Friday, February 17, 2017

210. A Silly, Smelly Children's Hymn

Forgive me if this comes across to you as irreverent, but I think this attempt at an amusing but theologically sound children's hymn might be a good alternative to the kind of moralizing, sentimental dreck too many Christian parents enjoy forcing their children to sing (and which, in my personal experience, the children don't enjoy so much). If I may say so, I think it's better than "The World Is Full of Smelly Feet." But who am I to say? The tune is called ST. CECILIA, and it's by Leighton G. Hayne, 1863, best known as the tune to "Thy kingdom come, O God." I cast it against type in Useful Hymns, pairing it with a hymn of grief.

Lord, lead me by the nose.
Point it away from wrong.
Keep me from poking it
Where it does not belong.

And when my actions stink,
Teach me, Lord, to repent.
Do not turn up Your nose,
But cloak me in Your scent.

Perfume me with the smoke
Of your pure life and death,
Till I make Satan sneeze,
And Hades holds its breath.

Yes, cover me, dear Christ,
With Your God-pleasing smell,
So when I sniff my last,
In heaven I will dwell.

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