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Rejoice, the Lord is King
Words & Music: Charles Wesley, 1744; Music: Darwall’s 148th, 1770.

Rejoice, the Lord is King!
Your Lord and King adore;
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore;

CHORUS:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

The Lord Our Savior, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains
He took His seat above;
(Repeat Chorus)

His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n;
(Repeat Chorus)

Rejoice in glorious hope!
Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up
To their eternal home.
(Repeat Chorus)

Scripture References:
Ps 31:1-2; Ps 145:1-3,13; 1 Cor 15:24-28,57-58; 2 Cor 2:14; Rom 8:31; 1 Pet 3:22; Matt 26:28; Col 3:1; Isa 66:1; Eph 1:22; Rev 1:18; Titus 2:13-14; 2 Tim 4:1; Jn 5:22; 1 Thes 4:16-18

Psalm 130
Words: Martin Luther, 1523. Music: Christopher Miner ©1997 Christopher Miner Music

From the depths of woe I raise to Thee
The voice of lamentation;
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me
And hear my supplication;
If Thou iniquities dost mark,
Our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,
And live alone by mercy

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience

Though great our sins and sore our woes
His grace much more aboundeth;
His helping love no limit knows,
Our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free
From all their sin and sorrow
I wait for it with patience

Scripture References:
Psa 130:1-8

Pearly Gates
Words: Fredrick A. Blom, 1917; translated from Swedish by Nathaniel Carlson, circa 1935. Music: Clint Wells and Brian T. Murphy. ©2004 Red Mountain Music.

Love divine, so great and wondrous,
Deep and mighty, pure sublime!
Coming from Your heart, O Jesus,
Just the same through tests of time.

CHORUS:
You the pearly gates will open,
So that I may enter in;
For You purchased my redemption
And forgave me all my sin.

Like a dove when hunted, frightened,
As a wounded fawn was I;
Brokenhearted, yet You healed me,
You will heed the sinner’s cry.
(Repeat Chorus)

Love divine, so great and wondrous,
All my sins You then forgave!
I will sing Your praise forever,
For Your blood, Your power to save.
(Repeat Chorus)

In life’s eventide, at twilight,
At Your door I’ll knock and wait;
By Your precious love, O Jesus
I shall enter Heaven’s gate.
(Repeat Chorus)

Scripture References
John 10:9-11; 1 Cor 2:9; Rev 5:9; Ps 74; Ps 28; Ps 32:5; Ps 65:3; Col 2:13; Ps 118:19; Isa 51:11; Matt 7:13; Heb 10:19-25

Notes
Fredrick Arvid Blom was born on May 21, 1867, near Enkoping, Sweden. He came to the United States in the 1890’s and became an officer in the Salvation Army, in Chicago. Later Blom studied at North Park College and Seminary and then pastored Mission Covenant (now Evangelical Covenant) churches until 1915. Through various circumstances, Mr Blom fell into deep sin and eventually spent time in prison. He explained, “I drifted from God… and became embittered with myself, the world, and no the least with ministers who look on me with suspicion…” Sometime later, Blom was restored in his fellowship with God at a Salvation Army meeting and once again resumed a pastorate at a Swedish Congregational Church in Titusville, PA, until returning to Sweden in 1921. There he pastored several churches until his death on May 24, 1927, at Uddevalla, Sweden.

It is generally believed that Fredrick Blom wrote the text for these verses either in prison or shortly after his spiritual restoration.
Source

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King of Saints
©2005 Red Mountain Music. Words: Joseph Hart, 1768. 2nd Chorus by Cameron Gray. Music: Clint Wells, 2004.

Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Lamb,
We will laud Thy lovely name;
We were saved by God’s decree,
And all our debt was paid by Thee.
Thou has washed us in Thy blood,
Made us kings and priests to God;
Take this tribute of the poor:
We can’t give less, we can’t give more.

CHORUS:
Souls redeemed your voices raise!
Sing your dear Redeemer’s praise;
Worthy Thou of love and laud,
King of Saints, Incarnate God—

Righteous are Thy ways and true;
Endless honors are Thy due;
Grace and glory in Thee shine;
Matchless mercy, love divine.
We for whom Thou once was slain,
We Thy ransomed sinner train,
In this one request agree,
“Spirit, make us more like Thee.”
(Repeat Chorus)

2nd CHORUS:
O, my soul, rejoice and
Sing of thy salvation!
Lift thy voice and praise
The Lord of all creation!

Scripture:
John 1:29; Rev 5:6-14; Rev 7:14; Rev 5:10; 1Pet 2:9; Isa 43:1, Isa 44:22-23; Lam 3:58; Luke 1:68; John 1:14; Psalm 145:17; Matt 20:28; Rom 8:29;

Jesus, Lover of My Soul
Words: Charles Wesley, 1740. Music: ©2000 Greg Thompson Music.

Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Til Thy storm is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
Receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, oh leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
In the shadow of Thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name,
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am;
Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart;
For all eternity.

Scripture References:
Ps 55:8; Ps 57:1; Ps 107:23-32; Luke 7:22; John 1:14; Eph 1:7; Eph 2:4-6; Ps 36:9; John 4:10; John 7:38; Rev 7:17

Notes
Mrs. Mary Hoo­ver, of Belle­fonte, Pennsylvania, whose grandmother was the heroine of the story, has related to her pastor this family tradition: Charles Wesley was preaching in the fields of the parish of Killyleagh, County Down, Ireland, when he was attacked by men who did not approve of his doctrines. He sought refuge in a house located on what was known as the Island Barn Farm. The farmer’s wife, Jane Lowrie Moore, told him to hide in the milkhouse, down in the garden. Soon the mob came and demanded the fugitive. She tried to quiet them by offering them refreshments. Going down to the milkhouse, she directed Mr. Wesley to get through the rear window and hide under the hedge, by which ran a little brook. In that hiding-place, with the cries of his pursuers all about him, he wrote this immortal hymn. Descendants of Mrs. Moore still live in the house, which is much the same as it was in Wesley’s time. (Source)

Best-Known Hymns By Charles Wesley
In the course of his career, Charles Wesley published the words of over five and a half thousand hymns, writing the words for a further two thousand, many of which are still popular. These include:

• “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?” (Lyrics)
• “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” (Lyrics)
• “Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies” (Lyrics)
• “Come, O Thou Traveler unknown” (Lyrics)
• “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (Lyrics)
• “Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise” (Lyrics)
• “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” (Lyrics)
• “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” (Lyrics)
• “Jesus, The Name High Over All” (Lyrics)
• “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending” (Lyrics)
• “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (Lyrics)
• “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” (Lyrics)
• “Rejoice, the Lord is King” (Lyrics)
• “Soldiers of Christ, Arise” (Lyrics)
• “Ye Servants of God” (Lyrics)

The lyrics to many more of Charles Wesley’s hymns can be found on Wikisource and “Hymns and Sacred Poems”.

Some 150 of his hymns are included in the Methodist hymn book Hymns and Psalms