The well built church

I didn't set out to run a mini-series of Scandanavian hymns. But after last week's "promise" of a Danish hymn, I may as well in fact complete the summer that way!

This summer I have been teaching on the subject of "worship" to the young adult congregation. It has been a wide-ranging discussion, from Romans 12 - our lives as worship - to the Psalm headings and what they may teach us about music in worship. From "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" to the tension between the Regulative and Hooker principles for worship. I've had a lot of fun, and I hope it has been helpful.

It is in the context of that teaching that this Danish hymn presents itself today. If you ask people to identify a "Danish hymn" - non-Danes are going to name this one. Oh, and by the way, don't be distracted by the Norwegian composer of the tune for this hymn: the political history of the Scandanavian countries is so intermingled that in this case it is hardly significant. (With apologies to Scandanavians, for whom nothing about those political histories is insignificant!) Ultimately, in Christ, even the Scandanavians are joined as one.

Built on the Rock the church doth stand,
even when steeples are falling;
crumbled have spires in every land,
bells still are chiming and calling,
calling the young and old to rest,
but above all the soul distressed,
longing for life everlasting.
    Surely in temples made with hands,
    God the most high is not dwelling;
    high above earth his temple stands,
    all earthly temples excelling.
    Yet he whom heaven cannot contain
    chose to abide on earth with men,
    built in our bodies his temple.
We are God's house of living stones,
built for his own habitation;
he fills our hearts, his humble thrones,
granting us life and salvation;
were two or three to seek his face,
he in his midst would show his grace,
blessings upon them bestowing.
    Now we may gather with our King
    even in the lowliest dwelling;
    praises to him we there may bring,
    his wondrous mercy forth-telling.
    Jesus his grace to us accords;
    Spirit and life are all his words;
    his truth doth hallow the temple.

Nicolai F. S. Grundtvig (1837);

trans. Carl Doving (1909); adapt. Fred C. M. Hansen (1927)

Pastor Grundtvig was a contemporary of the Danish Christian philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, who told the story of a  highly placed clergyman, preaching to a wealthy audience in the state church. "In the splendid cathedral, the high, well-born, highly honored, and worthy Geheime-General-Ober-Hof-Preacher [note from CK: here the author is dripping with sarcasm], the chosen darling of the important people, steps before a select circle of the select, and movingly sermonizes on a text chosen by himself, namely, 'God has chosen the lowly and despised of the earth'—and no one laughs." (quoted in Joachim Garff's biography of Kierkegaard) Today's hymn is in fact the appropriate "sermon hymn" for that pretentious preacher's text.

In that spirit, in the true temple,

Sing on!