This hymn that I feature today was such a pivotal one in my ability to worship back earlier this year – and I poured it into my husband as well. Thankful for our friend, David Ward, who brings this text to life!
All of the words of this hymn are pure gospel – so I didn’t know which ones to choose – but these waft over me with such purity and surety knowing that I don’t have to be perfect to gain an audience with my King and Savior.
One of the best current or ever hymn writers in my opinion is Stuart Townend. Do all good things come from across the pond?
Most of the songs that the Getty’s sing are co-wrote or written completely by Stuart. And this hymn has been one dear to my husband as of late. I hope you enjoy it as well.
The stanza I chose from this hymn speaks of Christ’s work on the cross. And we boast in that. Even if it didn’t do anything for us in this life – Jesus would still be boast-worthy (1 Corinthians 15) but, it does so much for us in this life. We are welcomed into the presence of the Creator of the Universe by His Son and His work on the cross. We no longer have to be enslaved to a habit, a person, or a way of life because our Savior has risen from the grave. Glory! (One of the pastor’s I served with in Raleigh would always says this – I smile when I think of him saying this).
Live free today. Another newer praise hymn is We Speak to Nations by Israel Houghton – I love it.
One of the buzz words for the last decade has been community. And honestly, I still don’t think we get it right half the time- but that’s another story.
Community can be with anything. You can have community in your neighborhood, at your work place, with your facebook friends, over your enjoyment of coffee or wine or handcrafted beer. But true community can only be had by digging deep, suffering with, having one reality and that is in the Gospel.
Don Carson, one of my favorite authors and preachers, is also a hymn writer. My husband fills me in on all these things. I first sung one of his hymns while we were dating. Last night, my husband told me about this hymn, A Shocking Thing.
I hope you love it. And think about it when you next practice the Lord’s Supper – as it is a communion hymn for the church.
The first lines of they hymn remind me of the first verses in Philippians 2. I’m studying this letter of Paul with ladies from my church. Got to this portion this morning. How often we love and be in the church out of rivalry or conceit. Not out of love and unity. May the work of Christ on the cross guard our hearts and minds.
Whenever October rolls around – you will always see pumpkins, and ghosts, and fall leaves.
But, you will also see Christmas lights, fake trees, snow globes, and wrapping paper. Even before Halloween and Thanksgiving, the stores are stockpiling for Christmas.
I have made it a habit not to play Christmas music until December first. There are two exceptions: Advent Songs by Sojourn and Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb. My two favorite cds get played often and throughout the year.
The first hymn that makes the list is one of my husband’s favorites – and I think its partly because it was one of his mentor’s favorites. And its a Christmas carol. Go figure. This link takes you to a devotional written by my husband’s mentor, on his last Christmas on earth. He now knows the beauty of the splendor of this King
Talks all about the incarnation. And you might think why is the incarnation so important? Well, Elyse talks about it in her book here and I highly recommend it. And Philippians chapter 2 talks about it – and how it is important for our every day life in the local church and in our homes.
Stanza three is my favorite because it talks of his ever-abiding presence in our lives and how that aids our sanctification. May you know the power of the Incarnation every day – not just during the Christmas season!
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
Emmanuel, within us dwelling,
Make us what thou wouldst have us be.
Thou who art love beyond all telling,
Saviour and King, we worship thee.
I grew up in a small town in between two of the largest cities in Florida. I went to an even smaller town to go to a tiny church until high school. We sang hymns. You know the 4 verses with amen at the end. I could play most of them on the piano by the time I got to high school. And just if you ask…we either sang all four stanzas or 1, 2, and last. That’s just how it went.
Some of those hymns were solid and deeply rooted in Scripture. Others were rooted in feel good theology which is seldom really good theology anyway.
One of the perks of being married to someone who loves music is the depth of knowledge of hymns that he brings to my life. He has made me think more about the music we sing than I might have ever done otherwise.
So, for the month of October, I’m joining with The Nester again and (hopefully) writing on some of my favorite and requested hymns – both old and new – to hopefully deepen our love for God, His Word, His Church, and deep solid rich lyrics of hymns.
What are some of your favorite hymns?
Tomorrow: Thou Who Wast Rich
Old Hymns are making a “comeback” in our churches: music like Sojourn, Mars Hill, Red Mtn Music, IG, and the Gettys just to name a few. These can be done of course like they were back when they were written, acapella or with a myriad of instruments, or done in a contemporary way like Indelible Grace does most of theirs – with a new melody. One of my favorite artists for just sound accoustic music in down times or relaxing times is Fernando Ortega.
O Thou In Whose Presence. Written in 1791, it definitely fits the bill for an old hymn. Just because a hymn is old doesn’t mean its lyrics are biblical. Always, as with any music, put its lyrics up against the truths that are found in Scripture. Scripture always stands the test of time.
Here are some of the lyrics that I especially enjoyed:
O Thou in whose presence my soul takes delight, On whom in affliction I call, My comfort by day, and my song in the night, My hope, my salvation, my all. (so many Psalms in this first verse)
Say, why in the valley of death should I weep, Or alone in the wilderness rove? (Ring a bell with 1 Cor 15?, Ps 23)
O, why should I wander an alien from Thee, And cry in the desert for bread? (I think of the Israelites whining for manna, then still whining when they got it)
Thy foes will rejoice when my sorrows they see, And smile at the tears I have shed. His voice, as the sound of the dulcimer sweet, is heard through the shadows of death;
The cedars of Lebanon bow at His feet, The air is perfumed with His breath. His lips as a fountain of righteousness flow, That waters the garden of grace,
From which their salvation the Gentiles shall know, And bask in the smiles of His face. He looks, and ten thousands of angels rejoice,And myriads wait for His word; He speaks, and eternity, filled with His voice, Re-echoes the praise of her Lord.
Dear Shepherd, I hear and will follow Thy call; I know the sweet sound of Thy voice. Restore and defend me, for Thou art my All, And in Thee I will ever rejoice.
With all of the great tunes that we sang Sunday @pray dot org, I was going to choose one of those to highlight this week. However, my Mom commented on a facebook status of mine with something their church sang this past week and I needed those words to hurry to my soul so I chose “Be Still My Soul.”
One of my versions of this hymn is by Selah and you can watch/listen here but a newer version of this song is here by Keith and Kristyn Getty back in 2009.
For the purposes of this post, I’m sticking with the 1700s version:
Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.