Jesus, Thou alone art worthy

C149 CB182 E182 K149 P182 R132 T182
1
Jesus, Thou alone art worthy
Ceaseless praises to receive;
For Thy love and grace and goodness
Rise o’er all our thoughts conceive.
2
With adoring heart, we render
Honor to Thy precious name,
Overflowing with Thy mercies,
Far and wide Thy worth proclaim.
3
Praise Him! praise Him! praise the Savior!
Saints, aloud your voices raise,
Praise Him! praise Him! till in glory
Perfected we’ll sing His praise.
3
Un Hermano

COMMENTS ON PRACTICES

Concerning the Mutual Speaking of Hymns and Pray-singing

In the meetings we need to release our spirit whether we call a hymn or announce Scripture verses. The most important principle in meeting is to exercise the spirit. Therefore, everything we do in the meetings, no matter how great or small, should be done with the spirit. Do not think that calling hymns and announcing Scripture verses are small matters. If our spirit is not released in these matters, the meeting will be deflated. If the meeting is started with the exercise of the spirit, a wonderful atmosphere will be brought in.

We also need to release the spirit when we speak a hymn to one another. We mentioned the various sections of the pray-reading meeting—speaking and singing the hymns to one another, pray-singing, reading the Word aloud, reading the Word to one another, pray-reading the Word, sharing, and testifying. These sections afford the saints opportunities to open their mouth and say something. This means that in the meetings our spirit must be ready. The meetings can be compared to a basketball game. Those who play basketball are ready to play before they are on the court; they do not wait until after they are on the court to begin preparing themselves. When we are on the way to a meeting, we need to prepare our spirit for the meeting. Whatever we do in the meeting must be done from our spirit. Therefore, we should not speak the hymns to one another in an ordinary way; we should speak from our spirit.

When pray-singing a hymn, we should pray over every line thoroughly and not run through the hymn rapidly. For example, if while the saints are pray-singing Hymns, #182, a brother says, “Jesus, Thou alone art worthy, ” someone can immediately say, “Lord, yes, Thou alone art worthy. ” Another saint can say, “Yes, Lord, Thou art worthy. ” After we have prayed this line thoroughly, we can proceed to the next line: “Ceaseless praises to receive. ” In this way the flavor of the hymn will be released.

The Practice of the Pray-reading Meeting

Chapter 1 CWWL, 1968, vol. 2 (LSM)


Ashley

New York, United States

Wow very good song 10/10 would recommend 👍👍👍👍


Kitty Joubert

Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa

Praise Him! Praise Him! Praise the Savior! Till in glory perfected we'll sing His praise. We are honoured by Your Name and overflowing with Thy mercies. Far and wide Thy worth proclaim!

Please remember that it is best for any prayers offered after a hymn to follow the feeling conveyed in the hymn. For example, Hymns, #136, "In Thy face once marred and smitten, / All His glory now we read. / Gazing on it we adore Thee, / Blessed, precious, holy Lord." When we reach a high point in the spirit in our singing, we need a prayer to sustain the spirit of the meeting. This means that the words, "Gazing on it we adore Thee, / Blessed, precious, holy Lord;... / Rise our hearts," have brought us to the high point. Then instead of praying doctrinally, we should focus on the last two verses and pray, "Yes, Lord, as we are gazing on Your face, our hearts rise up to praise You." Immediately this prayer is linked to the hymn. Then more prayers should continue to focus on the Lord's glory. The atmosphere of the meeting will then be such that everyone sees the Lord's glory in its utmost purity. Hence, the author of the hymn does not need to say anything except, "Gazing on it we adore Thee, / Blessed, precious, holy Lord." If we can continue praising, the spirit of the meeting will be sustained. After numerous prayers of praise, our hearts will be fully turned to the Lord.

Then a brother may be inspired to add a short hymn and select the last stanza of Hymns, #182, which reads, "Praise Him! praise Him! praise the Savior! / Saints, aloud your voices raise, / Praise Him! praise Him! till in glory / Perfected we'll sing His praise." This is even better. After the short hymn, everyone may still have a lingering taste for the meeting; thus, we can send off the saints singing this praise once again.