Song Talks

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.   For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust."  Psalm 103:1-5, 11-14.   The Psalmist, identified as David, pens one of the most moving passages of praise in all the Scriptures in this heartfelt Psalm. This passage is classified as a psalm, hymnic; "A psalm joyously glorifying God and emphasizing his gre...

"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" 3  And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4  and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5  And one of the elders said to me, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."" Revelation 5:1-5 This is the focus passage Andrew Peterson uses for his new song entitled "Is He Worthy?".  This song is unique in a number of ways. First of all, we have in it a song that asks a question in which every believer knows the answer. John writes in Revelation 5, "Who is worthy to open the scrolls?...

"How Deep the Father's Love for us, How vast beyond all measure, that He would give His only Son, to make a wretch His treasure." Last night during our family worship time we began a new book that asked the question, "Could you write one sentence that described the message of the Bible?". I think you could almost pick any verse in this hymn sung in both services this week and use it to answer that question.  How Deep the Father's Love for Us is a modern hymn written by Stuart Townend.  This song explores the story of the gospel. It reminds us of our part in this story and magnifies the graciousness of God in sacrificing His Son on the cross for our sin.  Stuart describes the genesis of the writing process in his own words: "Nevertheless, I'd been meditating on the cross, and in particular what it cost the Father to give up his beloved Son to a torturous death on a cross. And what was my part in it? Not only was it my sin that put him the...