Album Review: Songs of Common Prayer

Album Title: Songs of Common Prayer

Group/Artist: Greg LaFollette

Release Date: 2018

Stream on Spotify; Stream on YouTube

You can read an interview with Greg LaFollette at The Rabbit Room. 

I discovered Songs of Common Prayer a few days after deciding I was going to try to incorporate the Daily Offices from the Book of Common Prayer into my life. The album is influenced--strongly influenced--by the traditional elements of the Book of Common Prayer. 

The album released BEFORE the Book of Common Prayer 2019. I have not made myself familiar with the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, so the words may be more in tune (or in line) with that edition of the Book of Common Prayer. 

For me, nothing is really lost by this album not being closely linked with the Book of Common Prayer 2019. 

The songs on the album:

World Without End 

Most Merciful God

Hosanna in the Highest

Mystery of Faith

The Lord's Prayer

We Cry Mercy

Prayer After Communion

Blessed Be God

Lighten Our Darkness

Benediction

The first song, "World Without End," is linked to the Invitatory of the Morning Prayer. (Although with just a few slight changes it links thematically with the Evening Prayer as well.) 

Officiant:  O Lord, open our lips;
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Officiant: O God, make speed to save us;
People: O Lord, make haste to help us
Officiant: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
People: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Officiant: Praise the Lord.
People: The Lord’s Name be praised.

 

 

Book of Common Prayer, 1979

The second song, Most Merciful God, is perhaps my FAVORITE, FAVORITE, FAVORITE from the album. It is linked with the Confession of Sin in both the Morning and Evening prayers. I do NOT know why there are two versions of each--two of Morning, two of Evening. This prayer is for the second version of both. 

Book of Common Prayer, 2019

The 2019 Book of Common Prayer has different words for the Confession of Sin. 

The third song, Hosanna in the Highest, appears to be linked to the service of the Holy Eucharist. (Something I've not encountered just doing the Daily Offices on my own.) Again, it is with the second version of Holy Eucharist. 

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosannain the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The fourth song, Mystery of Faith, is the second to be linked to the Holy Eucharist. It expands beyond singing the words on the page and encompasses the meaning of communion and the unity of the church in Christ. 

The Lord's Prayer is the fifth song. The Lord's Prayer is foundational to all the Daily Offices -- Morning, Midday, Evening, and Compline. 

The sixth song, We Cry Mercy, could fit in just about anywhere and everywhere. Mercy is stressed throughout from what I can tell! But I think it best fits with the daily use of the Lord's Prayer in all four of the Daily Offices. 

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Officiant and People
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

The seventh song is Prayer After Communion. 

The eighth song is Blessed Be God. It took a bit of hunting to find the inspiration source for this one. But I found it in the service for the Ordination of the Bishop! I personally think the song has far wider applications than this service. 

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever. Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The ninth song, Lighten Our Darkness, is inspired by one of the Collects of the Evening Prayer. 

A Collect for Aid against Perils

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

The tenth and final song is Benediction. 

I referred to the online Daily Offices (using the Book of Common Prayer, 2019). 

I referred to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer--in pdf form. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Album Review: Sing the Bible Family Christmas

Album Title: Sing the Bible Family Christmas

Group/Artist: Slugs and Bugs (Randall Goodgame)

Release Date: 2017

Stream on Spotify; Stream on YouTube

Sing the Bible Family Christmas is musically influenced by the jazzy-jazz of Charlie Brown Christmas. But these just aren't any Christmas songs--jazz or no jazz. 

These are Scripture verses set to music, good music at that. 

In the Beginning, the lead track, for example is from the first chapter of the Gospel of John, John 1:1-14.

The second song, When The Fullness of Time Had Come is from Galatians 4:4-7. 

Unto Us A Child Is Born, Isaiah 9:6. 

Mary's Song comes from Luke 1:46-49. Joseph's Dream 

Joseph's Dream comes from Matthew 1:18-25. (In my opinion this one sounds very VeggieTales!!!)

O Little Town has an instrumental O Little Town playing in the background while a child reads Luke 2:8-12.

Glory To God in the Highest comes from Luke 2:14; Luke 2:10

Mary and Jesus is instrumental

Zechariah's Prophesy is from Luke 1:68-70.

Sing O Heavens is from Isaiah 44:23; it leads into a lively Go Tell It On the Mountain

Silent Night is  an instrumental "Silent Night" while a child reads Luke 2:15-20.

I Heard the Bells is just I Heard the Bells. Not a Scripture. 

I love, love, love all the Scriptures!!! I love the musical influences. None of the songs felt dinky. It was just enjoyable. I've listened to it several times already since discovering it last week. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Album Review: The Long Night Is Passed

Album Title: The Long Night Is Past: The Christmas Story of Us

Group/Artist: Grace Music

Release Date: 2018

Stream on Spotify; Stream on YouTube

I see the world in darkness lay and the people toil away... Thus begins "The Lord Almighty Reigns, Pt. 1 a  prelude to the album experience...and this is an album to be experienced. (The best kind of album, in my opinion.)

It is no secret (to those that know me) that I love, love, love, LOVE crazy love Christmas music. And what I love most are Christmas songs that are Christ-centered, gospel-focused, and look beyond the manger. In other words, all the best Christmas albums have some foreshadowing. 

There are twelve songs on the album:

• The Lord Almighty Reigns, Pt. 1
• Long Expected Jesus
• Hope of the World
• The Long, Long Night
• Prepare the Way
• Lay Down Straight
• Lamb of God
• This is the Christ
• O Spread the Tidings Round
• I Heard the Bells
• Tempus Adest Floridium/ The Story of Us
• The Lord Almighty Reigns, Pt. 2/ Joy to the World

Of the twelve songs, I only dislike one the song Lay Down Straight. It is a strong dislike. It seems an odd choice of words. The song is about how WE are the reason Jesus died, WE are the ones nailing him to the cross. But the idea that anyone at all is having to tell Jesus to lay down straight so that the nails can be hammered in...well...it is just odd. 

But the other eleven are all kinds of wonderful. And I mean ALL kinds of wonderful. I could gush about this album almost endlessly. 

Hope of the World

Gather round I will sing another story, I will tell another tale, of the deep transcendent glory of the love that never fails and when the final note is sung you'll know the comforter is coming and the comforter has come. 

There was Mary, a girl set apart, to hold the hope of the world in her womb and in her heart and though she feared the coming storm she knew the promise was enough that the comforter is coming and the comforter has come. 

The hope of the world. The hope of the world is born. A Savior has come. A Savior has come to us. The hope of the world. 

There were shepherds living in the fields huddled in the darkness, when a light from God appeared and said do not be afraid go and see what God has done. For a Savior now is given. And the comforter has come. 

The hope of the world. The hope of the world is born. A Savior has come. A Savior has come to us. 

The hope of the world. The hope of the world is born. The Savior has come. Oh. The Savior has come to us. 

I could not find lyrics on the internet anywhere for Hope of the World. This Hope of the World. I typed them while listening to the song. I did not try to punctuate or put them into proper lines. But this is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite songs on the album.

Another favorite that I've listened to on repeat is O Spread the Tidings Round.

1 O spread the tidings 'round
Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!

Refrain:
The Comforter has come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father's promise given;
O spread the tidings 'round wherever man is found:
The Comforter has come!

2 The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o'er the golden hills the day advances fast!

The Comforter has come! [Refrain]

3 Lo, the great King of kings with healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full deliverance brings;
And through the vacant cells the song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come! [Refrain]

4 O boundless Love divine! how shall this tongue of mine
To wondering mortals tell the matchless grace divine:
That I, a child of hell, should in His image shine!

The Comforter has come! [Refrain] 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Album Review: Waiting Songs

Album Title: Waiting Songs:

Group/Artist: Rain for Roots

Release Date: 2015

Stream on Spotify; Stream on YouTube

Official Website Store

There are ten songs on this children's Christmas album by Rain for Roots. You can stream the album on their official website in a widget (scroll to the very, very bottom of the page.) Or you can stream on YouTube or Spotify. 

From their about us, "Rain for Roots is a collective group of musicians and songwriters who write singable Scripture songs for kids and grown ups alike.  While the albums have featured other collaborators and guest musicians since 2012, Rain for Roots primarily includes four members, Sandra McCracken, Flo Paris Oakes, Katy Hutson Bowser and Alice Smith."

The ten songs are: 

• O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
• Come Light Our Hearts
• Isaiah 11
• Every Valley (It's Hard to Wait)
• The Weight of the World
• Mary Consoles Eve
• Zechariah
• Magnificat
• Great Rejoicing
• Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

The album is a blend of traditional songs and original songs, with the majority being original compositions. One of the compositions is very silly and a bit addictive! (I speak of Zechariah...the one who couldn't speak...for the majority of this silly yet Scriptural story).

There were two or three songs where it was close to love at first...listen. A few that I knew I would want to listen to again, again--as the case may be. But most of the songs had to grow on me. As I listened to the album for a second, third, even fourth time, I began to appreciate the album as a whole. I was not familiar with most of these artists before listening to this album. Again, there was some growing time where I had to get used to the sound, the style, the arrangements, the instruments. 

I would describe the album as mellow, relaxing, original...and most importantly perhaps what I should have said first...Scriptural. 

The most thought-provoking to me was Mary Consoles Eve. 

Come Light Our Hearts 

For you, O Lord, our souls in stillness wait 

For you, O Lord, our souls in stillness wait 

Truly our hope is in You 

Truly our hope is in You 

O Lord of life, our only hope 

Your radiance shines On all who look -- to You in the dark 

Emmanuel come, come light our hearts 

For you, O Lord, our souls in stillness wait 

For you, O Lord, our souls in stillness wait 

Truly our hope is in You 

Truly our hope is in You 

O Joy above all other loves 

In you we find more than enough 

We come as we are, O heal and restore 

Come light our hearts

Mary Consoles Eve

Eve, my sister 

The one who took the fall 

Eve, my sister Mother of us all 

Lift up your head 

Don’t hide your blushing face 

The promised One 

Is finally on His way 

Almost, not yet, already 

Almost, not yet, already 

Eve, it’s Mary 

Now I’m a mother too 

The child I carry 

A promise coming true 

This baby comes to save us from our sin 

A servant King, His kingdom without end 

Almost, not yet, already 

Almost, not yet, already 

He comes to make his blessings flow 

As far and wide as the curse is found 

He comes to make His blessings flow 

Almost, not yet, already, 

Almost, not yet, already...soon 

Eve, my sister 

The one who took the fall 

Eve, my sister Mother of us all 

The promised One 

Is finally on His way

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Album Spotlight: Starkindler

Album name: Starkindler

Artist: Michael Card

Year: 1998

Album playlist on YouTube

Starkindler, a "Celtic conversation throughtime" is a collection of hymns performed by Michael Card. 

It features ten songs:

• Be Thou My Vision
• Starkindler (a Card original)
• Morning Has Broken
• I Will Arise
• Let All Things Now Living
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is
• Jesus, Lover of My Soul
• I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
• Holy God We Praise Thy Name
• Be Thou My Vision (reprise)

I absolutely love this album. I don't know that I appreciated it when I was younger. (I was in college when it came out in 1998). But now that I've experienced God's goodness and grace more and more with each passing year, I find myself living in hymns. 

This album features hymns that were mostly new to me. That is I didn't grow up singing The King of Love My Shepherd Is or Let All Things Now Living. (I had heard of Be Thou My Vision and Morning Has Broken). I loved getting to know these new-to-me but still traditional hymns. 

I love the FLOW of the album. There may be a fancy word for this that I'm missing. But what I mean is how all the songs fit together and sound like they belong together. None of them sound out of place or thrown into the mix. It's a cohesive experience. 

I love the Celtic sound. IT's a great balance. The arrangements don't overpower the deep richness of the lyrics. (And the lyrics are quite theologically rich.) Yet the arrangements ADD so much. Everything is beautiful.

One of my absolute favorite songs is Let All Things Now Living. According to Hymnary, it was written by Katherine Davis in 1939 and the tune is Ash Grove. 

Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who guided us on to the end of our days.
His banners are o'er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
'Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.
His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song let us raise
'Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!"
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
"To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!"

Another favorite is THE KING OF LOVE MY SHEPHERD IS inspired by Psalm 23 and written by H.W. Baker in 1868. 

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Berean Playlist #7 Gracefully Broken

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series. Tasha Cobbs Leonard video. Matt Redman and Tasha Cobbs Leonard video. 

Today's song is "Gracefully Broken." I've known the song a little over a week. My first exposure to the song was on Matt Redman's album, Glory Song. It is a duet between Matt Redman and Tasha Cobbs Leonard.

Before I analyze if the song is biblical, it would be helpful to determine what the song means. Usually this is relatively easy. Usually. But in the case of "Gracefully Broken" I'm finding myself stumped.

What do the songwriters mean when they say "multiply, God, all that I am"? I'd really love to know. The full thought is "Take all I have in these hands and multiply, God, all that I am and find my heart on the altar again." The last phrase "find my heart on the altar again" makes some sense in the context of Romans 12. But I'm thoroughly confused on what the songwriters, on what the worshippers want multiplied? Theoretically, we're sacrificing ourselves on the altar--giving up our will, our selfishness, our desires, our sins, our pride, our ego, our stubbornness, our independence, our need to be on the throne, our tendency to make idols, our worldliness. Surely these things don't need to be multiplied. Are they talking about spiritual gifts or spiritual fruit? If so, it makes sense in that you'd want more, desire more...but would you really be talking about this in context of sacrifice and surrender? The song mentions this "And multiply, God, all that I am" at least twice. So it must matter to the song's overall meaning.... If only I knew what it means--what they meant--I'd have a better guess on if it lines up with Scripture.

"Set me on fire, set me on fire" and "Set me on fire, set me on fire." Assuming they mean "fill me with Your Spirit." But then again they are talking about sacrifices at an altar. So the figurative language continues. My question: Do we really want to be set on fire? Even if God is the one setting the fire?

"Here I am, God, arms wide open pouring out my life gracefully broken." Arms wide open, I'm assuming, is continuing the surrender/sacrifice theme. As is "pouring out my life." But what does the phrase gracefully broken mean?!

Gracefully is an adverb meaning "in an attractively elegant way." A second meaning is "in a respectful and dignified way."
Graceful is an adjective meaning "characterized by elegance or beauty of form, manner, movement, or speech; elegant.
Graciously is an adverb form of gracious, see below
Gracious is an adjective meaning, "godly" "pleasing, acceptable," "marked by kindness," "merciful, compassionate."

There is a BIG difference in the two words. There are pages on the internet showing the difference between the two trying to help writers determine which word should be used based on different contexts. I think the songwriters MEANT gracious but used graceful. I'll rephrase that. I think there is biblical and experiential proof that God GRACIOUSLY breaks us. That our brokenness is God's mercy, kindness, and compassion at work. God is providentially, graciously, lovingly at work in our lives--not to make us comfortable, not to make us feel comfy-cozy, not to make us feel warm-and-fuzzy on the inside, not to make us feel blessed and favored, but to make us holy and acceptable. I think there is little to no evidence that God GRACEFULLY breaks us. When we're broken, it is messy and ugly--at least from our perspective. There's nothing beautiful or elegant about it. There is nothing dignified and respectable about it.  Our hopes, our dreams, our wants, our desires, our plans, our wills, our pride, our independence, our self-esteem, our self-confidence, our self-righteousness--are being broken, even crushed.

 The next verse--beginning with "My heart stands in awe of Your name..." and ending with "You won't forsake me, You will be with me"--is actually straightforward, easy to understand, and biblical. In fact, if this verse wasn't part of the song, I would be more willing to dismiss the whole song as junk.

The next section(s) of the song are repetitive--extremely so. But there are a few more phrases that are worth examining: I'm strong when I am weak/ I will be free/ Your power and work in me/ I'm broken gracefully..

I think the idea of being strong when weak comes from 2 Corinthians 12. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” There are several places that speak of being made free. And of course, God's power is at work in us when we are Spirit-filled and Spirit-led.

There are phrases that are definitely biblical. There are phrases that are over-used cliches (Here I am, Lord...Arms Wide Open...Set Me On Fire...I Surrender All...) with a somewhat mechanical feel, in my opinion. And some parts of the song are just CONFUSING and COMPLICATED.

I'd love clarification on WHAT the songwriters want multiplied in us. I'd also love to know WHY they went with the word GRACEFULLY instead of GRACIOUSLY. Are they making a theological argument that the way God breaks us is BEAUTIFUL and RESPECTABLE and ELEGANT and DIGNIFIED from God's perspective if not our own?

As for the melody, I could actually close my eyes and imagine a chorus of dancers doing a modern dance number to this song.

Here are the lyrics:

Take all I have in these hands
And multiply, God, all that I am
And find my heart on the altar again
Set me on fire, set me on fire
Oh, take all I have in these hands
And multiply, God, all that I am
And find my heart on the altar again
Set me on fire, set me on fire
Here I am, God
Arms wide open
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken
My heart stands in awe of Your name
Your mighty love stands strong to the end
You will fulfill Your purpose for me
You won't forsake me, You will be with me
Here I am, God
Arms wide open
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken
Pouring out my life again
Here I am, God
Arms wide open
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken
Oh, gracefully
All to Jesus now
All to Jesus now
Holding nothing back
Holding nothing back
I surrender
I surrender
I surrender
I surrender
Here I am, God
Arms wide open (here I am, here I am)
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken
Here I am, God
With my arms wide open (with my arms wide open)
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken, oh
Your power and work in me
I'm broken gracefully
I'm strong when I am weak
I will be free
Your power and work in me
I'm broken gracefully
I'm strong when I am weak
I will be free, yeah
Your power and work in me (work in me)
I'm broken gracefully (broken gracefully)
(I'm strong when I am weak)
I will be free (I will be free)
Your power and work in me
Are gonna work in me (I'm broken gracefully)
I'm strong, I'm strong
I will be free
Your power and work in me (your work in me)
I'm broken gracefully (I'm so broken)
I'm strong when I am weak (I'm strong)
I will be free
Your power and work in me
I'm broken gracefully (I'm broken gracefully)
I'm strong when I am weak
I will be free
Here I am, God
Arms wide open
Pouring out my life
Gracefully broken

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Berean Playlist #6 Blessed Be Your Name

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series.
Video Matt Redman

Today's song is Matt Redman's "Blessed Be Your Name." I hope to show without a doubt that the song is biblical.

Job 1:21, "And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”"

Habakkuk 3:17-19, "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places."

Philippians 4:11-13, "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

James 1:2-4, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

Psalm 41:13, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen."

Psalm 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation."

Psalm 72:19, "Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!"

Psalm 113:2-3, "Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!"

Psalm 42:11, "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."

Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 103:1-5, "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."

Psalm 104:33, "I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being."

Psalm 146:2, "I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being."

Lyrics:

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour our, I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's "all as it should be"
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour our, I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

God you give and take away

Oh you give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

This is a personal song for me. It is a song I've lived in--learned in. It's a TRUE song.

I hope that I've convinced you the song is biblical. As for the repetitiveness of the give and take away...I can only say that if you've ever LIVED through a give and take away, you KNOW that it takes some repetition, some coaxing, to make peace with it and rest content with God's will. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Berean Playlist #5 We Need Jesus

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series.
See video Petra. 

"We Need Jesus" is a worship song from 1997 performed by Petra. Worship albums were just beginning to appear at that time. They had not taken over the Christian market...yet. I'm not sure if there are any worship bands--church bands--still performing "We Need Jesus." And that might be a good thing. Let's take a closer look at the lyrics and see if they are indeed biblical?

Lyrics:

When will the world
See that we need Jesus?
If we open our eyes
We will all realize
That He loves us
When will the world
See that we need Jesus?
When our hearts are as one
And believe that He's the Son of our God
The Lord is our God
And we shall never want
The Lord is our God
And we shall live forever
When we share the love of Jesus
See each other as He sees us
Then His love will see us through
His love will see us through
When will the world
See that we need Jesus?
When sister and brother
Love one another as one
When will the world
See that we need Jesus?
Will we ever understand
Jesus is the Son of man?
We must live in the shadow of His love

If the question was simply, "Do we need Jesus?" it would be a lot simpler to answer. It would be a YES. But that is not the question the song poses.

When will the world see that we need Jesus? This is a valid theological question, but I'd change it up a bit. Can "the world" see that they need Jesus? OR if you prefer Can "the world" see the need for Jesus? see the need for a Savior?

The Bible points out time and time and time and time and time again that the world CANNOT see Jesus. That in fact the natural man if left on his own will never--can never--see the need for Jesus. Old Testament, New Testament same story. Genesis to Revelation, His Word is consistent the natural man--the fallen man is blind, deaf, lost, rebellious, wicked, unwilling, unable; it is not being overly dramatic to say he is DEAD.

So. The answer to the first question is NEVER. Never will the world see that they need Jesus. That's not how the songwriters answer the question.

Their answer is, "IF WE OPEN OUR EYES WE WILL ALL REALIZE." This is unbiblical--out and out unbiblical. Can a blind person open his/her own eyes? NO. NEVER. We cannot open our own eyes. Never once does the Bible say we can. Never once does the Bible say that we can do anything of the sort. The Bible always, always, always stresses that regeneration, rebirth, new life, eternal life, faith, salvation, etc. is THE EXCLUSIVE WORK OF THE Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit alone can open eyes. Without the Holy Spirit, the natural man could never--would never--respond to the gospel whether proclaimed from the pulpit, shared one on one, or read. It is arrogant to think that you had anything whatsoever to do with the opening of your eyes, the opening of your ears, the opening of your heart, the opening of your mind. All spiritual truth--all spiritual light--is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Why is one man saved and another man not? Why does one man see and the other not see? The Holy Spirit.

The songwriters would have you believe it is YOU. You are so smart! Pat yourself on the back!!! You opened your own eyes. You saw your need for Christ!!! You repented of your sins!!! You accepted Jesus into your heart!!! Way to go! You're so swell. If your neighbor would stop being so foolish he'd open his own eyes too!!!

Spiritual truths cannot be discerned apart from the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter how clear, how fundamentally obvious the Bible is--it takes the Spirit to understand and interpret it for each believer.

Not content with that one answer--I'm not content with it either--it goes on to list another. THE WORLD WILL SEE ITS NEED FOR CHRIST JESUS *when* Christians start living out their faith, their doctrine. If those who profess Christ were to actually-actually be obedient to the Word of God and LOVE ONE ANOTHER, and FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER, and stand united with one another in the truth and for the truth--proclaiming the truth of the gospel--then the world would have to see the need for Jesus?! Right?!

Well. It's certainly Biblical to be obedient!!!!! To take Jesus' teachings serious. To realize that God meant it when he said that we should love one another--that we MUST love one another. Love and forgiveness are KEY TRUTHS. Just read 1 John. All five chapters. Also Ephesians 4:1-32. You could easily study--meditate--on these passages for weeks, months, years.

I like the second answer better than the first. But I don't think--as good as it is to be sanctified--that that alone will be enough to convert the natural man without the aid of the Holy Spirit.

From my standpoint, the song seems to be doing two things: congratulating yourself on being clever enough to see your need for Jesus, admonishing the world for not seeing their need for Jesus, and encouraging you to love others. But the encouragement to love others doesn't seem to be coming from a place of obedience, of duty, of genuineness. Emphasis on seem. It seems to be just as much about calling attention to one's awesomeness. LOOK AT ME, I'M BEING OBEDIENT. LOOK AT ME, I'M LOVING OTHERS. DON'T YOU WANT TO BE AS AWESOME AS ME AND JOIN IN THIS ANTHEM.

This song does have some truths hidden within it. We shall never want; we shall live forever. But overall, it doesn't seem to be giving God the glory. If we want people to be saved, we need to do better!

Romans 3:10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:8-11;

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:13,14;

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; ti is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:4-10

John 1:11,12; John 3:3-21;  John 3:35,36; John 6:36, 37, 38, 39, 40; John 6:44, 45; John 6:65; John 8:43, 47, 52; John 9:39,40,41;

"Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.  John 6:44

1 Corinthians 2:14: "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

2 Corinthians 4:3, 4, 5, 6;

1 Corinthians 1:18

Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Ezekiel 37:1-14; Jeremiah 31:31-34;

Psalm 14:3; Ps. 53:3, Jeremiah 9:5,

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Berean Playlist #4 The Happy Song

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series.
See video Delirious

Lyrics

Oh I could sing unending songs of how you saved my soul
Well, I could dance a thousand miles because of your great love

My heart is bursting LORD to tell of all You've done
Of how You've changed my life, and wiped away the past
Oh, I wanna shout it out -- From every roof top sing
For now I know that God is for me not against me

---
Everybody's singin' now...cause we're so happy!
Everybody's dancin' now...cause we're so happy!
If only we could see your face and see you smiling over us
As unseen angels celebrate hey for joy's in this place

Is the happiness or JOY of The Happy Song contagious? I think so. It's a VIBRANT, joyful, lively, peppy, happy-clappy, fast-tempo song. But is it biblical?

These are the verses I am selecting for the verse and bridge:

• 1 John 4:10, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins."
• Romans 5:6-11, "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-19, "Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation."
• Romans 8:31-39, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• Ephesians 3:14-19, "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."
• Luke 15:10, "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
• Bless the Lord, O my soul,
  And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
  Bless the Lord, O my soul,
  And forget none of His benefits;
  Who pardons all your iniquities,
  Who heals all your diseases;
  Who redeems your life from the pit,
  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
  Who satisfies your years with good things,
  So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:1-5

These are the verses I am selecting for the chorus:

• Psalm 107:2, "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary."
• Psalm 9:1, "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders."
• Psalm 66:16, "Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul."
• Psalm 71:15, "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them."
• Psalm 73:28, "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works." 
• Psalm 30:11, "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness." 
• Psalm 149: 3, "Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre."
• Psalm 150:4, "Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe."
• 2 Samuel 6:14, "And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might...."
• Ecclesiastes 3:4, "A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance."
• Psalm 5:11,  "But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; And may you shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You."
• Psalm 13:6, "I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me."
• Psalm 33:1, "Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright."
• Psalm 33:3, "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy."
• Psalm 61:8, "So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day."
• Psalm 84:2, "My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
• Psalm 89:1, "I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth."
• Psalm 95: "O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation."
• Psalm 96:2, "Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day."
• Psalm 98:4, "Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises."
• Psalm 104:33, "I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
• Psalm 105:2, "Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders."
• Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"

Is the song instructional? Would the lyrics of the song instruct and teach? Probably not. They touch on great truths of the Bible--see above. But the song assumes that the congregation--the audience--the singers and dancers--are among the Lord's redeemed. That they have experienced gospel blessedness for themselves.

The Happy Song was an instant favorite when I first heard it, and it remains a favorite to this day. There are other songs that have come to mean more to me--that I feel like I have crawled in and lived. But The Happy Song is a good one!


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Berean Playlist #3 I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series.
Video of Delirious. Video of Sonicflood. Video of Passion. 

I Could Sing of Your Love Forever comes close--in my opinion--to being a 7-11 song*. One could easily sing the same seven words "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" eleven plus times in a row. 

In fact, this song packs a bit of a threat or challenge: taken literally, your church could start singing and continue singing this song...forever. I've not researched every album recording of this song. But the few I have found range from a little over four minutes to close to eight! (When I listen to live performances, I question are they clapping in part because it's over?!)

There are two questions I'll examine here. The first: Are the lyrics biblical? The second: How long is too long? 

Lyrics:
Over the mountains and the sea,
Your river runs with love for me,
And I will open up my heart
And let the healer set me free.
I'm happy to be in the truth,
And I will daily lift my hands:
For I will always sing of when
Your love came down.

I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever.

Oh, I feel like dancing
It's foolishness I know;
But when the world has seen the light,
They will dance with joy,
Like we're dancing now

I'll start with the chorus. Psalm 89:1 reads, "I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 106:1 reads, "Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" It's worth reading Psalm 118:1-29 and Psalm 136:1-26 as well. Especially those who are critical of the song's repetitiveness. Every single verse in Psalm 136 repeats the phrase 'for his steadfast love endures forever.' 

Aside from the chorus, are the lyrics biblical? Yes. No. Maybe. Probably. 

Is there enough proof in the Bible that God is a loving God? that he, in fact, loves us? Yes. Romans 5:9 (for context see Romans 5:6-21). 1 John 3:1, 16; 1 John 4:7-12. John 3:16. John 13:34-35. John 15:9-11, 12-17. John 17:1-26. 

I'm not perfectly perfectly happy with the phrase, "I will open up my heart"...because I think more often than not the Bible is clear that it is GOD who opens up our hearts and not we ourselves. God opens hearts. God opens eyes. God opens ears. God. God. God. (Acts 16:14)

I also am not perfectly happy with the phrase 'let the healer set me free.' God doesn't need our permission to act. God is sovereign. God does whatever God wants with or without our "letting" him. It is entirely possible I am letting the word LET overpower the main point, however. JESUS is a healer. No doubt about it. Jesus healed then and he can heal now. I think sometimes we focus more on physical healing--wanting to be healed from physical ailments--and not realizing the enormity of our spiritual needs. It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that we don't need healing so much as RESURRECTING. We are DEAD, d-e-a-d in our trespasses. We need to be brought back from the dead. 

"I'm happy to be in the truth." Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. (John 14:6) And we should be HAPPY to be IN THE TRUTH. The truth does set us free--Jesus sets us free. (John 8:31-38) We are freed from our bondage to sin. We are freed to serve God and be living sacrifices. (Romans 12:1) 

"I will daily lift my hands..." Psalm 63:4, Psalm 119:48, Psalm 141:2, 
"...When your love came down..." Philippians 2:5-11, John 1:1-4, 14-18
...I feel like dancing...like we're dancing now... Psalm 30:11, Psalm 149:3, Psalm 150:4, Ecclesiastes 3:4...

"When the world has seen the light..." possibly Psalm 96:10-13

Conclusion: Depending on whether you give the authors of the song the benefit of the doubt, the song is mostly biblical. If you are a Calvinist, you might have issues with a few of the phrases here and there. 

The second question: how long is too long?! This is a completely subjective answer. But here I go. If you get up to go to the bathroom and they are STILL singing "I could sing of your love forever..." when you get back...the song is probably hanging on too long. How would you answer that question?! 

Lyrics:
Over the mountains and the sea,
Your river runs with love for me,
And I will open up my heart
And let the healer set me free.
I'm happy to be in the truth,
And I will daily lift my hands:
For I will always sing of when
Your love came down.

I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever,
I could sing of your love forever.

Oh, I feel like dancing
It's foolishness I know;
But when the world has seen the light,
They will dance with joy,
Like we're dancing now

*For more about 7-11 songs. 


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible