LYRICS

A Mighty Fortress is our God

Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the Valiant One, whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, who is this? Jesus Christ it is.
Of Sabbath Lord, and there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.

His word above all earthly powers, no thanks to devils bideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

My Heart Ever Faithful

J. S. Bach

My heart ever faithful
Sing praises, be joyful,
Thy Jesus is near;
Away with complaining,
Away with complaining,
Faith ever maintaining,
My Jesus is here;
My heart ever faithful
Sing praises, be joyful,
Sing praises, be joyful,
Thy Jesus is here.

Etcetera, variously put together through nine pages.

I Sit Beside the Fire

J. R. R. Tolkein/Donald Swann/Narelle Worboys

I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen
Of meadow flowers and butterflies in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
With morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be
When winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see.
For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
In every wood in every spring there is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
And people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

Oh, who will sing my song with me? and walk this path along with me?
To see the flowers and feel the wind, to smell the sky and taste the rain,
To join our hands with tenderness and hearts with loving-kindnesses,
To speak the tears and sing the joys, and sing the joys.

I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

You gotta hear those last two lines with the music…utterly haunting and gorgeous to sing.