lyrics i love

tonight we had our first large group worship service of the fall for cornerstone. what a kickoff! the music was so powerful and it has been a long time since i have worshiped God with such passion. over the past few years, certain worship songs have really carried me through the tough times. they have lyrics that i can cling to even when sorrow is more of a friend than laughter. the words hold such truth that i can come before God honestly regardless of how i am feeling, not just mouthing insincerity. i was reminded of these songs tonight - why? because i feel somewhat removed from those trials and difficulties. it is easy to forget how hard this world can be when things are. . . well, not hard. granted i am still sad, angry or disappointed with life, people, myself - but a true sense of sorrow is something completely different. i can go on and on about learning to grieve, the godliness of it, but its power to bring me to my knees in worship during it and because of it is one of the most amazing things i have embraced about my life. although it may be more common to follow God more fervently when things are going well, i tend to get comfortable during these times. i am much more passionate about glorifying and seeking God during trial - maybe that is why i am always dealing with another hardship. God knows i will be more faithful and allows me to experience the pain and suffering. He doesn't bring it on, but He sure does let it refine me.

i wanted to share some of these lyrics - if you know them they deserve to be reviewed, if you don't they are worthy of reading. the first song is one we sang tonight that got me thinking along these lines. the middle two i want to shout from the mountaintops. the last may be my favorite and i particularly love these lines near the end:

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

isn't that beautiful? such truth and brokenness.

Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman

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 out 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 out
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 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

Continue
by Enter the Worship Circle

Continue to love me
With that same love
Righteous and unchanging
Continue to love me
With that same love
Priceless and unfailing
Your love it reached to the sky
Your righteousness, a mountain high
How priceless, your unending love
Both high and low among men
Take cover under your wings
How priceless your unending love
My heart us broken

How Great is our God
by Chris Tomlin

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in
One Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God


Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

closing thoughts - a lot is lost without the melody and music behind these lyrics - so check out the audio versions for yourself - i have not included links so you'll have to google them yourself if interested. also, pretty much anything by Enter the Worship Circle is amazing and comes highly recommended by the hart clan. other songs by them i could have written out: those who trust, its my joy, be near to me, i will bow, save me, put in me, i cannot hide my love - why did i even try to list them - just check them out!