What a Wonderful Sunday

I dearly love this Sunday for both the hymns, the readings, and the singing! Angel and Cindi really blessed us with an outstanding rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" during the offering (in honor of Independence Day weekend), accompanied fabulously by Dr. Coan on the Clavinova. The hymn of the day for Trinity 4 is such a winner too: "O God, My Faithful God" - especially verse three, five, and six:

Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
Should from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace,
Lest I offend the weak.

Let me depart this life
Confiding in my Savior;
By grace receive my soul
That it may live forever;
And let my body have
A quiet resting place
Within a Christian grave;
And let it sleep in peace.

And on that final day
When all the dead are waking,
Stretch out Your mighty hand,
My deathly slumber breaking.
Then let me hear Your voice,
Redeem this earthly frame,
And bid me to rejoice
With those who love Your name. (LSB 696)

We also got to sing "Isaiah, Mighty Seer" during distribution - and it was a joy to hear that hymn belted out so strongly by the congregation. Beautiful. Dr. Coan's interpretation intrigues me too, because he actually pulls back on the "Holy is God the Lord of Saboath" - the very point when I would be inclined to shake the rafters. But it works, and then he lets loose especially on the last couplet about the beams and lintels trembling.