February 17, 2018 (Saturday)
The hymn for this blog has alternate titles: “O Listen to Our Wondrous Story” and “What Did He Do?” I was introduced to this song 68 years ago when I was asked to sing with seven other young people, forming an “octet” and presenting special music for the morning worship service at our church. I cannot recall ever hearing it again since. It was a joy to sing, with the “octet” breaking up into the four parts of harmony and overlapping as the message was accentuated. The following presentation shows us how it was done.
Here are all the verses. What a wondrous story this hymn presents:
WHAT DID HE DO?
James M. Gray, 1903
William Owen, 1852
O listen to our wondrous story,
Counted once among the lost;
Yet One came down from heaven’s glory,
Saving us at awful cost!
Refrain:
Who saved us from eternal loss?
Who but God’s Son upon the cross?
What did He do?
He died for you!
Where is He now?
Believe it thou,
In heaven interceding!
No angel could His place have taken,
Highest of the high though he;
The loved One on the cross forsaken
Was One of the Godhead three!
Refrain
And yet this wondrous tale proceedeth,
Stirring heart and tongue aflame!
As our high priest in heav’n He pleadeth,
And Christ Jesus is His name!
Refrain
Will you surrender to this Savior?
To His scepter humbly bow?
You, too, shall come to know His favor,
He will save you, save you now.
Refrain
The music, “Bryn Calfaria” is a Welsh hymn tune written in 8,7,8,7,4,4,4,7,7 meter. The melody, written by William Owen, is used as a setting for several hymns, most notably the English “Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor” by Russell Schulz-Widmar and the Welsh hymn “Laudamus”. The tune is reputed to have been originally written by Owen on a piece of slate whilst on his way to work at the Dorothea Quarry in Gwynedd, North Wales.
The words were written by James M. Gray, a native of New York City, an ordained Episcopal priest, author of 20 books and President of the Moody Bible Institute 1904- 1934.
James M. Gray, 1903
William Owen, 1852
O listen to our wondrous story,
Counted once among the lost;
Yet One came down from heaven’s glory,
Saving us at awful cost!
Refrain:
Who saved us from eternal loss?
Who but God’s Son upon the cross?
What did He do?
He died for you!
Where is He now?
Believe it thou,
In heaven interceding!
No angel could His place have taken,
Highest of the high though he;
The loved One on the cross forsaken
Was One of the Godhead three!
Refrain
And yet this wondrous tale proceedeth,
Stirring heart and tongue aflame!
As our high priest in heav’n He pleadeth,
And Christ Jesus is His name!
Refrain
Will you surrender to this Savior?
To His scepter humbly bow?
You, too, shall come to know His favor,
He will save you, save you now.
Refrain
The music, “Bryn Calfaria” is a Welsh hymn tune written in 8,7,8,7,4,4,4,7,7 meter. The melody, written by William Owen, is used as a setting for several hymns, most notably the English “Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor” by Russell Schulz-Widmar and the Welsh hymn “Laudamus”. The tune is reputed to have been originally written by Owen on a piece of slate whilst on his way to work at the Dorothea Quarry in Gwynedd, North Wales.
The words were written by James M. Gray, a native of New York City, an ordained Episcopal priest, author of 20 books and President of the Moody Bible Institute 1904- 1934.