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GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH Gaithersburg, Maryland

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah “Isaiah – Some Inspired by the Prophet” The Sixth of Six Sessions Christ the King Sunday – November 22, 2020

I. It’s Just Impossible! Well yes! It is altogether impossible to cover, in this session, all of the hymns that have been inspired by the Book of Isaiah. It would even be impossible to cover all of the hymns American Lutherans might know or even have available to them from recent publications of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For example, beginning with the paper backed edition of With One Voice,1 there were 50 “new-to- us” hymns inspired by texts from the Book of Isaiah. In our current , Evangelical , published by Augsburg Fortress in 2008, there are 173 hymns inspired by one or more texts from Isaiah.2 So . . . It is altogether impossible to attend to them all in this session! (You are probably glad to hear that!) We shall mention and look at a few. Unfortunately, it is not easy to Isaiah sing them together in our “Zoom” format of these pandemic A Fresco on Ceiling of Sistime Chapel days. But to quote the Scriptures: “Salvation is nearer to us by Michelangelo now than when we first believed.”3

1. With One Voice – A paperbacked supplemental hymnal of new to us or contemporary hymns intended to supplement the which had been published in 1978. That hymnal was prepared jointly by the Lutheran Church in America, the , The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. It was published by the Lutheran Church in America and the Augsburg Publishing House. With One Voice was published in 1995 by Augsburg Fortress Press of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

2. Many of the hymns included in With One Voice had become very popular in our con- gregations and were carried over into Evangelical Lutheran Worship, though not all.

3. Romans 13:11b.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 1 II. “O God of Every Nation” ELW 713 This inspired by Isaiah 6:1-8 In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.4 The Hymn Text 1. O God of every nation, 2. From search for wealth and power 0f every race and land, and scorn of truth and right, Redeem you whole creation, From trust in bombs that shower with your almighty hand, destruction through the night. where hate and fear divide us, From pride of race and station, and bitter threats are hurled, and blindness to your way, in love and mercy guide us Deliver every nation and heal our strife-torn world. Eternal God we pray.

3. Lord, strengthen all who labor, 4. Keep bright in us the vision that all may find release of days when wars shall cease, from fear of rattling saber, When hatred and division from dread of war’s increase, give way to love and peace, when hope and courage falter, Till dawns the morning glorious Lord, let your voice be heard: when truth and love shall reign, with faith that none can alter, and Christ shall rule victorious your servants undergird. O’er all the world’s domain.

This fine hymn does not quote the words directly of either Isaiah or Micah, but it does strike, in modern language and idiom, the same hunger in our day. The hymn was composed by the late William W. Reid, Jr. (1923-2007) It was chosen as the top choice of over more than 200 submissions to a contest of the Hymn Society of America5 to provide a special

4. This text is repeated, verbatim, in Micah 4:1-3.

5. The Hymn Society of America is now The Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. So impressed were the sponsors of this hymn competition that the Society published a booklet of the 13 top hymns from that effort.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 2 hymn for Fifth World and Order Study Conference of the World Council of Churches which was held in Cleveland over four days in November, 1958. Many have tended to join this text with the tune LLANGLOFFAN, as has our own ELW.

III. Holy, Holy, Holy Isaiah 6:1-8 It should come as no surprise that there are no less than eight hymns in our ELW that are related as quotes of or reflections of the theme of this text of the call and commissioning of Isaiah the Prophet. Let’s look at that text. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ 4The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the with a pair of tongs. 7The seraphb touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ This text has inspired a host of hymns. Seven such hymns are included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Included are: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty ELW 413 Holy God, We Praise Your Name ELW 414 Stanza 2 Let All Mortal flesh Keep Silence ELW 440 Isaiah in a Vision Did of Old ELW 868* Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now ELW 527 Here I Am, Lord ELW 574* Send Me, Lord ELW 809 Note: “^” indicates hymns chosen from this list.

Isaiah in a Vision Did of Old – ELW 868 This hymn is a chanted narrative of the Isaiah text. Both the test and the tune are the work of . He prepared it as an alternate”” for the Eucharistic Liturgy, or for a congregational singing. Luther included it in his German Mass of 1526. It is a simple text and the tune is given without harmony. It straightforwardly tells the story,

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 3 including the chant of the seraphim as Isaiah had told the story. Luther adapted the chant tune from an 11th century chant that accompanied the Sanctus for and . There are several popular English translations of this text.6 This one is originally from the Lutheran Book of Worship. Isaiah in vision did of old, the Lord of Hosts enthroned on high behold, whose splendid train was wide out spread until its streaming glory did the temple fill.

Above God’s throne the shining seraphim with six-fold wings did reverence unto Him. With two each seraph hid his glorious face, and two about his feet did interlace, and with the other two he soared on high, and one unto another thus did cry:

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! His glory filleth all the earth!”

The beams and lintels at their crying shook, and all the house was filled with billowing smoke

Here I Am, Lord ELW 574 Daniel L. Schutte composed both the text and the tune for this hymn to be used in 1979 for a Service of Diaconal Ordination at the Oakland Cathedral. in the Roman Catholic tradition are at the first ordained step toward priesthood and even . In the Diaconate, one is “set apart for ministry.” It is the beginning of a journey is ministry. In this hymn, we hear Isaiah 6:8. In the dialogue of the text, Isaiah, is now cleansed from his sin and therefore spared from the severe penalty of seeing God “face to face”. Isaiah hears God ask: “Who will go for us? Whom can we send?” Isaiah instantly answers, “Here am I! Send me!” In the Isaiah passage, Isaiah received a hard command from God. He is to speak so that the people do not understand. It is a hard command! But this hymn does not take us there. It builds upon the excitement of one who hears and accepts God’s call. It has become a very popular hymn in ELCA congregations since its introduction in With One Voice in

6. This writer was priviledged to sing II Tenor in the Chapel ana Concert choirs of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, now United Seminary. Most of the choir’s concert work was sung unaccompanied. We sang this hymn chant to a rather different translation. It began: “Isaiah, Mighty Seer in days of old, the Lord of Hosts did in truth behold . . .”

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 4 1995. As for Daniel Schutte, he now lives in San Francisco and is composer in residence at the University of San Francisco. He also gives concerts and workshops. Now, for the text of our next hymn, inspired by Isaiah 6:1-8.

1. “I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. I, who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?”

Refrain: Here I am, Lord. Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you send me. I will hold your people in my heart.

2, I, the Lord of snow and rain. I have borne my people’s .pain. I have wept for love of them. They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone. I will speak my word to them. Whom Shall I send? Refrain:

3. I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame; I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide, till their hearts be satisfied. I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? Refrain:

IV. All the Earth Is Hopeful ELW 266 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman7 is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3) “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

This hymn, originally in Catalan, was first published in 1972 and is a powerful

7. “Young Woman” is the preferred translation, however, the KJV and others uses the phrase “virgin” so that it reads “A virgin shall conceive”.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 5 interpretation of the all encompassing understanding of “Immanuel”, which is to say “God with us.” The hymn explores all the ways God is with us.“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” The tune TODA LA TIERRA, like the text of this hymn as well, is the work of Alberto Vinas Taude (1932-2007). He was born in Sabadell, Catalonia. A gifted musician at a young age, more than 30 of his hymns can be found in Spanish hymnals. The United Methodist Hymnal in 1989 was the first to bring his hymns to the United States. Our hymn in that hymnal was entitled “All Earth is Waiting.” The tune for this hymn has been described as “wistful, hopeful, and perhaps slightly mournful.”8 It is the favorite hymn of our immediate past synodical bishop, Richard Graham. Its message is powerful and solidly biblical and hopeful. It seems timely in our day as well.

1. All the earth is hopeful, the Savior comes at last. Furrows lie open for God’s creative task: this the labor of people who struggle to see, God’s truth and justice set every body free.

2. People of Israel you heard the prophet tell: “A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel”; She conceived him “God with us,” our brother whose birth restores hope and courage to children of this earth.

3. Mountains and valleys will have to be prepared. New highways opened, new protocols declared. Almost here, God is nearing, in beauty and grace! Clear every gateway, in haste, come out in haste!

4. We first saw Jesus a baby in a crib. This same Lord Jesus today has come to live. In our world He is present in neighbors we see, our Jesus is with us, and ever sets us free.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah A Historical - Textual Study October 18 “Who Was Isaiah? How Many Isaiah’s Were There? October 25 “The Day Isaiah Went to Church” Some Significant Passages in Isaiah

8, Paul Westermeyer, Hymnody Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis. 2010. Pp. 38-39. The quote is from p. 29 and is a quote from Zebulon Highben. Paul Westermeyer was for a while during the 1960's organist and director of music at Saint Luke in Silver Spring.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 6 November 1 “A Beloved Prophecy and a Vineyard”9 November 8 “Isaiah - Passages before and After the Exile” November 15 “The Prophecy of the Suffering Servant November 22 “Some Hymns Inspired by Isaiah”

COMING SOON! Isaiah’s Vision for the Messiah An Advent Series Beginning on November 29 A Review of Passages Appropriate for our Advent Sundays!

COMING STILL LATER At A Time of The End of this Pandemic “Hymns We Are Hungering to Sing Again – Together” Be sure to send your favorite Hymns – [email protected]

9. Philippians 4:8-9.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah – Session 6 Rev 4 pdf Page 7