O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go
Christian Hope in the Christian's Sorrows
On June 6, 1882, George Matheson sat alone a day before his sister’s wedding and penned “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” Though delighted for his sister, the Scottish minister felt sorrow mixed in with joy before the wedding festivities. At age 20, Matheson lost his eyesight, and his fiancé at the time... Continue Reading
Abide with Me
“Abide with Me” was written by the Scottish Anglican priest Henry F. Lyte (1793-1847). Lyte was a reputed poet and hymnodist.
Lyte preached as a dying man to dying men. He knew that life was but a vapor and that sinful man must make haste to close with Christ. And even as his own life began to fade, Lyte pointed others to the solace that he found in knowing that our unchangeable God abides with all... Continue Reading
This Is My Father’s World
Written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, an American Presbyterian minister, and published posthumously in 1901, “This is My Father’s World” packs a theological punch.
The church has a high calling to bear witness to the Father’s glory throughout the entire world, which ultimately belongs to him. “This Is My Father’s World” is no ordinary hymn; it’s a powerful reminder of God’s sovereignty and the goodness of his creation. Unlike many of the kitschy and theologically anemic songs of today, it... Continue Reading
The Best Hymn Writer You’ve Never Heard Of
Writing amid debilitating physical symptoms and emotional pain, Anne Steele didn’t spend time in the limelight.
She has reminded me of God’s holiness that makes me tremble—and God’s compassion that never fails. Because of her ministry, I’m slower to be spiritually flippant and quicker to run to Jesus for comfort. Steele has helped me keep this life’s suffering in perspective as I look forward to heaven’s joy. She has deepened my love for... Continue Reading
How to Use Your Hymnal
Good hymn writers take the beautiful words of God and turn them into beautiful pieces of poetry.
Most hymnals will group the songs by theme. For instance, you want to sing a song about the resurrection. You can look at the themes in the back of the hymnal or at the top of the pages and find whole sections of songs about the resurrection of Christ. Or what about songs about God’s... Continue Reading
Take “Rich Men North of Richmond” Seriously
There’s a social and spiritual level to the song beyond its obvious economics.
If the counties (and states) north of Richmond were red instead of blue and treated the working men south of Richmond with magnanimity rather than neglect or contempt, there still would be a problem because what those men need isn’t patronage; it’s control over their own lives and a say in the fate of their... Continue Reading
Heresy at the Heart of Derek Webb’s “Boys Will Be Girls”
Webb’s new album, The Jesus Hypothesis, is anything but subtle: it’s a celebration of gender transition and drag.
As Pride Month and its demands increasingly invade all of life, Christians must understand the semireligious nature of the culture war we’re fighting. Homosexual behavior and cross-dressing are nothing new, but as Scrivener, Holland, and (I suspect) Chesterton would argue, the way these things are sold today—as a matter of oppressed and outcast minorities in... Continue Reading
Handel’s “Messiah”, A Prophetic Masterwork – Part 6: The Prophesied Sacrificial Lamb
The Crucifixion
You would think that a musical representation of the Crucifixion would use the Gospel accounts as the primary source. But Charles Jennens did not use even a single verse from those accounts. Instead, the bulk of his presentation of the event comes from Isaiah and Psalms. We come now in our study of the... Continue Reading
Listen as “Hi Ren” Gives Countercultural Rebuttal to Godless Mental Health Industry
While Ren Gill claims he doesn’t identify with any particular religion, deep and ancient Christian themes take center stage in "Hi Ren."
Gill recognizes that as a sinful human, he is meant to struggle, and there is power in embracing that struggle. Indeed, the only real way for people to flourish is to let go of pride and accept and even embrace the humiliating realities of life. Gill gets this, making his song a radical departure from... Continue Reading
The Truths of Which We Now Sing (1 Tim 3:16)
Six lyrical phrases from what was most probably an early Christian hymn, sung in three stanzas of two lines each. Let’s consider the truth revealed in each line.
We sing because we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of sinners. We sing because we have received and are resting upon Christ alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel. Don’t sneer at us who sing. Join us in our confession and sing with us... Continue Reading
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