See What a Morning

Our friends Keith and Kristyn Getty, along with their frequent collaborator, Stuart Townend, have written a wonderful song celebrating the resurrection. We've sung it as a congregation and as a choral anthem, but it bears repetition here as it will be our closing hymn on Sunday.

The song draws us into the Easter narrative, describing the sights and sounds of that history-changing event. As sudden as the resurrection of Jesus was, the light of realization dawned slowly for many of his disciples. Imagine the relief they felt as the shroud of grief was lifted, as the words Jesus had spoken finally made sense and as the power of His death-conquering life started to spill out onto them.

See what a morning - gloriously bright -
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem.
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce "Christ is risen!"
See God's salvation plan wrought in love,
Borne in pain, paid in sacrifice;
Fulfilled in Christ the Man,
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping - "Where is He laid?"
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb.
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name:
It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty;
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with power and authority.
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead!
© 2003 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Keith Getty/Stuart Townend

For a festive rendition of the song, follow the link to the right to see Keith and Kristyn perform.

Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed!

There is a Name

Palm Sunday is, in my opinion, an odd festival day in that it is filled with mixed emotions. On that day we celebrate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem with songs of praise, yet we know that it began a journey that culminated in the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and that the fickle crowd’s cry of “Hosanna!” would soon turn to shout of “Crucify him!” The people of Jerusalem were welcoming the one they hoped would reign as the promised Messiah-King, when he had come as the prophesied Suffering Servant.

The song we sing this week, written by Claire Cloninger and Robert Sterling, helps bring those competing roles together. The Hebrew word “hosanna” originally meant “Save, we pray.” By the time of Jesus, it seems to have become a cry of praise. Since a call for God to send salvation is embedded in the word, the people of Jerusalem were getting more than they realized. They wanted a Conqueror, but they got a Savior.

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)

“You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

In the name of Jesus is all the power of the Godhead marshaled for our rescue from sin and death. In the name of Jesus is all comfort for each circumstance of our lives. So our anthem is a two-fold Hosanna: a cry for God’s saving grace through Jesus, and a shout of praise for his finished work.

There is a name
That stills the raging storm inside of me.
There is a name
That heals the hidden wounds no one can see.
When my mind is full of questions
That my heart cannot explain,
I lift my voice and call the name of JESUS.

Hope comes flooding in when I say, “Jesus.”
Mercy covers sin when I say, “Jesus.”
I’m lifted up again by the power that is in his holy name.
I lift my voice to proclaim the name of Jesus.

There is a name,
The sound of it drives evil to its knees.
There is a name,
The power of it brings waves of inner peace.
And I know a day is coming
When every heart shall bow;
And with one voice we’ll raise the name of JESUS.

The blind shall see!
The dead shall rise!
The lame shall leap to praise the mighty name of Jesus!

Hope comes flooding in when I say, “Jesus.”
Mercy covers sin when I say, “Jesus.”
I’m lifted up again by the power that is in his holy name.
I lift my voice to proclaim the name of Jesus.

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Be Thou My Vision

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (a little belatedly, since it was celebrated on the 17th) we are singing one of the most familiar hymns of Irish origin. The words of “Be Thou My Vision” have been attributed to Dallan Forgaill, an early Irish poet. His first name is actually a nickname meaning “little blind one.” It is said that he studied so intensively that he went blind. Perhaps this adds a new meaning to his text, proclaiming Christ to be his vision. Dallan was later martyred when pirates attacked the monastery at Inniskeel. He was elevated to sainthood in the 11th century.

The music to which we sing the text is also of Irish origin. The tune is named SLANE, after Slane Hill, which is about ten miles from Tara in County Meath. According to Cyberhymnal, “It was on Slane Hill around 433 AD that St. Patrick defied a royal edict by lighting candles on Easter Eve. High King Logaire of Tara had decreed that no one could light a fire before Logaire began the pagan spring festival by lighting a fire on Tara Hill. Logaire was so impressed by Patrick’s devotion that, despite his defiance (or perhaps because of it), he let him continue his missionary work. The rest is history.”

The text itself is not only beautiful poetry; it is also a beautiful prayer of trust and devotion.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys,
O bright heav'n's sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever be fall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Jesus, My Lord, My Life, My All

The words for this Sunday’s anthem were written by Henry Collins (1827-1919), a little known hymnwriter of the Anglican tradition. He was associated with the Oxford Movement, which was an attempt by many in the Anglican Church to restore traditional aspects of worship. Many of the individuals in the movement, including Collins, later converted to Catholicism. One of the results of the Oxford Movement was the translation of many ancient hymn texts that were originally penned in Latin and Greek.

Collins was raised in the Church of England and eventually became an ordained Anglican minister. Soon after becoming a Catholic, Collins joined the Cistercian order of monks, which emphasizes manual labour and self-sufficiency. Traditionally, Cistercian abbeys have supported themselves through activities such as agriculture and brewing ales. The order abides by the strict Rule of St. Benedict and is more austere in its observance of the rules that the actual Benedictines.

Collins' bent toward the contemplative life can perhaps be heard in the words he wrote in the hymn, “Jesu, my Lord, My God, My All.” The text was altered slightly by the arranger of our anthem, Bob Burroughs, but it retains all of Collins' heartfelt devotion to Christ:

Jesus, my Lord, my Life, my All,
Hear me, blest Savior, when I call;
Hear me, and from Thy dwelling-place
Pour down the riches of Thy grace:
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Jesus, too late I Thee have sought;
How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how extol thy matchless fame,
The glorious beauty of Thy Name?
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Jesus, of Thee shall be my song;
To Thee my heart and soul belong:
All that I have or am is Thine;
And Thou, blest Savior, Thou art mine.
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Collins’ original text includes a stanza omitted from the Burroughs arrangement. It is equal in depth of devotion to the other stanzas, and is a fitting reflection for us during Lent:

Jesus, what didst Thou find in me
That thou hast dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that Thou hast brought,
So far exceeding hope or thought!
Jesus, my Lord, I Thee adore;
O make me love Thee more and more.

Only Trust Him

The hymn on which this week's anthem is based was written by John Stockton (1813-77). Stockton was raised a Presbyterian but converted to Methodism after a camp meeting. He went on to be a Methodist pastor and evangelist in New Jersey. In addition to his hymn “Only Trust Him,” Stockton is known as the composer of the music for the gospel song, “Glory to His Name.”

Ira Sankey, D.L. Moody’s songleader, discovered Stockton’s song in 1873 before it was published. It is said that the original lyrics in the refrain repeated the words, “Come to Jesus” three times and that Sankey altered the lyrics to the version we know: “Only trust Him.” According to some sources, Sankey is credited with composing the music and the lyrics for the refrain.

The arrangement we'll be singing was done by Andrew Duncan, the Director of Music Ministries at Fountain City United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Andrew is clearly a gifted arranger, writing for both handbells and choir. I asked him to describe his approach to arranging and the reasons behind his work on "Only Trust Him." He explained, "My motivation when arranging usually comes from the combination of a text which I feel some connection to AND a musical idea. In this case, I was working with the contemporary worship leader at our church as we went through some "classic" hymns, trying to find some that would lend themselves to a more contemporary setting. "Only Trust Him" was one we considered but did not use - however, I found myself rediscovering the contour of the melody and the core gospel message of the text. I took it back and wrote it out for my choir instead of the praise team."

The "core gospel message," as Andrew describes it, is clear in the text, and it's obvious why it would have appealed to the evangelistically-minded Sankey:

Come, every soul by sin oppressed;
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest
By trusting in His Word.

For Jesus shed His precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.

Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay
And you are fully blessed.

The last verse of Andrew's arrangement is one my favorite parts. It demonstrate a deft musical touch and an awareness of the text. As Andrew explains, "I always hope to present the words clearly in my arrangements - while illustrating the text with the music. For instance - "come then and join this holy band" the men present the invitation, while you can hear the "band" singing in the women's parts."

Come, then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go
To dwell in that celestial land
Where joys immortal flow.

The ending is a beautifully tender moment, rich in texture and deep in meaning. "I remember enjoying the process of writing the ending," Andrew recalls. "Instead of "amens" in canon, being able to repeat the core message of the mercy found in Jesus. That, for me, is the heart of this hymn - reassurance that despite our flaws and failures, our trust is well-founded - there's mercy with the Lord."

Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

These Things Are True of You

Our anthem this week was composed by Tommy Walker, a worship leader at Christian Assembly in Los Angeles. In addition to his work with his local church, Walker has traveled with Promise Keepers, Greg Laurie Harvest Crusades and Franklin Graham. He is a recording artist with Maranatha! Music, Integrity Music and other publishers. We have used several of his songs in the early service at Covenant, including, "He Knows My Name," a wonderful reminder of God's care, based on Psalm 139, and "We Will Remember," which recounts the faithfulness of God to His people.

The song "These Things Are True of You" addresses Christ, listing the many attributes that mark His character and work in our lives.

Unshakable, immovable, faithful and true;
Full of wisdom, strength and beauty:
These things are true of You.
Fearless, courageous,
Righteousness shines through in all You do,
Yet You're so humble; You laid down Your life:
These things are true of You.

Patient, compassionate, love flows through You.
You never give up on the hopeless ones:
These things are true of You.
Holy and blameless, You stand up for justice and truth,
Yet You love mercy and forgiveness:
These things are true of You.

The refrain of the song, then, prays the boldest prayer a believer can pray:

And as I turn my face to You,
Oh Lord, I ask and pray:
By the power of Your love and grace,
Make these things true of me, too;
Make these things true of me, too.

We have an example to follow in Christ, but He never expects us to achieve our discipleship in the flesh. Let us rest in the promise of Galatians 5:22-25 that is not by our own power that the image of Christ is created in us:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

"These Things Are True of You"
Tommy Walker
Copyright 1996 Doulos Publishing (Maranatha! Music)

What Wondrous Love Is This

This week we return to reflections on older songs, as we look at the hymn that will be our anthem this week. Our song, “What Wondrous Love Is This,” comes from an early 19th century shaped-note collection called Southern Harmony, and Music Companion (1835). William "Singin' Billy" Walker was the primary compiler of this collection which included over 300 songs. It became one of the most influential tunebooks in US history, and perhaps the best seller. Walker collected tunes and texts from a variety of well-known hymnwriters, including Watts, Wesley, and Newton, as well as indigenous sources. It is from the latter sources that we get tunes for songs like “What Wondrous Love Is This.”

Like Keith and Kristyn Getty (see last week’s post), Walker was interested in reaching a multi-generational audience. In the preface to the original edition of Southern Harmony, Walker states his intentions: “Those that are partial to ancient music, will find here some good old acquaintances which will cause them to remember with pleasure the scenes of life that are past and gone; while my youthful companions, who are more fond of modern music, I hope will find a sufficient number of new tunes to satisfy them, as I have spared no pains in trying to select such tunes as would meet the wishes of the public.”

The text of “What Wondrous Love Is This,” from an anonymous Appalachian folk hymn, bears a quality familiar to readers of the Psalms. In the hymn, the singer addresses his or her own soul; David and the other psalmists were never too proud to talk to themselves. There are particular echoes to Psalm 43, where the psalmist sings, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (v. 5).

In the hymn, we remind our soul of God’s action of love in Christ to bear our curse of sin and to rescue us from our dismal fate:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

The hymn also declares the intention of the believer, overcome by such a great salvation, to join the eternal song of the great "cloud of witnesses" in praise of God, a song that will not be stilled by death; rather, a song that will only become deeper, richer and more resonant in the halls of heaven:

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.

Sing on!