New Poll

Okay, it's time for a new poll question.   This one is a bit out of the box for some of you. This poll is in regards to an interest of mine, Christian hymns.  Not just the lyrics and music, but the history as well.  Here are the ones I want you to choose from as which hymn is your favorite.

1. Great is Thy Faithfulness:  This hymn was written by Thomas Chisholm.  Chisholm, a man who's health was much of his early adult life and had to struggle to make ends meet,  became a frequent poet.  He wrote over 1200 poems for religious periodicals such as the Sunday School Times and Moody's Monthly. In 1923 he sent several of his poems to WIlliam Runyan, who was affiliated with the Moody Bible Institute and Hope Publishing Company. Runyan set the poem to music, and it was published that same year by Hope Publishing Company and became popular among church groups.^[1] The Biblical lyrics reference Lamentations 3:22 (It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not).

I like this hymn because it exudes hope brought about through the Almighty's goodness and faithfulness.  Morning by morning, new mercies I see….

2. Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty:  I have this piece of hymn art hanging in my condo:

This hymn, written by German-Calvinist Joachim Neander, is just a great hymn of praise.  An energetic German hymn that keeps floating in my head for hours after I hear it.  All Ye who hear, now that His temple draws near….

3. Holy, Holy, Holy: This Reginald Heber hymn is perhaps the strongest emphasis of the Trinity outside of the Scriptures themselves.  Proclaiming the truth of three Persons, equal and eternal, is what this hymn is all about.  God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity…

4. Fairest, Lord Jesus (Beautiful Savior): This is when the Lutheran background in me starts to come out.  Although little is known of this hymn, it's connects to me because it combines both adoration with proclamation.  I enjoy it so much so that I have these three pieces of hymn art hanging in my condo:

I'll give an 'A' grade for eyesight if you can read them all.

5. A Mighty Fortress is Our God:  I will admit this is my personal favorite.  Martin Luther's famous hymn combines the proclamation of Psalm 46 ("God is our refuge and strength") with church militancy (Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also…God's truth abideth still, His Kingdom is forever).  It's tune is famously know in the last movement of Felix Mendelssohn's Reformation Symphony.   Yes, I have a piece of hymn art  of this hymn in my condo as well.

So vote folks.  If you have your own selection, please let me know.