God's Growing Garden: Old Fashioned Sunday Hymn Sing #143

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Old Fashioned Sunday Hymn Sing #143

Welcome to the 143rd Old Fashioned Sunday Hymn Sing!

I miss the old hymns that I remember from my childhood - there were no drums, no electric guitar and no mind numbing beat. It was just voices and maybe a piano or an organ. The choir led the congregation in singing - and the words of these hymns are poetic. I realize that there is a need for the modern "seeker oriented" worship music - but it is also necessary to have deeper songs (no offense intended to anyone who prefers the newer church songs).

I decided to have an "Old Fashion Sunday Hymn Sing" once a month on this blog.

I personally do NOT have a great singing voice - I used to play the guitar & piano but my voice is NOT an instrument. That's the great thing about this digital hymn sing, you can warble along without being embarrassed or without offending anyone else.

The hymns that we will be studying are taken from an old hymnal from a Baptist church that is no longer in existence - "The North American Hymnal" published in 1956 by "THE ROGER WILLIAMS PRESS"

I will also try to find a version of the featured hymn on "YouTube" to share with you each month.

Today's featured hymn is "We Gather Together To Ask The Lord's Blessing" and the author is Anonymous. However, we do know some of the history behind this hymn. Supposedly it was written in 1597 when the Dutch were at war with the Spanish Catholic King who ruled over their country at that time. Therefore, Dutch Protestants were forbidden to meet for worship.

This hymn is traditionally played around Thanksgiving. Since Canadian Thanksgiving is only a month away, I thought I'd share this post to go along with our featured hymn today -

click HERE to view:

"Bless, Blessed & Blessing"

I have included two beautiful versions of this hymn. (videos are located below the lyrics).

Enjoy!

Turn with me to number 24 in your hymnals and let's sing:

We Gather Together To Ask The Lord's Blessing

Anonymous Translated by Theodore Baker

Netherland Folk Song 1625 Arranged by: Edward Kremser 1838-1914

1. We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; He chastens and hastens His will to make known; The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own.

2. Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining. Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine; So from the beginning the fight we were winning; Thou, Lord, wast at our side, all glory be Thine!

3. We all do estol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant, And pray that Thou still our Defender wilt be. Let Thy congregation escape tribulation; Thy Name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!