We’ve been discussing music a bit lately. I asked the other day about songs or parts of songs that you refuse to sing. Then yesterday I was talking about Keith Green and the impact he had on my life.
That got me to thinking again about lyrics, but in a positive way. What are some lyrics that especially speak to you? I’m especially interested in songs that may not be the ones that are sung every Sunday.
I’m interested to know what you think of. I’ll mention a few in the comment section during the day, but first I’d like to hear some of your favorites.
There are two songs that I think have a certain line(s) that mean a lot to me.
The first is the song “Nearer, Still Nearer.” My favorite part of that song is:
Sin with its follies I gladly resign;
All of its pleasure, pomp and its pride–
Give me but Jesus, my Lord, crucified.
The other is in “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The lines are:
Holy, holy, holy, though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see.
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee–
Perfect in power; in love and purity.
“Be Still, My Soul” / “Abide With Me” / “In Christ Alone” / “What the Lord has Done in Me”
“Be Still, My Soul” is my favorite hymn because I first heard it in Harding University Graduate School of Religion chapel at a time when my faith was nearly gone (being consumed by the death of a son). The song spoke so eloquently to the pain I was in and the faith I longed for.
Grace and peace,
Rex
The hymn “O Sacred Head” is a favorite of mine. Looking on Wikipedia, I see that the words come from a long Latin poem, which explains the different verses that can be found here and there.
In Spanish, the second verse of the version I know says something like “Cold Death touches the very One who gave us life.” (La fria muerte toca al que la vida dio)
Sends shivers down my spine.
My three favorite hymns are “This is My Father’s World,” ” Mighty Fortress” and “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”
One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs is “Who Am I?”, but in Portuguese. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMCOxfaBuSg I find it hard to keep the tears away when I hear it.
I learned the song Ancient Words at my grandfather’s funeral, so it always makes me tear up when I hear it, but it’s a favourite of mine now because of what it says anyway.
I googled the lyrics:
Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God’s own heart.
Oh let the ancient words impart
Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home.
CHORUS:
Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you,
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart.
CHORUS x4
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart
among recent songs/hymn
made to love by toby mc
who i am hates who i’ve been by relient K
love song by third day
he reigns by newsboys
as far as classic, more traditional hymns
i, too, love o sacred head
we will glorify (ok, maybe more recent)
this world is not my home
be still, my soul
i know the Lord will make a way for me
and a multitude of others
I am absolutely not savvy enough to converse with you guys but I wanted to chime in a little. So many of our older hymns, songs from my childhood era were about living for God or what heaven might be like. I love those old songs but love even more lots of new songs that talk directly to God in praise or asking for mercy. Especially the songs taken straight from scripture that praise Him and have us speaking to God in that moment. Like…
Ps. 51: 1-2
Have mercy on me, O God according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Or songs that He is speaking to me from scripture: (I know He is speaking to Israel, but I feel He is speaking to us also.)
Isaiah 43
“When you pass through the water I will be with you,
And the waves they will not overtake you.
Do not fear for I have redeemed you.
You are mine.
(Chorus)
For I am the Lord Your God.
For I am the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I am the Lord. (Women: Do not fear.)
I am the Lord. (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord. (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord. (Do not fear.)
I am the Lord.
When you pass through the fire I will be with you,
And the flames they will not overcome you.
Do not fear for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name.
You are mine.
Just some thoughts. Not profound, but thoughts none the less. :)
Nick Gill just blogged about “Ancient Words” this week: http://fumblingtowardseternity.theobloggers.com/2010/07/27/a-new-song-for-me/
Miz Amy, if one of the McCoy family singers can’t talk about church music, who can? :-)
I tend to like really old songs or fairly new ones. I’ll sing the toe-tappers from the early 20th century, but they don’t particularly speak to me. Kind of “cotton candy” singing. I do find many of the new worship songs to be very deep, even though it’s popular these days to run them down. (“Those 7-11 songs”)
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
I’m like Amy – love the songs that praise God. These two are not a-capella but “Our Great God” (Fernando Ortega) is awesome and “Revelation Song” (Kari Jobe) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_3W8XI7W2w puts me on my face.
And, of course, though the whole song is excellent, my two favorite stanzas from “It Is Well”:
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
-and-
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Grace to you –
Jr
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
(as I’ve said before, I’m quite an Isaac Watts fan)
Bring Christ your broken life/ so marred by sin/ He will create anew, make whole again.
Your empty wasted years/ He will restore/ and your iniquities remember no more.
Ken
I love “Plumb” and her song “In My Arms” it not only speaks to me as a Mother to my growing children but also to how God loves me!!
Also “What Life would be like” by “Big Daddy Weave” ….. what would our life be like if we actually let him live through us. If we actually lived in him like we should. Amazing lyrics.
“All of Self, None of Thee” is certainly the hardest song for me to sing.
Hillsong’s From the Inside Out makes me cry every time. Other favourites are Before the Throne of God Above, It is Well with my Soul, Jesus, He Loves me by Edwin McCain, Call on Jesus by Third Day, My Redeemer Lives by Nicole C Mullen, This New day by Fernando Ortega.
Used to be Rainbow Of Love for its bass lines, along with A Beautiful Life (each day I’ll do). Then A Capella put out whole albums of amazing songs. And one day my brother played Water Grave by the Imperials …
Within my house there’s been a mercy killin’
The man I used to be has finally died
And the death of this man is a final way of revealin’
In a spiritual way to live I had to die
Cause if I let that dead man linger in me
I might get a little idle in my ways
So I’m going down to the celebration river
I’m gonna take that dead man down to a water grave
I’m goin’ down to the river – my Lord
I’m gonna be buried alive – yeah
I’m gonna show my heavenly Father
In a spritual way to live I have to die
Powerful!
Come Just As You Are is a new fav. Amazing Grace the movie trailer version. Great Is Our God, too. There are too many, but I must include an old one – May I Call You Father? – or two – Spirit In The Sky! (Good rock songs speak to living my teen years in the 70’s.)
Mmm … Mmm … Good!
Grizz
PS – how could I have not also mentioned Michael Card’s the Gentle Healer? And what about The Sheep And The Goats by Keith Green! The line that impacted me most enduringly? Keith Green’s “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger!” And … And … Ad infinitum!
Jesus is Lord, my Redeemer
How He loves me, how I love Him,
He is risen, He is coming,
Lord come quickly! Hallelujah!
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
(descant for females)
He was born to die on Calvary
To redeem a lost humanity
Conquering death, He rose triumphantly!
Now He reigns for all eternity!
(descant for males)
He is worthy, He is precious,
He is loving, He is saving,
He is glorious, He is coming,
Lord, come quickly, Alleluia!
(this was the invitation song the night I was baptized – I guess I was a Christus Victor believer even before I knew anything about atonement except that I needed it!)