Category: Music

A Modern Hymn for Thanksgiving: “My Heart is Filled”

~ Bob Hayton ~ 4 Comments

We sang another great song by Keith Getty and Stuart Towend this Sunday. I thought it was especially fitting for Thanksgiving week. I really appreciate their music having showcased their songs in my recent post “The Modern Hymn Movement”. I also have posted about the following hymns written by one or both of them: “In Christ Alone”, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”, and “O, Church Arise”.

This song is especially appropriate for Thanksgiving week. Perhaps it will jumpstart your week to be filled with thoughts of thankfulness for the many blessings Christ has purchased for us on the cross. I trust you will be blessed as you discover this great new song.

 

My Heart Is Filled
Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With power upon my heart

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside
Who floods my weaknesses and strengths
And causes fear to fly
Whose every promise is enough
For every step I take
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who reigns above;
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace;
Whose every thought is love.
For every day I have on earth
Is given by then King.
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow Him.

Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright  © 2003 Thankyou Music/MCPS

 

To hear a sample of the melody of this song, click here or here [mp3]. You can preview the musical score for the song here, and order it there or here. The song is found on (at least) the following CDs: The Mandate: See What a Morning and New Irish Hymns 2 (which you can purchase if you’d like). Again, for more info on the authors, check out this earlier post.

Let me stress in closing, that this particular song can be sung to a strictly traditional style or a contemporary style. And it is actually well suited to both. So regardless of your musical convictions, I would encourage you to explore the great new songs that Getty and Townend are writing and take advantage of them in your personal (and even coorporate) worship.

Christian Rap — Take 2

~ fundyreformed ~ 10 Comments

Holy Hip HopSome of you may have followed some of the debate in the fundamentalist blogosphere over John Piper’s allowing Christian rapper Curtis Allen to sing a rap song in the Saturday night worship service at Bethlehem Baptist. There was much written on the issue and  I am sure most of you couldn’t follow everything. Then the discussion spawned debates over music in general all over the blogworld but also specifically here at my blog here.

Well, I don’t want to reopen the whole debate. But I would like to point you to a few posts relevant to this discussion that you may find helpful.  

Hallelujah, What a Savior!

~ fundyreformed ~ 1 Comment

The following is one of my favorite hymns. In our church we sing a wonderful rendition of this arranged by Bob Kauflin. Let me share the words and point you to the new musical score available online for free.  

 

Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Lyrics and music by Phillip Bliss
Arranged by Bob Kauflin

“Man of Sorrows!” what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood—
Sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Guilty, vile and helpless we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Lifted up was He to die,
“It is finished,” was His cry;
Now in heav’n exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior
Hallelujah, what a Savior

Arrangement copyright 1998 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), a division of Sovereign Grace Ministries. All rights reserved.

 

This arrangement emphasises the last line (and repeats it). It turns the end of each verse into a chorus of sorts, where we joyfully lift our voices in praise: “Hallelujah…”. It really lifts the song majestically and allows the congregation to really be swept away by the power of the message of this song and the wonder of the glory of our Savior. This arrangement could be done with any musical style, and I commend it to all to consider.

To see [or download] the musical score click here. You can also view a chords chart here, or a transparency master here. The song was produced on Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project CD. You can also sample the melody by clicking here (mp3).

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7

Wonderful Maker, Wonderful Song

~ fundyreformed ~ 3 Comments


By now, most of my regular readers know that I am still catching my breath (or wringing my wrist) from the long and drawn out music debate we had here, occasioned by the fundamentalist blogosphere’s rumblings over John Piper’s use of a Christian rap musician in a worship service. Well in the midst of that whole debate, I was extremely blessed by none other than a CCM style Christian song.

I had picked up my sister’s  Carried Me, worship album by Jeremy Camp,  and was listening to it over and over again. And one particular song struck me. The song “Wonderful Maker” really did produce in me a greater love for Christ and moments of genuine and intense worship—the genuine kind of fruit that I mentioned in my debate (and which you would have read about if you stuck it out all the way to the end!) And then, in worship this past Sunday morning, we sang this song! Let me share the song, and then direct you to some links where you can sample the song.

 

Wonderful Maker

Verse:
You spread out the skies over empty space
Said, “Let there be light”
To a dark and formless world Your light was born

You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said, “Let there be light”
To a dark and hopeless world Your Son was born

Bridge:
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only Son, for You are good

Chorus:
What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestiv Your whispers
What a wonderful God

Bridge:
No eyes has fully seen how beautiful the Cross
And we have only heard that faintest whispers of how great You are

Words and Music by Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman
 © 2002 WorshipTogether.Com Songs / SixSteps Music / ThankYou Music (ASCAP) admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing

 

Click to order The accompaniment of this song is appropriately thoughtful and worshipful. And the chorus becomes a glad song of praise. The music lifts your song up as the chords crescendo. Regardless of what might be said of other songs, this one definitely majors on communicating the message of the song. (I threw this line in on account of the recent debate!)

To hear a sample music clip of this song, click here But I did find a YouTube video clip that has the entire song on it. Now the picture is really dark and grainy, and is of some kind of “expressive” worship dance. But you can ignore the picture and just enjoy the whole song (of course, if you have broadband that will be easier to do). If you like the song, you can buy just the clip here, or you can order the CD by clicking on the picture of the CD’s cover above.

You can also click here to see the chord chart for this song, and here to see a preview of the musical score (you can also purchase the score if you want). Lastly, to learn more about Jeremy Camp as well as the authors of the song, Christ Tomlin and Matt Redman (2 of the best worship song writers today), click on the following links: JeremyCamp.Com, ChrisTomlin.Com, & MattRedman.Com.

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7

More on Music

~ fundyreformed

Around here, we have been having quite the discussion on music lately! And that has been the case around the fundamentalist blogosphere for the most part, as well.

I just wanted to take this time to highlight a great post on the subject by Tom Pryde. It would be well worth your time to read his thoughts on this matter.

Let me give a few excerpts here, too, if I may.

The problem is that it really isn’t about drums, guitars, microphones, or any other atomistic element of the issue. The whole question is one of communication. Of course, it is true that this communication is heavily dependent upon cultural context, but this is hardly a justification for “anything goes.” The fact is that our culture can identify the emotional content of music more clearly than many would like to admit, and since we are not independent of our culture, it makes little sense to argue as if we are outside of it.

The fact is that the better the emotional expression fits both the message and the context, the more clearly, powerfully, and effectively the message will be conveyed. This is at least one very good reason to take music seriously. It is also true that musical communication is highly flexible and not at all precise. This means that context can heavily influence the nature of the emotional expression.

….

Proper corporate worship requires us to adapt to a form of expression that suits the whole, rather than our own individual tastes. If we fail to adapt, then we are left finding music that suits us, or we at least want the occasional use “our” kind of music. In both cases, the focus is wrong, and a deep misunderstanding of both music and worship is revealed. When my heart is right before God, the style of music matters far less than my own heart’s expression to God. If you need a particular style to “feel” worship, then there is a deeper problem in your worship.

For these reasons, at least (there are more reasons) a more conservative approach to corporate worship is essential. In the first place, it drives us to music that is less faddish and more enduring. In the second place, it drives us to music that is easily accepted by the entire congregation and is especially suited for congregational singing.

The careful reader will notice that I have not actually endorsed any style or approach to church music. Rather, I believe a principled approach will lead each Spirit-filled congregation to expressions of worship that are meaningful and communicative in their context.

…

Do go and read his post, there is much more on this over there. And while you’re at it, you may want to keep an eye on Brian McCrorie’s recent post on this subject too!

∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7