A feast of joy unspeakable is spread

Authors:
Themes:
Scriptures:
  • 2 Samuel 9
  • Psalms 22:16
  • Isaiah 55:1-2
  • Matthew 26:27-29
  • Mark 14:23-25
  • Luke 14:15-24
  • Luke 19:10
  • Luke 24:40
  • John 20:20
  • John 6:38
  • John 6:51
  • Romans 5:1
  • 1 Corinthians 11:25
  • 1 Corinthians 5:8
  • 1 Corinthians 6:20
  • Ephesians 1:6-7
  • Ephesians 2:6-8
  • Revelation 1:16
  • Revelation 19:9
Book Number:
  • 640

A feast of joy unspeakable is spread,
by him who is himself the living bread,
a place for hungry souls is now prepared,
a life of endless glory to be shared.

2. Yet places at this feast were dearly bought
when Jesus Christ came down and souls were sought,
and found and saved by his own precious blood,
to make our peace with heaven’s holy God.

3. That gentle hand, once pierced, will pour the wine,
the liquid life of love our souls refine,
in heaven’s hall of wonders still to come,
when God in matchless mercy brings us home.

4. And there, together saved by lavish grace,
the room ablaze with light from Jesus’ face,
and every trace of sin and darkness gone,
we’ll sing the praise of God’s all-radiant Son.

© Author
Malcolm Macgregor

The Church - The Lord's Supper

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Tunes

  • Glasinfryn
    Glasinfryn
    Metre:
    • 10 10 10 10
    Composer:
    • Berry, Gillian Patricia
  • Pantyfedwen
    Pantyfedwen
    Metre:
    • 10 10 10 10 D
    Composer:
    • Evans, M. Eddie

The story behind the hymn

Section 6g on the Lord’s Supper, like 6f, opens with a hitherto unpublished contemporary hymn. Malcolm MacGregor wrote the words while ministering in Accrington, Lancs, where it was first sung. ‘Joy unspeakable’ is from the AV of 1 Peter 1:8; ‘inexpressible’ in NKJV.

Gill Berry composed GLASINFRYN (named from a small village a few miles S of Bangor in N Wales) at Shrewsbury in 1990. It was intended to accompany a text by Emma Turl on the goodness of God, but the Praise! music committee preferred it for these words. The committee suggested trying to adapt the original ending, and GB readily agreed. If PANTYFEDWEN is used (178), this item becomes a hymn of two 8-line stzs.

A look at the author

MacGregor, Malcolm

Birmingham Coll of Art and Design, where he was converted 1971. After working as an Art teacher in special hospitals for handicapped and mentally ill patients in Devon and C Durham, from 1977 to 1993 he was pastor of the Grace Baptist Ch at Accrington, Lancs. Then from 1993 he ministered at Cauldwell Hall Rd Baptist Ch, Ipswich, Suffolk; he is married to Jean and they have 4 adult children. He continues to paint and produce pottery at the local college, and sub-edit and contribute to the monthly Grace Magazine. Several of his hymn/song texts have appeared in Evangelicals Now, often set to tunes by Ian Parker. Nos.601, 640, 879.