An old Scots hymn - In the regions higher

[Jenn]

Help!!
I was at a wedding last week and some ladies sang a beautiful old Scottish hymn. I can only remember some of the lyrics. They are "In the regions higher, higher than the eyes of man can see...."
Does anyone know what this hymn is called, what the rest of the lyrics are and where I can find it?
Thanks so much.

[Guest]

Jenn, I went to a Bible College in New Brunswick Canada and a gal from PEI taught it to the students there. It's an amazing song. Do you have the lyrics for it now? I wanted to quote it in a sermon for Easter. Where do you live?

Steven Hiltz

[Guest]

I was listening to a CD recorded by three ladies from the Free Church of Scotland on PEI last night. The first song starts with "In the regions higher, higher" and it is beautiful. This is what I have from the liner notes.

Last Hymn by the late Rev. Donald M'Donald

1. In the regions higher, higher,
Than the eye of man can see,
Dwells the Lord of life and glory
On His throne eternally;
He alone can fill the station
Next the Father on His throne,
Rule the nations at His pleasure,
On that glorious heavenly throne.

2. From of old before creation,
In the regions far away,
In the blazing rays of glory,
In the effulgent light of day;
He enjoyed His Father's presence,
In His love benignly free;
Rejoiced joyfully before Him,
In His order One of Three.

3. In the council of the Eternal,
Lo, the Son, our Lord was there;
Justice called for righteous vengeance;
Sin deserved it everywhere,
See Him now with admiration,
Standing forth our Friend to be;
To avert the threatened vengeance,
By His death upon the tree.

18. Worthy truly ever is Jesus;
Worthy truly ever of love,
For He suffered and died to free us,
From the law and merited curse;
Behold Him now and ever adore Him,
Highly seated in heaven above,
At God's right hand, our Brother believe it,
Pleading our cause His merits to prove.

19. Sound the voice in praise of Jesus;
Sound the voice in praise of love,
When absorbed in spiritual vision,
When allured to heaven above;
Saints and angels ever adore Him,
Saints and angels ever above;
Sing the song that ever is pleasing,
Sing the song of heavenly love.

Sorry this is too late for your Easter sermon, Steven. If you don't find the phrase you are looking for in this selection, the Free Church website is www.islandfreechurch.org--someone there can tell you if more verses are available.

Mary

[Guest]

For anyone else interested in the words -- they were written by "Rev. Donald M'Donald and published after his decease" in 1867 in a book of Spiritual Hymns, pages 65-70.

The words, not included in the post above from Mary, are as follows:

4. Wondrous plan for our salvation!
Framed and fixed by sure decree;
God to assume the human nature,
Soul and body man to be.
Love infinite, thus engaged Him,
Willied His justice to appease,
That His honour and His glory,
Through His Son, His saints might see.

5. Who the purpose of Jehovah
Can behold and silent be,
When the covenant most gracious,
Is the plan of persons three?
See the will of God our Maker,
Through His Son to us revealed,
That our pardon by's oblation,
Should be mercifully sealed.

6. Glory to the blessed Saviour,
Who engaged our souls to free,
Who agreed to terms of covenant
Should fulfillment painful be:
Before you view Him in the manger,
Lo! the song of angels hear,
Praising God in joyful chorus,
And withal our hearts to cheer.

7. Lo! the God of all creation,
Lo! the Word made flesh appears,
In the likeness of our nature,
To expel our guilty fears;
Lo! Emmanuel our Saviour,
In the flesh most humbly low;
God in Christ to reconcile us
To Himself, and grace bestow.

8. Justice loud our death demanded;
Low we lay in guilt and sin.
Woeful spectacle to angels,
Slaves to Satan in his gin;
Now behold the loving favour,
Of the Lord to sinful men;
He came to free us from our bondage,
And to raise us up again.

9 Hallelujah sing in chorus!
He is worthy of our song;
Of our humble adoration,
And the praises of our tongue;
Hosts of angels sang before us,
Which the trembling shepherds heard;
Saints in thousands loud shall praise Him,
When they'll hear the sweet award.

10. If the sight of Him in childhood,
Caused the hosts to sing with glee,
Loud the saints shall join in chorus,
When triumphant Christ they'll see;
When arrayed in all His glory,
By His Father on His throne;
When they'll see the conquering Lion,
They shall worship God the Son.

11. When His side shall be exposed,
And His hands and feet we'll see,
Surely shouts in thankful chorus
Shall the songs in glory be;
All these marks of death so painful,
Borne by Christ for sinful men,
Must excite to admiration,
Of a love beyond our ken.

12. When the kingdom to the Father,
Christ resigns respectfully;
All the mystery then disclosed
Love shall shew eternally;
Love infinite to the creature,
Then displayed in full shall be;
Then the effects of Christ's oblation,
Lo! the adoring hosts shall see.

13. Then the saints and angels joining,
In a holy joyful glee,
Shall the Lord in rays of glory,
On His throne forever see;
Then they'll know what He obtained,
By His death upon the tree;
See His shining face in favour,
Where no pains or death can be.

14. God is love, as is declared
In His word, as all shall see:
When His Son, His Co-Eternal,
As in council both agree,
Was resigned to death most painful,
Groans and cries and agony;
That His purpose, ever gracious,
In His love displayed should be.

15. Now the tokens of His favour,
And His love to sinful man,
Are above our estimation,
Are above what we can scan;
God is high above creation;
Grace is seen in wisdom's plan;
Man's the object of His favour,
Grace in love through ages ran.

16. Now again, to reassure us,
And confirm us in His love,
He bestows the Spirit freely,
In the likeness of a dove;
Now His blessings freely flowing,
Showering from His throne above;
Prove His changeless loving kindness,
Which shall never more remove.

17. Hosts above in holy regions;
Men on earth who taste His love,
Tune your harps for solemn praises,
Tune your harps your thanks to prove;
Grateful hearts with love o'erflowing,
Prove your love in grateful songs:
Thrill the air in quick vibrations,
With the praises of your tongues.

Rose Meed (Miss)
General Secretary - New Brunswick Bible Institute
www.nbbi.ca

[Guest]

Thank you so much, Rose! I am delighted to have the full song. Abridgments, though sometimes necessary, are irksome.

Mary

[Guest]

Thanks to Mary and Rose!
I have been searching for the lyrics to this hymn for 28 years!!
The tears rolled down my face as I read each verse. You don't
know how imprtant this was to me. A special friend used to sing it to me
in college (Prairie Bible Institute). Her name was Ester Bears.

[Guest]

Does anyone have the music for this hymn?
I went to New Brunswick Bible Institute as well.
Hello Steve Hiltz! Long time since our NBBI days.

I also know Esther Bears....we were the 2 Esthers at Emmanuel Bible Camp.

Esther Dockendorff

[Guest]

Hi Esther,
I might be able to write out the tune for you and send it to you, if you could give me your contact info. As far as I know, it's a traditional tune that's been passed on from generation to generation in the "MacDonaldite" churches (now the Free Church) on PEI. I'm not sure where it originated.
I'm one of the three ladies singing on the CD mentioned above.
I'm not sure how safe it is to put contact info here on the open forum. If you have a PEI phone book (or 411.ca), my number is under Stephen J. Plouffe in Charlottetown.

Nelleke Plouffe

[Guest]

I finally wrote out the tune today. You can find it on my blog here, along with all the words. Hope this is helpful.
http://plouffes.blogspot.ca/2013/10/a-m ... -hymn.html

[Guest]

(If you want the score, just click on the word "tune" in the blog and it will take you there.)