Hymn Story Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy Hymn lists by book of Bible Joseph Hart (1712-1768) was a good example of the truth from Proverbs, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Hart was raised in a Christian [...]

Hymn Story The Day of Resurrection Hymn Lists by book of Bible "The Day of Resurrection" is one of the oldest hymns in our hymnal.  The words were written by St. John of Damascus of the Greek Orthodox Church.  John was born in Damascus in the 8th century, and was engaged in secular work for [...]

Hymn Story Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain Hymn lists by book of Bible John of Damascus had an unusual childhood for someone who would be remembered for writing Christian hymns.  John's father was a Christian who served as the chief financial adviser to the Caliph Abd-el-Melik, the man who built the magnificent Jerusalem mosque, [...]

Hymn Story Day by Day Hymn Lists by book of Bible Lina Sandell (1832-1903), the author of this hymn, was a Lutheran pastor's daughter in Froderyd, Sweden.  She was a "daddy's girl"—very close to her father.  As a child, she enjoyed playing quietly in her father's study as he worked. Lina began writing hymns at [...]

Hymn Story Come, Ye Disconsolate Hymn lists by book of Bible The author of this hymn, Thomas Moore (1779-1852), was best known as an Irish poet and balladeer.  He wrote a number of popular songs, to include, "Believe Me, if All Those Enduring Charms." He also wrote "Irish Melodies," a collection of Irish songs that [...]

Hymn Story Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Hymn lists by book of Bible Charles Wesley wrote seventy-five hundred hymns (Encyclopedia Britannica) -- roughly a hymn every other day for fifty years.  I find that amazing!  It would be amazing if he had written one verse every other day, but most of his hymns have several [...]

Hymn Story Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Hymn lists by book of Bible God chooses whom God chooses— usually a less than obvious candidate.  He chose Moses, who had no gift for public speaking, to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go!"  He chose David, a mere boy, to deliver his people from the giant, [...]

Hymn Story Breathe on Me, Breath of God Hymn Lists by book of Bible Edwin Hatch, who wrote this hymn, was a great scholar.  An esteemed member of the Oxford University faculty, he became widely known for his Brampton Lectures, which were translated into German by the great Adolph von Harnack, a great German [...]

Hymn Story Come, Thou Almighty King Hymn lists by book of Bible We don't know who wrote this hymn —and that might be what the author intended.  This is a story of a hymn of praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that some might have considered subversive. This hymn originally appeared in a small [...]

Hymn Story Break Thou the Bread of Life Hymn Lists by book of Bible The hymn, "Break Thou the Bread of Life," came out of the Chautauqua Movement of the late 1800s. While the Chautauqua Institution still enrolls some 8,000 students a year in various summer courses, most people know little or nothing about it. That [...]