The following is a collection of 39 spiritual "flavored" songs that I have used in various song books I have compiled for Wood Badge Courses, Junior Leader Training Conferences, Basic Training Programs, and any other time someone asked me to help make a song book. Feel free to use, pass on, give away, or ignore, which is basically what I did. I hope to add similiar documents on Songs of Fun, Songs of Scouting, Songs of Faith as I get them collected into documents and converted to text files. If your are looking for anything in particular, e-mail me at mrhalpin@aol.com.
Keep the Outing
In Scouting.
Mike Halpin
Scoutmaster - Silver Axe Conference
Grand Canyon Council Junior Leader Training Program
Phoenix, Arizona
CONTENTS
ABIDE WITH ME
A'DON OLOM
AMAZING GRACE
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES
CALLED TO SERVE
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD
DAY BY DAY
NOW THE DAY IS OVER
DO LORD
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
MY FATHER'S HOUSE
FIRM AS THE MOUNTAINS
FIVE HUNDRED MILES
GREEN GROW THE RUSHES
GOD OUR FATHER, HEAR US PRAY
HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP
HOW GREAT THOU ART
I BELIEVE
THREE JOLLY FISHERMAN
KUM BA YAH
LOVE'S OLD SWEET SONG
MICHAEL
MORNING HAS BROKEN
PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND
ROCK OF AGES
COME, O SABBATH DAY
SCOUTMASTER'S HYMN
SHOLOM A'LEYCHEM
SHOLOM
SPIRIT OF GOD
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
THEY'LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS
VAYA CON DIOS
VESPERS
WE ARE DIFFERENT
WERE YOU THERE?
WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS
ABIDE WITH ME
Abide with me! Fast falls the even tide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, Abide with me
A'DON OLOM
(Lord of the World, Who Reigned
Alone While Yet the Universe Was
Naught, With Him My Soul Rests in
Fearless Calm.)
A'-don o-lom a'-sher mo-lach
B'-te-rem-kol y'-tzir niv-ro
L'eys na-a'-so v'-chef-tzo kol
A-zay me-lech sh'-mo nik-ro.
V'ach-aray kich-los ha-kole
L'vah-do yim-loch no-raw
V'hoo haw-yah, v'hoo ho-veh
V'hoo yee-yeh b'sif-araw.
B'yah-do af-kid roo-chee
B'ace e-shan v'ah-eraw
V'im roo-chee g'vee-yah-see
Adonoi lee v'lo e-raw.
(The traditional Jewish hymn which
ends the Sabbath and high holyday
services.)
AMAZING GRACE
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Though many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
It's grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
Than when we first begun.
Amazing Grace! How warms the sound.
That gave new life to me.
He will my shield and protion be
His Work my hope secures.
FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES
Sowing in the morning,
Sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noon-tide,
And the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest
And the time of reaping;
We shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves
We shall come rejoicing,
Bringing in the sheaves.
CALLED TO SERVE
Called to serve him, Heav'nly King of glory,
Chosen e'er to witness for His name;
Far and wide we tell the Father's story
Far and Wide His love proclaim.
(chorus)
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in His name,
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in His name;
Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing,
God our strength will be, press forward ever
Called to serve our King.
Called to know the richness of His blessing,
Sons and daughters, children of a King;
Glad of heart, His Holy Name confessing,
Praises unto Him we bring.
CHORUS
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See his banner go!
(chorus)
Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
At the sign of triumph,
Satan's host doth flee;
On, then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory.
Hell's foundations quiver
At the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise.
CHORUS
Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God
Brothers, we are treading
Where the Saints have trod.
We are not divided,
All one body we,
One in hope and doctrine,
One in charity.
CHORUS
Onward, then, ye people,
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song;
Glory, laud and honor,
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.
CHORUS
CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD
There's a church in the valley in the wildwood,
No lovelier place in the dale.
No spot is so dear to my childhood,
As the little brown church in the vale.
(chorus)
Oh, come,come, come, come,
Come to the church in the wildwood.
Oh, come to the church in the vale.
No spot is so dear to my childhood,
As the little brown church in the vale.
How sweet on the clear sabbath morning,
To list to the clear ringing bell.
Its' tone so sweetly calling.
Oh, come to the church in the vale.
CHORUS
DAY BY DAY
Day by day. Day by day.
Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray;
To see Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly, day by day.
Day by day. Day by day.
Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray;
To see Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly, day by day.
Day by day, by day, by day, by day.
NOW THE DAY IS OVER
Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh;
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.
Jesus give the weary
Calm and sweet repose;
With thy tenderest blessing
May our eyelids close.
When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure and fresh and sinless
In thy holy eyes.
DO LORD
(chorus)
Do Lord, Oh, do Lord, Oh, do remember me.
Oh, Lord,
Do lord, Oh, do Lord, Oh, do remember me.
Look away beyond the blue.
I got a home in glory land that outshines the sun,
I got a home in glory land that outshines the sun,
I got a home in glory land that outshines the sun,
Look away beyond the blue.
CHORUS
I took Jesus as my savior, you take him too,
I took Jesus as my savior, you take him too,
I took Jesus as my savior, you take him too,
Look away beyond the blue.
CHORUS
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
Faith of our fathers, living still.
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword.
O' how our hearts beat high with joy,
Whene'er we hear that glorious word.
(chorus)
Faith of our fathers, holy faith,
We will be true to thee 'till death.
Faith of our fathers, we will strive,
To win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God,
Mankind shall indeed be free.
CHORUS
MY FATHER'S HOUSE
Won't you come with me to my father's house?
To my father's house, to my father's house.
Won't you come with me to my father's house?
There is peace, peace, peace.
There's sweet contentment there, in my father's house.
In my father's house, in my father's house.
There's sweet contentment there, in my father's house,
There is peace, peace, peace.
There'll be no parting there in my father's house.
In my father's house, in my father's house.
There'll be no parting there, in my father's house.
There is peace, peace, peace.
FIRM AS THE MOUNTAINS
Firm as the mountains around us,
Stalwart and brave we stand
On the rock our fathers planted
For us in this goodly land;
The rock of honor and virtue,
Of faith in the living God.
They raised his banner triumphant
Over the desert sod.
And we hear the desert singing,
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Holding aloft our colors,
We march in the glorious dawn.
O youth of the noble birthright,
Carry on, carry on, carry on!
We'll build on the rock they plantd
A palace to the King.
Into its shining corridors,
Our songs of praise we'll bring,
For the heritage they left us,
Not of gold or worldly wealth,
But a blessing ever lasting
Of love and joy and health.
FIVE HUNDRED MILES
If you miss the train I'm on,
Then you will know That I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow
A hundred miles.
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow
A hundred miles.
(chorus)
Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two,
Lord, I'm three, Lord, I'm four,
Lord, I'm five hundred miles
Away from home.
Not a shirt on my back,
Not a penny to my name,
Lord, I can't go back home this-a-way.
This-a-way, This-a-way,
This-a-way, This-a-way,
Lord, I can't go back home this-a-way.
CHORUS
GREEN GROW THE RUSHES
I'll sing you one, Ho,
Green grow the rushes, Oh,
What is your one, Ho;
One is one and all alone
And evermore shall be so.
I'll sing you two, Ho,
Green grow the rushes, Oh,
What is your two, Ho;
Two, two lilly white boys
Clothed all in green, Oh;
One is one and all alone
And evermore shall be so.
Three - three the rivals
Four - Four for the gosple makers
Five - Five for the cymbals at your door
Six - Six for the six proud walkers
Seven - Seven for the seven stars in the sky
Eight - Eight for the April rainers
Nine - Nine for the nine bright shiners
Ten - Ten for the Ten Commandments
Eleven - 11 for the 11 that went to heaven
Twelve - Twelve for the Twelve Apostles
GOD OUR FATHER, HEAR US PRAY
God, our Father, hear us pray;
Send thy grace this holy day;
As we take of emblems blest,
On our Savior's love we rest.
Grant us, Father, grace divine;
May thy smile upon us shine;
As we eat the broken bread,
Thine approval on us shed.
As we drink the water clear,
Let thy Spirit linger near;
Pardon faults, O Lord, we pray;
Bless our efforts day by day.
HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN TOP
High on a mountain top
A banner is unfurled;
Ye nations now look up;
It waves to all the world;
In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land,
On Zion's mount behold it stand!
For God remembers still
His promise made of old
That he on Zion's hill
Truth's standard would unfold!
Her light should there attract the gaze
Of all the world in latter days.
His home shall there be reared
His glory to display;
And people shall be heard
In distant lands to say
We'll now go up and serve the Lord,
Obey his truth and learn his word.
For there we shall be taught
The law that will go forth,
With truth and wisdom fraught,
To govern all the earth;
Forever there his ways we'll tread,
And save ourselves with all our dead.
HOW GREAT THOU ART
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear themighty thunder,
Thy pow'r thru-out the universe displayed.
(chorus)
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art! How great thou art!
When thru the woods and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze,
CHORUS
And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin.
CHORUS
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great thou art!"
I BELIEVE
I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows.
I believe for everyone who goes astray,
Someone will come to show the way.
I believe, I believe.
I believe above the storm the smallest prayer will still be heard.
I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word.
Everytime I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf, or see the sky. . .
Then I know why I believe.
THREE JOLLY FISHERMAN
There were three jolly fishermen,
There were three jolly fishermen,
Fisher, fisher, men, men, men.
Fisher, fisher, men, men, men.
There were three jolly fishermen.
The first one's name was Abraham.
The first one's name was Abraham.
Abra, Abra, ham, ham, ham, etc.
The second one's name was I-Isaac.
The second one's name was I-Isaac.
I-I, I-I, zik, zik, zik, etc.
The third one's name was Ja-a-cob.
The third one's name was Ja-a-cob.
Ja-a, Ja-a, cub, cub, cub, etc.
They all went up to Jericho.
They all went up to Jericho.
Jer-i, Jer-i, cho, cho, cho, etc.
They should have gone to Amsterdam.
They should have gone to Amsterdam.
Amster, Amster, sh, sh, sh, etc.
KUM BA YAH
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah!
O Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's crying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
O Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's singing, Lord, Kum ba yah!
O Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
Someone's praying, Lord, Kum ba yah!
O Lord, Kum ba yah!
LOVE'S OLD SWEET SONG
Just a song at twilight,
When the lights are low,
And the flick'ring shadows
Softly come and go;
Tho the heart be weary,
Sad the day and long,
Still to us at twilight
Comes love's old sweet song,
Comes love's old sweet song.
MICHAEL
Michael row the boat ashore, Alleiujah.
Michael row the boat ashore, Alleiujah.
Michael's boat's a music boat, Alleiujah.
Michael's boat's a music boat, Alleiujah.
Sister help to trim the sail, Alleiujah.
Sister help to trim the sail, Alleiujah.
River Jordan is chilly and cold, Alleiujah.
Chills the body but not the soul, Alleiujah.
River Jordan is deep and wide, Alleiujah.
Milk and honey on the other side, Alleiujah.
Gabriel blow the trumpet horn, Alleiujah.
Blow the trumpet loud and long, Alleiujah.
Brother lend a helping hand, Alleiujah.
Brother lend a helping hand, Alleiujah.
Michael's boat's a gospel boat, Alleiujah.
Michael's boat's a gospel boat, Alleiujah.
Michael row the boat ashore, Alleiujah.
Michael row the boat ashore, Alleiujah.
MORNING HAS BROKEN
Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing from the world.
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Spring in completeness where His feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning!
Born of the one light, Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God's recreation of the new day!
PUT YOUR HAND IN THE HAND
(chorus)
Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water.
Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea.
Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently.
By putting your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee.
Everytime I look in the Holy Book I want to tremble.
When I read about the part where the carpenter cleaned out the temple.
For the buyers and the sellers were no different fellas than what I profess to be.
And it causes me shame to know we're not the people we should be.
CHORUS
Well my Mama taught me how to pray before the age of seven.
She said, "There'll come a time there'll probably be room in heaven."
And I'm feelin' kinda guilty about the number of times we do what we do.
But we forget that He loves us and forgives us, yes even you.
CHORUS
Well I'm glad I learned to pray before I reached the age of seven.
For when I'm down on my knees that's a when I'm close to heaven.
Daddy lived his life with two kids and a wife, you do what you must do.
But he showed me enough of what it takes to get through.
CHORUS
ROCK OF AGES
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee,
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy side, a healing flood,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath, and make me pure.
Should my tears forever flow,
Should my zeal no langour know,
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save, and Thou alone,
In my hand no price I bring,
simply to Thy cross i cling.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I rise to worlds unkown,
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
COME, O SABBATH DAY
Come, O Sabbath day, and bring Peace and healing on thy wing.
And to every troubled brest
Speak of the divine behest.
Thou shalt rest, Thou shalt rest!
Wipe from ev'ry cheek the tear,
Banish care and silence fear.
All things working for the best,
Teach us the divine behest.
Thou shalt rest, Thou shalt rest!
(a simple melody in keeping with the Sabbath, day of rest, by G Gottheil & A. W. Binder)
