NeuroDivine

Hymns | Proper 22 Year A | 4 October 2026

1.
Your voice once shook the mount with fire,
And filled the cloud with dread;
Yet still you speak through Dublin’s streets,
Where daily paths are led.

God of the hill and shining sea,
Keep us within your way;
Till all creation joins as one
To greet your perfect day.

2.
The fox that threads the midnight lane,
Unseen by mortal eye,
Reminds us that your providence
Moves where our thoughts can’t fly.

God of the hill and shining sea…

3.
The blackbird in the rowan tree,
The heron standing still,
Reveal the wisdom of Your ways
Beyond all human skill.

God of the hill and shining sea…

4.
Your law revives the weary soul,
More sweet than honey’s taste;
It guides the feet that stray from truth,
Or run in anxious haste.

God of the hill and shining sea…

5.
Like Paul, we leave our lesser claims,
Our pride and earthly gain;
To press towards Christ, the living Lord,
And know his joy through pain.

God of the hill and shining sea…

6.
The seals that ride the Dublin tide,
The gulls that ride the air,
Declare the goodness of Your hand
And find their dwelling there.

God of the hill and shining sea…

7.
Your vineyard grows among us still,
In market, school, and square;
You seek the fruits of truth and love,
And find your harvest there.

God of the hill and shining sea‡…

8.
The stone the builders cast aside
Now bears your kingdom’s weight;
In Christ the Cornerstone we find
The hope that does not fade.

God of the hill and shining sea,
Keep us within your way;
Till all creation joins as one
To greet your perfect day.

Reflection

Grounding Faith in Place and Grace

To worship God is to open our eyes to a presence that is simultaneously grand and intimate. In this hymn, the awesome God whose voice once shook Mount Sinai in cloud and fire is the same Lord who walks through the streets of Dublin, watching over the midnight fox, the quiet heron, and the blackbird resting in the rowan tree.

As we hear the scriptures for Proper 22, the ancient word speaks directly into our present landscape. The law praised in Psalm 19—sweeter than honey—becomes our compass in a fast and anxious world. St. Paul’s call to surrender pride echoes as an invitation to notice where true value lies. Jesus’ parable of the vineyard expands beyond first-century Galilee to encompass our local markets, schools, and squares, where God still seeks the living fruits of justice, truth, and love.

Set to the sweeping, modal lilt of Kingsfold, each verse pairs seamlessly with our shared refrain. As we sing, we anchor our daily lives in the hope of Christ our Cornerstone, praying that our city, our wildlife, and our hearts will continually reflect the God who keeps us in his way.

Hymn information 

First line: Your voice once shook the mount with fire,
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: CM
Tune: Kilmarnock, Bangor, Kingsfold
Theme:
NDH-0347

© Michael McFarland Campbell. 2026. 
Permission granted for local church or parish use with attribution. Not for commercial reproduction.