CHRISTIAN LIFE >> Thankfulness
SDAH 562
Come, sing a song of harvest, Of thanks for daily food!
To offer God the first-fruits is old as gratitude.
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Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
In 1976 the editor of the Anglican Board of Education wrote to a number of British hymn writers, seeking material for a publication to be called Together for Festivals. Fred Pratt Green (1903-; see Biographies ) sent in two Thanksgiving hymns. This one, titled “The Festival of the First Fruits,” was based on God’s command to the children of Israel to give an offering of the firstfruits found in Deuteronomy 26:2, 3. In addition to singing about being thankful for God’s providence, the final stanza challenges us to be more aware of what we might do to alleviate the hunger in the world.
The hymn was first sung at the Harvest Festival at St. Mary’s Church in the town of Diss, Norfolk, England, and the author, Pratt Green, was there to preach the sermon. Diss is a distinctive old market town; the church has an imposing array of fifteenth century windows.
Horst Gehann (1928-) was one of the prime movers for, and also supplied a number of hymn tunes (including this one) for, the new Seventh-day Adventist German language hymnal published by the Hamburg Publishing House in the early 1980s. Horst was born at Frankfurt, Germany, and studied biology and music at the Adventist Theological Seminary in Bucharest, Romania. He became an accomplished concert organist, conductor, and composer. From 1973 to 1983 he taught music at the German Adventist Theological Seminary, Marienhohe, Darmstadt.
The tune name LEBENDIGE GEMEINDE means “living church.”
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Come, sing a song of harvest, Of thanks for daily food!
To offer God the first-fruits is old as gratitude.
2
Long, long ago, the reapers, before they kept the feast,
Put first-fruits in a basket, and took it to the priest.
3
Shall we, sometimes forgetful oh where creation starts,
With science in our pockets lose wonder from our hearts?
4
May God, the great Creator, to whom all life belongs,
Accept these gifts we offer, our service and our songs.
5
And lest the world go hungry while we ourselves are fed,
Make each of us more ready to share our daily bread.
Hymn Info
Biblical Reference
(b) Deut 26:2, 3 (d) Ps 116:12 (e) Luke 6:38
Author
Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000)
Year Published
1976
Copyright
Words copyright 1976 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Music copyright by Horst Gehann. Used by permission.
Hymn Tune
LEBENDIGE GEMEINDE
Metrical Number
7.6.7.6.
Composer
Horst Gehann (1928-)
Year Composed
1958
