A Hymn for the Pilgrim Life

Truth-filled and gospel-saturated hymns have power to sustain and strengthen.

Our congregations need songs that speak to the fullness of human experience – songs of adoration, celebration, lamentation, confession, and supplication. You can discern much from the songs a church sings. Not just their theology, but their understanding of the Christian life. The Christian life is a pilgrim life (Heb. 10:11; 1 Pet. 2:11), full of pains and sorrows on our journey toward heaven. And we need songs to carry us on the way.

One old hymn that preaches truth into our pilgrimage with moving clarity is Henry Francis Lyte’s “Jesus I My Cross Have Taken.” Originally set to a Mozart melody, the men of Indelible Grace reworked back in 2001 and it’s what a hymn should be.

Check out IG’s hymn-sing recording below and the different arrangements at the bottom.

LYRICS

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me,
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,
With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

 

A Hymn Worth Singing

We are currently preaching through the book of Job at IDC and I’ve thus been ravaging the hymnals for anything that speaks to suffering in the Christian life.

Just the other day I came across a hymn from the late 19th century, which I had forgotten about, entitled “Jesus I Come to Thee.” I first learned it over a decade ago at the Reformed University Fellowship located at Southern Methodist University. The lyrics are searching and the melody is memorable.

I think a better arrangement of the music can be had, but this Indelible Grace recording will nevertheless captures the usefulness of Sleeper’s song:

LYRICS

1. Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

2. Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

3. Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward forever on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

4. Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

5 Ways to Promote Unity in Worship

9780801026980mYesterday I finished Daniel Block’s magnificent volume For the Glory of God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. We need more books like this: rigorously exegetical and thoroughly pastoral.

“True worship involves reverential human acts of submission and homage before the divine Sovereign in response to his gracious revelation of himself and in accord with his will,” says Block. With that definition in place he proceeds to helpfully treat a topic of worship in each chapter, tracing its development across redemptive history. For example, he takes on things like, “The Object of Worship,” “The Subject of Worship,” “The Ordinances as Worship,” “Prayer as Worship,” and “The Drama of Worship.” At the end of each chapter he offers contemporary reflections on how to apply the truth just studied.

A TOPIC WORTH EXTRA ATTENTION

When I scanned the chapter on “Music as Worship” I noticed that Block’s practical reflections were almost three times as long as those on any other topic. And for good reason. He writes,

I devote more space to application here than in preceding chapters because music has become arguably the most divisive factor in North American evangelicalism. Too often in worship wars, pragmatism (‘What do people want?’) and personal taste (‘What do people like?’), rather than biblical perspectives or theology, drive the discussion, and music in worship is often designed to satisfy those whose worship is unacceptable to God. To achieve the highest administrative goal, that people will return next Sunday, the music must create a certain mood, and the service must engage attendees like a theatrical performance or concert.

Delighted – if not intoxicated – by the crowds, we may be oblivious to the reality that a packed house may be proof of disingenuous (calculated) worship rather than worship acceptable to God. (236)

I trust that whets your appetite enough to purchase the book, but on the outside chance it doesn’t, let me show just how useful Block can be.

IN THE PURSUIT OF UNITY

After surveying the biblical landscape on music as worship one of Block’s main applications is, “Evangelicals must rediscover that truly worshipful music is primarily congregational and unites the body of Christ.” He’s absolutely right. How can we increase the unity of our church’s worship through song? The Wheaton professor gives five considerations.

  1. If true worship involves reverential acts of homage and submission, then music should be selected and presented to glorify God and promote reverence and awe. This commitment will naturally result in excluding certain kinds of music (narcissistic and subjective lyrics, jarring and raucous tunes).
  2. The music of worship should be subordinate to the Word of worship, and planning should involve all the staff, particularly persons responsible for reading and proclaiming God’s word.
  3. Songs chosen for congregational singing should be singable, with tunes and lyrics that are readily grasped by worshipers. Worship is not enhanced by improvisation or unexpected rhythms that confuse and inhibit participation.
  4. Assuming commitment to music that has theological and melodic integrity, corporate worship should regularly have something for everyone. Some speak of “blended worship,” which connotes a centripetal approach, the emphasis being on satisfying various tastes. Perhaps we should rather speak of “distributed worship,” which suggests a healthier centrifugal picture of reaching out and ministering to each other. Instead of asking, “What kind of music will you sing for me?” we might ask, “What kind of music may I sing for you?” In a healthy local manifestation of the body of Christ, people are not preoccupied with self-serving satisfaction of their own tastes.
  5. Over time, worshipers’ musical tastes should mature. While mature Christians celebrate the faith and enthusiasm of younger believers, something is wrong if people who have been believers for ten or twenty years still crave the elementary lyrics and simple tunes they sang when they first came to faith. Just as we need to progress from milk to meat in our understanding of the Scriptures (Heb. 5:12-13; 1 Pet. 2:2), so in musical appreciation and taste the goal should be growth and maturation – the development of appetites for songs that are weightier theologically and more sophisticated musically.

Amen. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of For the Glory of God. It will be of immense benefit for your church and ministry.

A Gospel-Hymn

Songs have power. When they carry the gospel, they can become instruments of conversion. Consider the case of Charles Wesley’s “Arise, My Soul, Arise.”

A Wesleyan mis­sion­ary la­bor­ing in the West Indies once wrote, “I have a record of two hun­dred persons, young and old, who re­ceived the most di­rect ev­i­dence of the forgive­ness of their sins while sing­ing ‘Arise, My Soul.’ The con­ver­sion of the great­er num­ber of these per­sons took place while I was a mis­sion­ary abroad.”

If you are looking for a rich, gospel-hymn to add to your church’s repertoire consider this class from Wesley. Here are two popular variations:

INDELIBLE GRACE STYLE

LYRICS

VERSE 1
Arise, my soul, arise,
shake off your guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice,
in my behalf appears;
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on His hands.

CHORUS
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise.
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise
Arise, my soul, arise.
Shake off your guilty fears and rise

VERSE 2
He ever lives above,
for me to intercede;
His all redeeming love,
His precious blood, to plead;
His blood atoned for every race,
His blood atoned for every race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

VERSE 3
Five bleeding wounds He bears;
received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers;
they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

VERSE 4
The Father hears Him pray,
His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away
the presence of His Son;
The Spirit answers to the blood,
The Spirit answers to the blood
And tells me I am born of God.

VERSE 5
My God is reconciled;
His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for His child;
I can no longer fear
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

T4G STYLE

LYRICS

VERSE 1
Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears
The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears
Before the throne my surety stands
Before the throne my surety stands
My name is written on His hands

VERSE 2
Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me
“Forgive him, oh forgive,” they cry
“Forgive him, oh forgive,” they cry
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

VERSE 3
The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One
He cannot turn away the presence of His Son
His Spirit answers to the blood
His Spirit answers to the blood
And tells me I am born of God

VERSE 4
My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear
He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear
With confidence I now draw nigh
With confidence I now draw nigh
And “Father, Abba, Father” cry

It All Began in the 19th Century

History & Ministry

Yesterday, I mentioned how the reading of biographies is an underestimated weapon for our pastoral armor. I do wonder, however, if reading a large historical tome might sound daunting to some of you. If so, let me help you consider another vehicle for increasing historical awareness.

Actually, Michael Haykin is here to help. Do you know him?

PIETY THROUGH HISTORY

michael-haykin1Dr. Haykin currently serves as the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality and Director of The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the foreword to The Pure Flame: The History of Christian Spirituality, the recent festschrift for Dr. Haykin, Russell Moore says:

I often wonder if Haykin is one scholar or a conspiracy of brilliant minds masquerading as one man. After all, he is a pacesetter in the fields of spiritual formation, Baptist studies, patristic history and beyond. All of these are very different fields, demanding a high level of expertise. He is one of the most recognized scholars in the world in each of those fields, having written and lectured extensively in each area, even while serving as a seminary administrator, popular conference speaker and leader within the Canadian Baptist and Southern Baptist churches.

Ian Clary, a former student and editor of The Pure Flame, says, “I am amazed at how profoundly I have been shaped by Michael Haykin . . . I have seen firsthand what a Christian scholar looks like, and learned the importance not only of how to read church history, but how to do so with a commitment to piety and godliness.”

Although I’ve never personally interacted with Haykin I affirm the man’s commitment to godliness. It’s palpable. I’ve observed it in Haykin’s works, but it’s largely through his messages and lectures that I’ve seen how history can catalyze piety.

Which brings me back to the original point of this post: using lectures understand the value of history for pastoral ministry. And I know a great place to start.

19th CENTURY EVANGELICALISM

A while back I came across an old Sunday School class Haykin taught at Trinity Baptist Church in Toronto on 19th century evangelicalism. I found the material to be immensely helpful. Haykin elucidates just how the incredible figures and events of evangelicalism in the 1800s laid the foundation for so much of modern evangelicalism. Throughout the class the listener is treated to figures well-known (Finney, M’Cheyne, Spurgeon) and not-so-well-known (Asahel Nettleton, Phoebe Palmer), while seamlessly weaving in the pertinent geographical and sociological nuances necessary to understand the times. And true to his passion, Haykin never lets the conversation go far before reminding us of the material’s implication(s) for godliness.

So listen to ’em all to see just how valuable history is for pastoral ministry. Then consider going on to a biography on one of the many figures Haykin covers in the class.

See The Conqueror

I first came across Wordsworth’s “See the Conqueror” when one of our elders mentioned it as a potential Easter hymn. This is surely what the great apostle meant by teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom with hymns.

LYRICS

See the Conqueror mounts in triumph
See the King in royal state
Riding on the clouds His chariot
To his heavenly palace gate

Hark the choirs of angel voices
Joyful alleluias sing
And the portals high are lifted
to receive their heavenly King.

Who is this that comes in glory
with the trump of jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies,
He has gained the victory!

He who on the cross did suffer!
He who from the grave arose!
He has vanquished sin and satan!
He by death has spoiled his foes!

They raced to the tomb, angels stood by
Mary was weeping for the empty inside
For the sins of the world, for the sake of His bride
He went to His death, and behold, He’s alive!

He’s alive! O He’s alive!

Thou hast raised our human nature
In the clouds to God’s right hand
There we sit in heavenly places
There with Thee in glory stand

Jesus reigns adorned by angels
Man with God is on the throne
Mighty Lord in Thine ascension
We by faith behold our own
We by faith behold our own

See the Conqueror -Jenny & Tyler-Open Your Doors- Copyright 2011 One Eyed Cat Music (BMI)
Verse Lyrics by Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), 1862.
Bridge Lyrics by Jennifer Somers (BMI), Tyler Somers (BMI), and Mitch Dane (ASCAP)
Music by Jennifer Somers (BMI), Tyler Somers (BMI), and Mitch Dane (ASCAP)

Sing the Word

Resound Slider NT

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

THE POWER OF A SONG

It was just over 100 years ago, in the early days of August 1914, that the War to End All Wars broke out and began to claim hundreds of thousands of killed, wounded, and missing soldiers. Four months later as the soldiers were firmly fixed in harrowing immovability of trench warfare, politicians and culture leaders were calling for a Christmas truce. Pope Benedict XV’s appeal for a cease-fire at Christmas made headlines, but was quickly rebuffed by both sides as “impossible.” The neutral US Senate urged for a twenty-day truce at Christmas “with the hope that the cessation of hostilities . . . may stimulate reflection upon the part of the nations [at war] as to the meaning and spirit of Christmas.” But the warring armies paid no attention to isolationist American and were content to keep on killing each other.

And so it was, to the everlasting astonishment of military history, that on the night of Christmas Eve one could find the Germans mingling with British, French, and Belgian soldiers – men they were trying to eliminate just hours earlier – in the middle of No Man’s Land; talking, exchanging gifts, and telling stories. The legendary Christmas Truce of 1914 came, not through the intervention of governments and petitions of well meaning leaders. Rather, is was the singing of an old gospel carol – “Silent Night” – that gave the entrenched foes a few hours of Christmas cheer and peace.

Nostalgic familiarity is what really brought those soldiers out of their trenches that Christmas Eve night, but we cannot dismiss how the event embodied the sheer power of a song.

Singing’s power is something the apostle Paul knew well, for in our text tonight we find him saying that singing how the power to let the gospel take up residence in a person’s heart.

SING COLOSSAE!

Colossians is a short letter that’s saturated with the supremacy of Christ. If you ever find your soul in need of a spark of spiritual power, read Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae. Here you will find some of the most exalted descriptions of Jesus, His gospel, and the Christian life.

Colossians 3 is one chapter I’d encourage every child of God memorize. In 3:1-4 Paul tells Christian they have been raised and seated with Christ in heaven. Therefore, 3:5-9 tells Christian to put off the old self of sin, and 3:10-17 tell us, as God’s chosen ones, to put on the new self. And Paul says singing plays a crucial role for our growth in Christ. If you wanted to sum up the truth of Colossians you might say: Singing has the power to put the gospel into your heart. If a song could bring peace to enemy troops in the Great War, just imagine what it can do for those united to Christ in faith.

SONGS TEACH

Before we look at one part of this glorious verse we need to get a sense of the whole. For there are a variety of different views (because of word placement and lack of punctuation in the manuscripts) on how the participles of teaching, admonishing, and singing relate to letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly. To make what could be a much longer – and fascinating! – discussion short, I think the NASB (the NIV is great too) gets the verse right when it says, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” What do we teach and admonish with (this is what the ESV misses)? Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. So we need to view 3:16 as a single command that we can put this way: Let the word of Christ dwell in your hearts by teaching and admonishing one another with songs.

Songs thus have teaching and admonishing power. The reason we can be confident of this view on the translation of Colossians 3:16 is the near identical teaching Paul gives in Ephesians 5:18-19, “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Singing then is an overflow of a Spirit-filled heart and addresses fellow members with truth.

Incidentally, if you’ve ever wondered what the Spirit-filled life looks like I’d invite you to pay attention to Ephesians 5:18-21. For, over against what so many evangelicals say when they talk about being Spirit-filled, Paul says in those verses that a Spirit-filled life overflows in singing, thanksgiving, serving, and fearing God.

So if you take Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19, the twin towers of New Testament instruction on singing in the church, you get this powerful truth: “A Spirit-filled and word-saturated life is a singing life.

SING THE WORD INTO YOUR HEART

Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The λόγος, the Word, has already been identified in Colossians 1 (1:5, 25) as the gospel. Paul said this gospel “has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing,” and he later defined as this: “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.”

We must always remind ourselves of this gospel. The great apostle commands us to put it in our heart, to let is dwell in us richly. “Dwell in you richly” means the gospel is to have a beautifully permanent home in our hearts.”

When Emily and I bought our first house, the one we still live in, one of the great attractions of it to me was its study. There would be a room for my books; not that I had many at the time. When we moved we came with one bookshelf and I didn’t have enough books to fill it up. Yet, if you were to come over to our house now you’d find virtually the entire room lined with shelves overflowing with and a sagging under a bunch of books. Books have clearly made a home in my study. Their residence is permanent and growing.

That, Paul says, is how the gospel is to function our hearts. It makes a home there and the space it fills in our hearts ought to always be growing and made more beautiful.

Christian, you have believed the gospel, but can you articulate it clearly? Have you ever consider how some of the greatest songs of our faith are also among the greatest gospel teachers? Think about how this verse from “How Great Thou Art” helpfully describes the good news:

And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Here then is one implication for the songs we sing: Our songs must preach the gospel. They must. If you were to examine the songs we sing each week you should be able to find gospel truth abounding all over the place. I have no interest in a song that doesn’t strike some note of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Just as you should long for preaching that preeminently exalts a crucified Christ, so too should you long for songs saturated with the good news. And respond with eager obedience! Harold Best is wise on this implication saying, “A congregation is just as responsible to sing the gospel as preachers are to preach it.”

This post is adapted from my recent sermon “Sing the Word.”

Redux: All Creatures of Our God and King

“All Creatures of our God and King” is one of my favorite hymns. I love St. Francis’ channeling of Psalms 148-150 to produce expansive doxologies, even calling death to praise God!

The rarely sung sixth verse says,

And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

Now, that is good.

I have, however, always longed for new verses that more explicitly proclaimed God’s glory in Christ. Enter our Sovereign Grace friends “West Coast Revival”.

Last year the Baird brothers adapted St. Francis’ classic by adding two verses; verse three proclaims the gospel and verse four announces Christ’s return in glory. The next time your church does “All Creatures” consider using the following four verses. They’re fresh, true, and oh so necessary for the soul to sing.

VERSE 1
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Thou, burning sun with golden beam
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

VERSE 2
Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

VERSE 3
All the redeemed washed by His blood
Come and rejoice in His great love
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Christ has defeated every sin
Cast all your burdens now on Him
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

VERSE 4
He shall return in pow’r to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

© 2013 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP) from All That Thrills My Soul
Lyrics by St. Francis of Assisi (Verses 1 & 2) and Jonathan Baird and Ryan Baird (Verses 3,4), Music by William Henry Draper, Adapted by Jonathan Baird and Ryan Baird

A Hymn to Sing on the Way to Heaven

Our churches needs psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs that speak to the full range of human experience. We need songs for seasons of lament, praise, distress, and hope.

One hymn of hope worth reclaiming today is Samuel Stennett’s “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand.”

Let me commend to you the Jars boys’ version for your church. May it help your people set their gaze toward their heavenly city.

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land
Where my possessions lie

All o’er those wide extended plains
Shines one eternal day
There God, the Son forever reigns
And scatters night away

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promise Land
I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promise Land

No chilling wind nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore
Where sickness, sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and feared no more

When shall I see that happy place
And be forever blessed
When shall I see my Father’s face
And in His bosom rest

Click here to find other hymns and arrangements worth your attention.

And So We Roar

VERSE 1
His be the Victor’s Name
Who fought the fight alone;
Triumphant saints no honor claim;
Their conquest was His own.

VERSE 2
By weakness and defeat
He won the glorious crown;
Trod all His foes beneath His feet
By being trodden down.

CHORUS
What though the vile accuser roar

Of sins that I have done;
I know them well, and thousands more;
My God, He knoweth none

VERSE 3
He hell in hell laid low;
Made sin, He sin o’erthrew;
Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,
And death, by dying, slew.

VERSE 4
Bless, bless the Conqueror slain,
Slain by divine decree!
Who lived, who died, who lives again,
For thee, my soul, for thee.

Bridge
My sin is cast into the sea
Of God’s forgotten memory
No more to haunt accusingly
For Christ has lived and died for me

Words: Samuel Gandy, 1838 (verses & chorus), alt.; Zac Hicks, 2013 (bridge)
Music: Zac Hicks, 2013 ©2013 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP)

HT: D&T