The Lutheran church enjoys a long tradition of identifying one “Hymn of the Week” for every Sunday of the church year. Such a hymn should reflect the unifying theme of the service, and is intended to be sung on that Sunday every year. In this series, Pastor Nathanael Mayhew gives us a brief overview of the Hymns of the Week for the coming month.
The Trinity season reflects on the impact Christ’s work has on the Christian’s daily life. Over the coming month, the various aspects of the new life that a Christian has received will be looked at. Lord, bless our study of Your Word, and help us live faithfully as Your redeemed people!
- August 3 – We have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood and brought to faith by the Holy Spirit, not just so we could be God’s in eternity. On the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, we are reminded that God has also redeemed and set apart our bodies for His service now! We are His servants not for evil, but for good, righteous purposes. Our hymn for this weekend is, “All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above” (TLH 19; LSB 819), which beautifully points to the love of God for His people. This mercy and love of the Lord leads His people to respond as the people of Israel did at Mount Carmel: “all idols under foot be trod, the Lord is God! The Lord is God!”
- August 10 – Christians are also described as trees which bear good fruit. On the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, we are reminded that we cannot do anything good apart from God’s work in us, and that the result of His work in us will bring forth “fruits” of faith. Notice that we are repeatedly reminded that our loving God is the source of our salvation, as well as the source of our faith and our works. In the hymn “In God, My Faithful God” (TLH 526; LSB 745) we express our confidence in our Savior’s love for us and power to save us.
- August 17 – The Ninth Sunday after Trinity highlights another description for the Christian life: wise and faithful stewardship. A steward is one who is responsible for the money or possessions of someone else, and is accountable for it. Everything that we have comes from God, and is God’s. We are stewards of what is His. “What Is the World to Me” (TLH 430; LSB 730) is this week’s hymn, and highlights the difference in perspectives on life between one who has been brought to faith in Jesus and one who lives apart from faith in Jesus.
- August 24 – The Christian life has been described in various ways over the last few weeks. The readings for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity serve as a warning not to take the Lord’s mercy and grace for granted. The Church is constantly under attack as the devil and the world seek to lead the Christian away from Christ and His Word. The hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation” (TLH 473; LSB 644) reminds us that while the followers of Christ are constantly at war in this life, we can be confident: “The Church shall never perish!” Because Jesus is with His Church, “She ever will prevail.”
- August 31 – On the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity we look at the God-instilled quality of humility. Humility is not something that comes naturally to sinners, but it is essential to the Christian faith and life. Humility comes from a true understanding of the nature of God’s love and power, and our own sinful nature and what we really deserve. Humility before God will also carry over to humility with our neighbor. Our hymn of the week is, “Oh, How Great Is Thy Compassion” (TLH 384; LSB 559), which focuses on the compassion of God, and our utter and complete helplessness; two truths which are foundational to godly humility.
Jesus, thank You for showing me such rich compassion. Help me to live as Your faithful steward.
is a pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota.