[Biblemat] hymn study, "Lord and Savior"

[Wayne S Walker]

Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study.

"LORD AND SAVIOR"
"For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our Guide even
unto death" (Ps. 48.14)

     INTRO.:  A hymn which calls upon God to be our Guide from the days
of our youth even unto death is "Lord and Savior."  The text was written
by Handley Carr Glyn Moule, who was born on Dec. 23, 1841, at Fordington
in Dorsetshire, England, the son of Anglican minister Henry Moule. 
Educated at home and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was Carus
Prizeman in 1863, received the Brown's Medal in 1863, and received a B.
A. with first class Classical and Theological Honors in 1865, he also
became an Anglican minister in 1867 and served at Fordington until 1873,
became Dean of Trinity College at Cambridge from 1874 to 1877, and then
returned to Fordington from 1877 to 1880.  Serving again at Cambridge,
first as Principal of Ridley Hall from 1880 to 1899, then as Norrisian
Professor of Divinity from 1899 to 1900, he was made Bishop of Durham in
1901.  Between 1869 and 1887, he wrote eight books, including works of
poetry, sermons, and commentaries.  

     This particular hymn was first published by Novello and Co. in the
1905 Council School Hymnbook with the theme "Jesus the Guide of Youth." 
Moule produced some nine other hymns before his death on May 8, 1920, at
Durham, where his body is buried in the Elvet Garth churchyard.  The tune
(Orientus Partibus) that our books have used with this hymn is a medieval
French melody that was sung with the traditional carol "The Friendly
Beasts" for the Feast of the Ass (Jan. 14) commemorating the flight of
Mary and Joseph with the child Jesus into Egypt.  It is usually dated
about 1200 to 1210, by which time it was found as "A Conductus from the
Office of the Circumcision" in the Sens Breviary published by Pierre de
Corbeil (d. 1222).  Corbeil was bishop of Sens, and the melody is
sometimes attributed to him.  The modern arrangement and harmonization
were made by Richard Redhead (1820-1901).  

     This setting was first published at London, England, in his 1853
Church Hymn Tunes, Ancient and Modern.  Among hymnbooks published by
members of the Lord's church during the twentieth century for use in
churches of Christ, the song appeared in the 1975 supplement to the 1937
Great Songs of the Church No. 2 originally edited by E. L. Jorgenson; and
the 1978 Hymns of Praise edited by Reuel Lemmons.  The same tune was used
with the hymn "Holy Spirit, Truth Divine" by Samuel Longfellow in the
1963 Christian Hymnal edited by J. Nelson Slater.  Today the tune appears
with the hymn "Father, Lead Me Day by Day" by John Page Hopps in the 1986
Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and with "Holy Spirit,
Truth Divine" in the 1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand,
and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise edited by Alton H. Howard.

     The hymn is a request for the help and guidance of Christ during the
studies of youth in preparation for life.

I. Stanza 1 identifies the Lord as the Master of our minds
"Lord and Savior, true and kind, Be the Master of my mind;
Bless, and guide, and strengthen still All my powers of thought and
will."
 A. Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior: Lk. 2.11
 B. As such, He wants to be the Master of our minds because He wants us
to gird up the loins of our mind to obey Him: 1 Pet. 1.13-14
 C. Therefore, we must look to Him to bless, guide, and strengthen all
our powers of thought: 2 Cor. 10.5

II. Stanza 2 identifies the Lord as the source of all true knowledge
"While I ply the scholar's task, Jesus Christ, be near, I ask;
Help the memory, clear the brain, Knowledge still to seek and gain."
 A. While we must "ply the scholar's task" to learn the things that we
need to get along in this life, we should especially do so in searching
the scriptures: Acts 17.11
 B. We should also ask the Lord to help us keep in memory the goodness of
the Lord: Ps. 145.7
 C. The reason for this is because the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge: Prov. 1.7

III. Stanza 3 identifies the Lord as the source of grace
"Here I train for life's swift race; Let me do it in Thy grace.
Here I arm me for life's fight; Let me do it in Thy might."
 A. Whatever our choice of career may be, life is like a swift race: Heb.
12.1
 B. Therefore, whatever we do, we should seek God's grace to help us:
Heb. 4.6
 C. In this way, we shall be armed so that we can fight the good fight of
the faith: 1 Tim. 6.12 

IV. Stanza 4 identifies the Lord as the Creator of mind and soul
"Thou has made me, mind and soul; I for Thee would use the whole.
Thou hast died that I might live; All my powers to Thee I give."
 A. It was God, through His Son, who made mankind, both mind and soul:
Gen. 1.26-27, Jn. 1.1-3
 B. Therefore, we should use our members as instruments of righteousness
for Him: Rom. 6.13
 C. For Christians, this is especially true because He died that we might
live, purchasing us with a price  that we might glorify Him in both body
and spirit: 1 Cor. 6.20

V. Stanza 5 identifies the Lord as the divine Trainer of our nature
"Striving, thinking, learning still, Let me follow thus Thy will,
Till my whole glad nature be Trained for duty and for Thee."
 A. We should strive to think on those things that are pleasing to the
Lord: Phil. 4.8
 B. We should also seek always to follow His will, as Christ followed the
Father's will: Jn. 5.30
 C. In so doing, we shall be trained for duty and God's service as
vessels of honor fit for the Master's use: 2 Tim. 2.21 

     CONCL.:  This hymn was obviously written as a reminder for young
people studying in school that they need to look to the Lord to help them
do their best in their obtaining a good education and also to understand
that whatever they learn must be devoted to His service.  However, those
of us who are older need to have these same attitudes toward everything
that we have been taught and what we do.  Therefore, whether young or
old, we must always look for guidance and direction in how we use our
minds and our bodies to Him who is our "Lord and Savior.

      Brotherly,
Wayne S. Walker
9024 Amona Dr.
Affton, MO  63123
home phone: (314) 638-4710
office phone: (314) 544-1612
e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com
website: www.defenderoftruth.com

     Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth
website.  Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book
that I have written entitled Songs of Zion.  It can be ordered from the
publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com.  And
if you would like to receive a similar daily hymn study by e-mail, you
can join the Hymn of the Day list by sending a blank e-mail to
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hymnoftheday/ .

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