1000 Songs/LENOX (Lewis Edson)

LENOX (Lewis Edson)

1000 Songs

Text
Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;

The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears:

Before the throne my surety stands,

Before the throne my surety stands,

My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above, for me to intercede;

His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:

His blood atoned for all our race, His blood atoned for all our race,

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear anointed One;

He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;

His Spirit answers to the blood,

His Spirit answers to the blood,

And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear;

He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear:

With confidence I now draw nigh,

With confidence I now draw nigh,

And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Author
Charles Wesley wrote Arise, My Soul, Arise in 1742. It was included in his book Hymns and Sacred Poems.

Music
Lewis Edson composed LENNOX and was one of the first American composers. He was part of the early American singing schools in the late 1700s.

Tune
LENNOX was first included in The Chorister's Companion in 1782. It quickly became one of the most popular fugal hymn tunes of the time. It has since been rearranged into a homophonic setting for modern singing. Without the fuging the simpl tune can become somewhat boring. It is entirely diatonic and has a fairly slow harmonic rhythm. It's hymnic meter is 6.6.6.6.8.8 with repeat.

Original Fugal Tune

Rearranged Homophonic Tune

Editor's Choice
Fugal Tune