Psalter Hymnal (Gray) ‎#361

361. Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

1 Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to you we raise,
manifested by the star
to the sages from afar;
Branch of royal David's stem,
in your birth at Bethlehem;

Refrain:
"You are Christ," by us confessed
God in flesh made manifest.

2 Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;
and at Cana, wedding guest,
in your Godhead manifest,
you revealed your power divine,
changing water into wine; Refrain

3 Manifest in making whole
palsied limbs and fainting soul;
manifest in valiant fight,
quelling all the devil's might;
manifest in gracious will,
ever bringing good from ill; Refrain

Text Information

• First Line: Songs of thankfulness and praise
• Title: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
• Author: Christopher Wordsworth (1862, alt.)
• Refrain First Line: "You are Christ," by us confessed
• Meter: 77 77 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1987
• Scripture:
  Matthew 2:1-12
  ;
  John 2:1-11
  ;
  John 2:11
• Topic: Biblical Names & Places: Bethlehem; Biblical Names & Places: David; Biblical Names & Places: Jordan; Epiphany & Ministry of Christ; King, God/Christ as; Christmas

Tune Information

• Name: SALZBURG
• Composer: Jakob Hintze (1678)
• Meter: 77 77 D
• Key: D Major
• Source: Harm. after Johann S. Bach (1685-1750)

Text Information:

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Matt. 2:1-12
st. 2 = John 2:1-11, John 3:13-17
st. 3 = Matt. 4:1-11, 23-24
ref. = Mark 8:29, John 1:14

Christopher Wordsworth (b. Lambeth, London, England, 1807; d. Harewood, Yorkshire, England, 1885), nephew of the great Romantic poet William Wordsworth, wrote this hymn in five stanzas. It was published in his Holy Year (1862) John 3:13-17 with the heading "Sixth Sunday after Epiphany." Wordsworth described the text as follows

[It is a] recapitulation of the successive manifestations of Christ, which have already been presented in the services of the former weeks throughout the season of Epiphany; and anticipation of that future great and glorious Epiphany, at which Christ will be manifest to all, when he will appear again to judge the world.

The didactic text teaches the meaning of Epiphany–the manifestation of Christ in his birth (st. 1), baptism, miracle at Cana (st. 2), healing of the sick, power over evil, and coming as judge (st. 3). Originally the refrain line was "Anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest." The revised refrain borrows Peter's confession, "You are the Christ!" (Mark 8:29), and makes that our corporate confession as we acknowledge the 'Word become flesh" who lived among us.

Wordsworth was a prolific author and the most renowned Greek scholar of his day. Included in his works are Memoirs of William Wordsworth (1851), Commentary on the Mole Bible (1856-1870), Church History (1881-1883), innumerable sermons and pamphlets, and The Holy Year (1862), which contained 117 of his original hymns as well as 82 others written for all the Sundays and Christian holy days according to the Book of Common Prayer. Wordsworth was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, where he distinguished himself as a brilliant student. He later taught at Trinity College and was headmaster of Harrow School (1836-1844). Ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1835, he was canon of Westminster in 1844, a country priest in Stanford-in-the-Vale, Berkshire (1850-1869), and then Bishop of Lincoln (1869-1885).

Liturgical Use:
Throughout the Epiphany season.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Tune Information:

The tune SALZBURG, named after the Austrian city made famous by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was first published anonymously in the nineteenth edition of Praxis Pietatis Melica (1678); in that hymnbook's twenty-fourth edition (1690) the tune was attributed to Jakob Hintze (b. Bernau, Germany, 1622; d. Berlin, Germany, 1702). Partly as a result of the Thirty Years' War and partly to further his musical education, Hintze traveled widely as a youth, including trips to Sweden and Lithuania. In 1659 he settled in Berlin, where he served as court musician to the Elector of Brandenburg from 1666 to 1695. Hintze is known mainly for his editing of the later editions of Johann Crüger's (PHH 42) Praxis Pietatis Melica, to which he contributed some sixty-five of his original tunes.

The harmonization by Johann S. Bach (PHH 7) is simplified from his setting in his Choralgesänge (Rejoice in the Lord [231] and The Hymna1 1982 [135] both contain Bach's full harmonization). The tune is a rounded bar form (AABA) easily sung in harmony. But sing the refrain line in unison with full organ registration.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook