Catechism 8

Questions 53-67

CM

And now what is the fifth command?
To honour mum and dad.
What is taught by the fifth command?
They must be loved, obeyed.

Then next, what is the sixth command?
It says you shall not kill.
What is taught by the sixth command?
Repent from all ill-will.

What is in the seventh command?
Adultery must not be.
What is taught by this next command?
Keep heart, word, deed, stain-free.

And then what is the eighth command?
It says you must not steal.
What is taught by the eighth command?
Don't take. Be honest, real.

And what is it, the ninth command?
False witness do not bear.
What is taught by the ninth command?
Speak truth and say what's fair.

Fin'lly, what is the tenth command?
Don't want what you don't have.
What is taught by the tenth command?
Be pleased with what you have.

*****************

Can any keep these ten commands?
No, none since Adam's fall.
None ever kept these ten commands
Or can - we're sinners all.

Of what use are the ten commands?
Our duty thus we know,
It's made clear that we are condemned,
Our need of Christ they show.

Does God declare all men condemned?
No, though he justly could.
See, a gracious cov'nant he made,
Many to save - how good!

Catechism 6

Questions 34-41
CM

At Sinai how many commands
Did God give? - There were ten.
What can we call these ten commands?
God’s moral law. Amen.

Now, in the first four what is taught?
Duty to God. And then,
As for the other six what's taught?
Duty to fellow men.

What would the sum of all ten be?
Love God with all I am,
My neighbour as myself. Who's he?
That's any fellow man.

With those who love him and obey
God's happy – can that be?
Oh yes it is. We've heard him say
'I love them that love me'.

Is God pleased if men don't obey
Or love him? What's it say?
No. 'With sinners' we've heard him say
'God's angry every day'.

Yet more extra verses

The True God is so big,
He’s so strong and so mighty,
There’s nothing that he cannot do.
The mountains are his, the rivers are his,
The stars are his handiwork too.
The True God is so big,
He’s so strong and so mighty,
There’s nothing that he cannot do.

(Below are my two extra verses)

The True God is so great,
He’s so high but so gracious,
He sent down his Son men to save.
He lived without sin, then died on the cross,
Then went back to God from the grave.
The True God is so great,
He’s so high but so gracious,
He sent down his Son men to save.

The True God is so good,
He’s so kind and so loving,
He poured out his Spirit on all.
He changes men's hearts and turns them from sin,
He makes them respond to Christ's call.
The True God is so good,
He’s so kind and so loving,
He poured out his Spirit on all.

Psalm 49

CM

Hear this, you peoples all, take heed,
All who in this world live,
Both high and low, rich or in need,
Wise words my mouth will give.

Now from the utterance of my heart,
Full knowledge you will gain.
My ear to proverbs turns apart;
My harp makes riddles plain.

Why should I fear for evil days,
When wicked li'rs surround -
Who trust in wealth and give self praise
Because their goods abound?

No man another’s life buys back
Or pays to God enough -
The ransom price for life we lack,
No payment is enough -

None always live free from decay.
It's clear that wise men die;
The fool, the senseless, pass away,
They bid their wealth goodbye.

Their tombs their houses will remain,
Their dwellings, endless years,
Though lands for their own selves they named,
Though rich, not one endures.

For man is like the beasts that die.
For those, this fate's reserved,
Who trust themselves or who ally
With them, their speech approved -

Like sheep they to the grave will go
And on them death soon feed.
The upright ruling them they'll know
When morn shall night succeed.

Their forms will moulder in the grave,
Far from their halls of pride.
But God my life from death will save;
He’ll take me to his side.

Despair not when men surge ahead,
Their family fame grown strong;
For he’ll have nothing when he’s dead,
His fame will not last long.

Though while he lived he felt content -
And you’re praised when you thrive -
He to his fathers will be sent
And they will not revive.

Those men will never see the light.
A man whose wealth's heaped high
And yet his mind has no insight
Is like the beasts that die.

Psalm 48

Abends (8888)

Great is the Lord, most due our praise,
Within the city of our God,
His holy mount, whose heights amaze,
Its handsome heights make all earth glad.

Like Zaphon's utmost heights is Zi'n
The city of the great King's throne.
God is her citadels within;
That he's her fortress has been shown.

When kings joined forces and advanced,
They saw her and were staggered there;
They fled in fear, with trembling seized,
With pain like labouring women bear.

Like Tarshish ships destroyed they’ve been,
You shattered them with an east wind.
As we have heard, so we have seen,
There in the Lord Almighty’s land.

Within the city of our God:
God makes her safe for evermore.
Within your temple we, O God,
Seek on your constant love to pore

Just like your name, O God, your praise
Reaches all earth, both far and wide;
Your right hand’s filled with righteousness.
Your judgements make Zi’n’s towns all glad.

Walk all round Zion, go round her,
Count all her towers, her ramparts view,
All of her strongholds consider,
That you your sons may tell it to.

For this God is our God always;
Right to the end he’ll be our guide.
Great is the Lord, most due our praise,
Within the city of our God.

Psalm 47

Nottingham

All you nations, clap your hands;
Shout to God with joyful cry.
Awesome is the Lord Most High,
Great King over all earth’s lands!

Through us nations he's subdued,
Put beneath our feet our foes.
Our inheritance he chose,
Jacob’s Pride, whom he has loved.

God, midst joyful shouts, takes wing,
There the Lord midst trumpets' ring.
Sing God’s praises, praises sing;
Praises sing, praise to our King.

God is King, all earth’s his own;
To him sing a psalm of praise.
God rules lands, his sceptre sways;
God sits on his holy throne.

As the God of Abram’s own,
Nations’ heads together throng,
For earth’s kings to God belong;
Honoured, great is his renown.

Psalm 46

Ein Feste Burg

God is our refuge and our might,
An ever present help in trial.
Therefore against our fears we fight,
Though earth give way and mountains fall,
Though mountains all be thrown
Into the sea and drown,
Though waters roar and foam
And mountains start to quake
With surging as they move and shake.

A river flows whose streams give joy,
God’s city, holiest place of all,
Where dwells our God, our God Most High,
God’s in her and she will not fall;
He’ll help at break of day.
Realms quake, kingdoms decay;
He speaks - earth melts away.
He’s with us - mighty Lord,
Our safe stronghold is Jacob’s God.

Come see the works of God the Lord,
The desolations he has worked.
Throughout the earth he ends discord;
Breaks bow and spear and burns up shield.
Be still, know I am He;
Exalted I will be
Exalted - let earth see.
He’s with us - mighty Lord;
Our safe stronghold is Jacob’s God.

Psalm 45

Melita

A noble theme my heart it stirs
As for the king I words recite;
My tongue a pen that now in verse
With skill conveys the things I write.
You hold midst men the highest place,
Your lips anointed with true grace.

For God has blessed you and forev'r.
Come, gird your sword upon your side,
O mighty one; great splendour wear,
Be clothed in majesty to ride,
Be for the truth victorious,
For meekness too and righteousness.

Deeds awesome with your right hand show.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the heart
Of each who is the Great King’s foe;
Let nations fall beneath your feet.
Your throne, O God, will always last;
Your kingdom's sceptre - sceptre just.

You love what’s righteous, hate what’s bad;
So God, your God, has made you Lord.
Above each peer, each one you had,
The oil of joy upon you poured.
All of your robes they fragrant are -
With aloes, myrrh and cassia.

From palaces of ivory
The sound of strings it brings you mirth.
Honoured by you we often see
Daughters of kings, of royal birth;
The Royal Bride’s at your right hand
In gold from Ophir’s distant land.

Give ear, O daughter, hark, recall:
Your father's house no thought accord.
How does your charm the king enthral;
Him honour, for he is your Lord.
Tyre's daughter will with gifts embrace
And men of wealth your favour chase.

Within her room the princess shines;
In rich embroidered clothes they bring,
In woven gown with gold designs,
Into the presence of the king;
Her virgin friends then follow too
As all of them are brought to you.

With joy they in his palace stand.
Your fathers by your sons replaced;
They'll princes be throughout the land.
Your mem'ry I'll perpetuate
On down the generations all;
Forever praised by nations all.

Catechism 5

Questions 28-33
CM

And what is it that Adam's sin
To all mankind did do?
In sin and mis'ry all are born,
Of all mankind that's true.

What have we all inherited
Due to orig'nal sin?
A sinful nature's credited
Because of Adam's sin.

What is sin? Sin is transgression,
Yes, of the law of God.
What is meant by that expression?
To do what's banned by God.

What is by every sin deserved?
God's anger, we must say,
And the judgement that is reserved
For use on that great day.

Do we know just what God requires?
Yes. Laws to us are giv'n,
Both in our hearts (our good desires),
And (surer yet) those writt'n.

Psalm 44b

Psalm 44:9-26
Protection

But now we’re rejected and humbled to dust,
You no longer march out, our armies repulsed.
Before all our foes you have made us retreat,
Our enemies plunder and we face defeat.

You’ve given us up, they devour us like sheep,
To all the world’s nations your people you sweep.
You sold off your people, a pittance retail,
Receiving no profit as gain from the sale.

To all of our neighbours we’re made a reproach,
The scorn and derision of all who approach.
You’ve made us a byword the nations among;
The people their heads shake at what has been done.

Disgrace is before me; I’m covered with shame,
All through the long day as each one takes his aim -
Reproaching, reviling, how their taunts torment,
The enemy railing, he's on vengeance bent.

All this has now happened, though faithful to you,
Rememb’ring your covenant, staying still true.
Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed
Away from the path that before us you laid.

But you crushed and made us for jackals a lair
And covered us over with darkest despair.
As if we’d forgotten the name of our God
Or spread out our hands to praise a foreign god.

But God would have seen that, he knows the heart deep,
Yet for you we face death; we’re slaughtered as sheep.
Awake, Lord! Arise now! O why do you sleep?
Don’t leave us for ever, your face hid don’t keep.

Forget not our misery, our troubles all round,
We’re brought down to dust; bodies cling to the ground.
Rise up, Lord, and help us; O show us your face,
Redeem us and show us your unfailing grace.

Psalm 44a

Psalm 43:1-8
Protection

O God, our ears have heard; our fathers have told
What you did in their days, in great days of old.
Your hand drove out nations, our fathers to sow;
The peoples you crushed and our fathers made grow.

Their winning the land was not done by their sword,
Nor did such a victory their own arm afford;
No, your right hand, your arm, the light of your face,
These did it for love’s sake, you did it by grace.

You’re my King and my God, the one who decrees,
Who decrees for Jacob such great victories.
Through you we push back those who us do oppose,
Through your name we trample on all of our foes.

My sword brings no vict’ry, I don’t trust my bow,
You shame my opposers, you bring down each foe.
In God we are boasting through all of our days,
For ever and ever your name we will praise.

Catechism 4

Q&A 22-27
CM

In what condition had God made
Adam and Eve at first?
Holy and happy they were made,
That's how they were at first.

Happy and holy did they stay?
No, they against God sinned.
Our parents sinned in just what way?
They ate the fruit God banned.

Forbidden fruit, why did they eat?
Because they'd not believe
What God had said. Let us repeat:
No, they would not believe.

Who tempted into sin this pair?
The devil tempted Eve,
And she with Adam did then share,
He took the fruit from Eve.

What was it to our parents came
When they sinned at the tree?
They sinful, mis'rable became,
Happy not, nor holy.

Psalm 43

CM

Me vindicate, O God, and plead
My cause against a state
That wicked is; relief I need
From men who lie and cheat.

You’re God my stronghold, my relief,
Why am I turned away?
Why must I go about in grief,
Oppressed by foes all day.

Send forth your truth, send forth your light,
And let them be my guide
And bring me to your holy height,
The place where you reside.

Then at God’s altar I’ll be found,
With God, my joy, my bliss,
And with the harp I there will sound,
O God, my God, your praise.

Why are you, O my soul, downcast?
Within, why so disturbed?
Put hope in God, you'll praise at last,
My Saviour and my God.

Psalm 42

CM

As pants the deer for streams that flow,
I pant for you, O God.
My soul the God who lives would know,
When can I meet with God?

My tears my food both day and night,
While ‘Where's your God?’ men shout.
These things my memory brings to light
As I my soul pour out:

How to God’s house I would progress,
Lead multitudes in song,
With shouts of joy and thankfulness
Among the festive throng.

Why are you, O my soul, downcast?
Within, why so disturbed?
Put hope in God, you'll praise at last,
My Saviour and my God.

My soul’s downcast within again,
So I’ll remember you
From Hermon’s heights, from Jordan’s plain
And from Mount Mizar too.

Deep calls to deep beneath the roar
Of your high cataract;
Your waves and breakers on me pour,
Across me they have swept.

By day the Lord directs his love,
At night his song’s with me -
A prayer to my life’s God above,
To God my rock I flee:

I - ‘Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I mourning go?
Why is it that I’m constantly
Cowed by the enemy?’

My bones in mortal agony,
My foes all taunting me,
They all day long still say to me
‘Where is your God? Where’s he?’.

Why are you, O my soul, downcast?
Within, why so disturbed?
Put hope in God, you'll praise at last,
My Saviour and my God.

Psalm 41

CM

Blessed he who to the weak shows care;
The Lord in times of strife
Will save; the Lord that man will spare,
He will protect his life.

The Lord will bless him in the land,
Yield not to his foes’ will.
When sick, the Lord will strength command,
Raise him from bed when ill.

'O Lord show mercy', this I said
'For I've wronged you. Heal me.'
'When will he rot, his name be dead?’
Harsh speaks my enemy.

Whenever one on me attends,
He lies. Meanwhile his heart
Amasses slander, then he spreads
These things to every part.

Against me all my foes conspire;
The worst for me conceive,
‘A vile disease will him bemire;
His bed he'll never leave.’

My close friend whom I learned to trust,
Who with me shared my bread,
Has his raised heel against me thrust
But you have mercy, Lord.

O raise me up, let me repay.
I know you’re pleased with me,
My enemy holds not full sway,
My ruler he'll not be.

You do in my integrity
Uphold me constantly
And in your presence you set me
For ever more to be.

So bring your praise the Lord before,
The God of Israel praise,
From evermore to evermore
Amen, amen, always.