Hymn of the Week: May 15, 2023
Christ Is Made The Sure Foundation
Glory to God: 394
Text. Latin 7th Century. Translated. John Mason Neale 1851
Music Henry Purcell 1680
Christ is made the sure foundation,
Christ the head and cornerstone,
chosen of the Lord and precious,
binding all the Church in one;
holy Zion's help forever,
and our confidence alone.
To this temple, where we call you,
come, O Lord of hosts, and stay;
come, with all your loving-kindness;
hear your people as we pray,
and your fullest benediction
shed within these walls today.
Here bestow on all your servants
what they seek from you to gain;
what they gain from you, forever
with the blessed to retain;
And hereafter in your glory
evermore with you to reign.
Laud and honor to the Father,
laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit,
ever three and ever one:
one in might and one in glory
while unending ages run!
Todays Devotion
Today’s article comes chiefly from C. Michael Hawn’s wonderful online articles about various hymns. More information can be gleaned from his article at the following link. https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-christ-is-made-the-sure-foundation
When it comes to translating hymns written originally in Latin or Greek, John Mason Neale (1818-1866), sometimes called the “prince of translators,” has no peer. The son of an Anglican clergyman, Neale intended to follow the same path. Hymn scholar Leon Litvack notes, “Neale entered Cambridge as an Evangelical, but emerged an Anglo-Catholic.” Fascinated by the tracts of the Oxford Movement, he became intensely interested in the medieval church. The result was an interest in a “high church” in contrast to an “evangelical” perspective that influenced developments in liturgy and architecture as well as hymn singing.
Neale was a student of worship in the early church and one of the first to translate ancient Greek and Latin texts into metrical English for singing. American hymnologist William Reynolds notes that “His strong attachment to the old Breviary hymns [of the medieval church] caused him to urge the omission of the Protestant hymns from the Anglican service in favor of translations of medieval hymns.”
Though an ordained Anglican priest, Neale was unable to serve a parish due to his health. He was appointed as a warden of a home for indigent old men, but was not permitted to serve as a priest because he had alienated the hierarchy of the Anglican Church due to his independent spirit regarding his beliefs and rigorous devotional practices. His minimal caretaker duties, however, allowed Neale time to pursue his scholarly studies.
Within our Glory to God hymnal there are twelve hymns that are attributed to John Mason Neale. They include such popular hymns as: Creator of the Stars of Night #84 in GTG, and Of the Father’s Love Begotten #108 GTG. Both of these taken from Latin texts as today’s hymn is. While today’s hymn is set by Henry Purcell in a more “hymnlike” fashion in four part harmony, these two hymns usually sung at Christmas and Epiphany were translated using the same Latin chant or tune. Other tunes we know and love that he translated are: Good Christian Friends, Rejoice #132 GTG, All Glory Laud and Honor #196 GTG, The Day of Resurrection #233 GTG, O Sons and Daughters Let Us Sing #233 GTG.
Taken from the Latin monastic hymn “Urbs beata Jerusalem,” dating between the sixth and seventh centuries, the original Latin was written for the dedication of a church, appearing in a manuscript printed in Daniel, Thesaurus Hymnologicus I with a Roman Brevary text. Neale’s first version translated the two parts of the Latin text as a single hymn for his 1851 publication cited above. He divided it into two for the Hymnal Noted Part I (1852), the first part becoming “Blessed City, heavenly Salem,” and the second part being our hymn. The first hymn was to be sung at the Vigil in the monastic offices (night) with the second section sung at Lauds (dawn). The final stanza is a doxology that could be sung at both services. The original music was an unmetered, unaccompanied plainsong melody.
The parallel with Ephesians 2:20-22 is striking: “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (NKJV).
I Peter 2:4-7 adds even more context for the hymn: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
‘Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.’” (NKJV)
Neale’s original translation has been altered significantly for today’s hymnals, and the flowing plainsong melody has been replaced by the stately tune Westminster Abbey composed by the famous English composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695). Yet something of this song from deep in our Christian past remains and still informs our faith today if we will allow ourselves to sing with the saints.
Resources:
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
C. Michael Hawn is University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, SMU.
Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
Today’s recording comes from King Charles II’s coronation. We sang this hymn on May 7, 2023.
