Today’s hymn from Sing Praise is “O God beyond all praising” by Michael Perry. Its two long (12-line) verses are set to a tune from Holst’s Planets Suite, better known to the words “I vow to thee my country”. The first verse gives the reasons why God is worthy of praising – his many gifts, blessings and mercies – and something of how we go about praising him – “we lift our hearts before you, and wait upon your word, we honour and adore you”.
The second verse starts by asking Jesus (presumably, as he’s addressed as Saviour) to accept our love and service, which are also forms of praise, for it’s not all about words and loving actions towards others in God’s name are part of our praise. Importantly, we praise God “whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill”, because with God we, like God himself, should make covenants (unconditional promises) rather than bargains of the “If I… then you must…” sort that feature in the ‘prosperity gospel’ of some sects.
The last pair of lines is also important, to “make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise”. A duty and sacrifice in the sense of keeping that promise to make the time and effort to praise God, but a joyful one in that we should feel better for doing so.
Michael Perry was, of course, one of the original Jubilate Hymns group, and I very much admire and subscribe to their philosophy of saying “Why should the Devil have all the best tunes – why not set worthy Christian words to the moving secular tunes which our culture rightly appreciates, and why not make these tunes sing with the glory of God?” So, for instance, I strongly defend the setting of words of Psalm 46 by Richard Bewes to the tune of the Dambusters’ March by Eric Coates in the famous hymns “God is our strength and refuge”.
And similarly I think this one is a great attempt to take a well-known tune, which was sadly hijacked with the nationalistic “I vow to thee my country” (words which I refuse to allow to be sung in St Luke’s Church Eccleshill), and set a worthy sentiment to it.
And Michael is right to echo Daniel’s friends: “Out God is well able to save us – but even if he doesn’t we will still stick to him and not bow down to your idol, O Nebuchadnezzar!” Amen to verse 2!