Three Great Anthems and Texts

Some of my posts on this blog are for the benefit of other choral musicians using a search engine to find a text, a date for a composer, or something else like that. Here are three texts for great anthems to help other church musicians:

And The Father Will Dance
Words Zephaniah 3:14,17, Psalm 34:2,4; Music by Mark Hayes

And the Father will dance over you in joy!
He will take delight in whom He loves
Is that a choir I hear singing the praises of God?
No, the Lord God Himself is exulting over you in song!
And He will joy over you in song.
And He will joy over you in song (Repeat)

My soul will make its boast in God
for He has answered all my cries
His faithfulness in me is as sure as the dawn of a new day.

Awake, my soul! Awake, my soul! Awake, my soul, and sing!
Let my spirit rejoice. Let my spirit rejoice. Let my spirit rejoice in God!

Sing, O daugther of Zion, with all of your heart!
Cast away fear for you have been restored!
Put on the garment of praise as on a festival day
Join with the Father in glorious, jubilant song!

And He will joy over you in song.
And He will joy over you in song
And the Father will dance over you in joy!
He will take delight in whom He loves
Is that a choir I hear singing the praises of God?
No, the Lord God Himself is exulting over you in song!

God rejoices over you.
God rejoices over you.
God rejoices over you in song!

Who At My Door Is Standing?
Arr. K. Lee Scott

Who at my door is standing, there patiently drawing near,
who entrance is demanding? Whose is the voice I hear?
Sweetly the tones are falling: “Now open the door for me!
If thou wilt heed my calling, I will abide with thee.”
Within, the rooms are darken’d, all filled with dust and sin;
how shameful, how unworthy for Christ to enter in.
Yet, the tones are falling: “Now open the door for me!
If thou wilt heed my calling, I will abide with thee.”
Door of my heart, I hasten! Thee will I open wide.
Though he rebuke and chasten, He shall with me abide.
Sweetly the tones are falling: “Now open the door for me!”
Lord God, I hear thee calling, come now, abide with me. Dear Lord, abide with me!

Jesus, Savior, Blessed Friend
Words and Music by Deborah Govenor

Whom have I, O Lord, beside you?
What have I except your love?
Where is home if not for heaven,
there to dwell with you above?

Who are you, if not my Savior?
Who am I if not your own?
What are you if not my shelter,
Christ, my rock and cornerstone?

Jesus, Savior, blessed friend,
I will love you without end.

Who will share my earthly sorrow?
Who will heal my broken heart?
Who will hold my life together
when it seems to fall apart?>

When the fears are far too many,
and the joys are far too few,
who will comfort and defend me?
Only you, Lord only you.

Jesus, Savior, blessed friend,
I will love you without end.

Where, O Lord, when life is over,
can I go, but home to you?
What have I except the promise
where you are I shall be too?

When at last I reach the comfort
of that bright celestial place,
there with joy will I behold you,
gaze upon your glorious face.

Jesus, Savior, blessed friend,
I will love you without end.