How Long Eternal Hide Thou Away?

A short filler hymn. This one is even more depressing, when you realize that it was a literal reflection, of our lives in the church.

O Lord Of Hosts My King My God

Psalm 84 revisited a third time, we have another repetitive little dirgible, guaranteed to get one in the proper frame of mind to receive the weekly sermon and soup.

How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings

The repetition in this spritely tune was designed to numb the mind; a classic cult control tactic.

Rise and Judge Eternal One

Another resurrection dirge, this one foretells the Great White Throne Judgement. And usually, in church, a boring sermon to follow.

Praise The Eternal With a Psalm

Another rousing Feast hymn. The raging anti-Semitism throughout is not excused by the cheerful, lively tune.

O Thou The Shepherd of Israel Art

This hymn pictured both the Old Testament Israelites, and featured us, as ”the spiritual Israel” we allegedly were.

His Name Is Great

Another British-Israel anthem.  Not a popular one, in my congregations, at least.

O God Forsake Me Not

This hymn reinforces the church’s xenophobia, and showcases a god who could be both bribed, and bargained with. (Sometimes.)

For Even From My Youth, O God

A fairly typical resurrection-themed hymn. It was aimed at those who were getting long in the tooth, and the hapless children and 2nd generation members, who had never known anything but the cult.

Joyfully Sing And Praise God

We may have been singing, and praising a very Old Testament Orwellian god, but it certainly wasn’t “joyfully”. This was another Feast of Tabernacles staple, often sung on opening night.

God Is My Rock, My Salvation

Give Ear Unto My Prayer O God was a popular hymn in my congregation. It is nowhere to be found, on the chorale or piano CoG sites, however, so we will come back to that one at a later date.

Let us now examine what Dwight Armstrong decided to do with Psalm 62. Needless to say, he took it in a far different direction, than most christian hymnals do.

Unto My Earnest Prayer Give Ear

Definitely a dirge that was not popular, nor sung overly-often, in the congregations I attended.

But As For Me I’ll Call On God

I don’t recall this being a very popular hymn, in the two congregations I grew up in. However, analysis of this hymn reveals it was probably more widespread in congregations that had a higher percentage of disfellowshipped members.

Save Me O God By Thy Great Name

Xenophobia is the theme of this hymn. It was also popular for Sabbaths on which “special offerings” were being taken up.

In Thy Loving Kindness Lord

Conversion, salvation, and redemption: It’s never what you think. (Or as easy as you would expect.)