Yoda writes brilliant hymns
Someone once called this a "Yoda" hymn - the grammar is all reversed and if you say it in a squeaky haltering voice it sounds like a line that George Lucas penned after a night on the town. The Anglican pastor Augustus Toplady (1740-78) may have only lived 38 years but he wrote some stonkers. (He is also, BTW, a local boy). He was a contemporary of Wesley, but disagreed with him strongly over Calvinism, and this is reflected in his hymns. I have to admit that if I listed out all the hymns I pick over the course of a year, this Yoda favourite is near the top of the list. Just reflect on the words!
A sovereign protector I have,
Unseen yet forever at hand,
unchangeably faithful to save,
almighty to rule and command.
He smiles, and my comforts abound,
His grace as the dew shall descend,
And walls of salvation surround,
the soul he delights to defend.
Inspirer and hearer of prayer,
both leading and guarding your sheep,
I place in your covenant care
my life both awake and asleep;
if you are my shield and my sun
the night is no darkness to me,
for, fast as my moments roll on,
so nearer to you I shall be.
Creator and ground of my hope,
to your name alone I shall bow,
a new 'Ebenezer' set up
to show 'God has helped us till now'
I think on the years that are past,
when all my defence you have proved,
nor will you relinquish at last
a sinner so blessed and so loved.
I sometimes think the standard tune can be a bit dirgy, but this is avoided by (a) not singing it too slowly and (b) singing it with 600 other men as we did last week, when it becomes spine-tingling.
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