The following text was written by Janet Wootton to celebrate 75 years of The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland. It reminds of the lasting legacy of our hymn singing heritage, the beginnings of which can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible. Miriam is noted for her celebratory dances and David was a musican and poet. Asaph was a levitical musical composer and leader of David's choir.  Psalms 50 and 73-83 are ascribed to him.  Biblical reference to him are to be found in 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, and Nehemiah. The accompanying tune is by John Barnard. The hymn will be sung at Festivals throughout our Anniversary year.
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When Miriam’s daughters rise and sing
and David lifts his voice in praise,
when sons of Asaph weave new words
and Mary challenges our ways,

creator God, we trace your love
through thirty centuries of song,
and dare to add our witness for
the age to which we now belong.

We celebrate your glorious gifts:
our inspiration, wild and free,
controlled by joy of intellect
and crafted with intensity.

Delight is born when living words
and soaring melody, combined,
reveal the height and depth and length
of love that cannot be defined.

Then let your people rise and sing,
our voices lifted up in praise,
our hearts responding to your power
to stir our hearts and change our ways.

Janet Wootton is Director of Studies for the Congregational Federation, having served for some twenty-five years as a minister in rural and inner city churches before taking on that role. She has served on hymn book committees, including that for Hymns & Psalms in the 1980s. Author and editor of publications in ministry, mission, worship and feminist theology, she is currently editor of Worship Live and International Congregational Journal and on the editorial committee of Feminist Theology . Her hymns have been published in a number of collections in the UK and USA.

John Barnard is active in church music as composer, arranger, choir director and organist in Harrow, England. He has contributed to several Jubilate publications including 'Hymns for Today's Church, 'Carols for Today', 'Psalms for Today', and most recently, 'Sing Glory'. He is probably best known for his hymn tune 'Guiting Power' which is widely sung in the UK. His musical activities are a hobby, as he earns his living teaching German at the John Lyon School in North-west London.

You can down load a PDF version by clicking here.