Praying Twice

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost September 1, 2019 It is always interesting to hear different musical settings of the same text. As we listen and sing, we can gain new insights into the meaning and significance of familiar words.  In today's liturgy, we will hear two settings of "What wondrous love is this" - one for organ, one for choir. The anonymous text first appeared in hymnals in the early 19th century, and it was a new addition to The Hymnal 1982 . The metre and rhyme scheme are unusual. The hymn uses a poetic structure known as the "Captain Kidd" metre because of its use in an 18th century ballad about the famous pirate. This early American text is rich in scriptural images. What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul! What wondrous love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to lay aside his crown for my soul, for my soul, to lay aside his crown for my soul. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing...