Vision
- May 12, 2023 Trust and Obey
- May 5, 2023 To God Be the Glory
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April 2023
- Apr 28, 2023 Count Your Blessings
- Apr 21, 2023 Morning Has Broken
- Apr 14, 2023 Because He Lives
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March 2023
- Mar 24, 2023 I Surrender All (All to Jesus I Surrender)
- Mar 17, 2023 Nothing But the Blood
- Mar 10, 2023 Just a Closer Walk With Thee
- Mar 3, 2023 Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty
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February 2023
- Feb 24, 2023 Amazing Grace
- Feb 17, 2023 Take My Life And Let it Be
- Feb 10, 2023 Onward Christian Soldiers
- Feb 3, 2023 In The Garden
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January 2023
- Jan 27, 2023 O For a Thousand Tongues To Sing
- Jan 20, 2023 How Great Thou Art
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December 2022
- Dec 10, 2022 O Come All Ye Faithful
- Dec 3, 2022 Joy to the World
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November 2022
- Nov 25, 2022 Just As I Am
- Nov 18, 2022 What a Friend We Have in Jesus
- Nov 11, 2022 The Old Rugged Cross
- Nov 4, 2022 Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
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October 2022
- Oct 28, 2022 Great is Thy Faithfulness
- Oct 21, 2022 Blessed Assurance
- Oct 14, 2022 It is Well With My Soul
- Oct 7, 2022 Abide With Me