When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling […]
As Jesus talked with His disciples the night before He died on the cross (John 13–16), He spoke to them about who He was and what their life was to be as His disciples. He reassured them of His continuing presence and care in His sending of the Holy Spirit even as He told them […]
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. Psalm 118:22–23 – Psalm 118 is in Book V of the Psalms and is the last psalm of the ‘Egyptian Hallel.’ Derek Kidner wrote: “A short run of psalms used at the yearly […]
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in […]
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15 KJV – The words of the “Hallelujah” chorus in Handel’s Messiah are from Revelation 19:6, 16; […]
God rest ye merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, Remember Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas day, To save us all from Satan’s power When we were gone astray: O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy. – The angel to Zacharias: And an angel of the […]
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son…” Galatians 4:4a – “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…” Hebrews 1:1-2 – God spoke through the prophet Malachi […]
The libretto of Messiah is taken from numerous books of the Bible: Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Lamentations, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, Hebrews and Revelation. If you’re not familiar with the passages selected by Jennens, you can read them at the above link. The first five verses of Isaiah […]
When I was growing up we attended a church with a large music program, and I first sang in a choir as a young child. In December our minister of music had all the choirs sing the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s Messiah. The adult choir was at the front of the church behind the ministers, […]