10 Weeks of Songs: Part 2
Another 10 weeks has passed and another 10 songs online. Here’s the run down of each one.
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Week 13: Your name and Your glory
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Week 17: Let Your justice reign
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The chord sheets are either already up or will be going online very soon for all of these songs.
If you have any thoughts about them musically or lyrically please post a comment or send me a message, I’m always looking to improve on them.
New Song 20: In the stillness
In the stillness – Demo – Coming soon
This is one of the oldest songs I’ve posted, I wrote it about 6 years ago and it was one we used quite a bit for a while at Wymondham Baptist, it was also one of the first of my songs I’d used in church.
The song is simply about waiting on God in the quiet and the stillness. God can still the waves and calm the storms and the song is asking God to still out hearts and minds to we can hear him.
Verse 1:
You calmed the storm
Brough to a whisper the waves
You’ve stilled my heart
Now I am safe
Verse 2:
In the midst of the night
When there’s fear in my heart
In my pain in my sorrow
Lord my hope, is You
Chorus:
I will wait in the stillness
I will wait in the quiet place
I will wait in the stillness
Just to hear Your voice again
Tag:
Still my heart, O lord, my God
Still my heart, O lord, my God
Still my heart, O lord, my God
New Song 19: I’m sorry
I’m sorry – Demo – Coming Soon
I had the initial inspiration for this song from listening to Hurt by Christina Aguilera. In particular the line “I’m sorry for blaming You”. It made me realise that the wasn’t a worship song I could think of that says anything like that. One big area of our worship we seem to miss is confession and even more so in our worship songs.
With that idea I also drew upon the story Jesus tells of the prodigal son in Luke 15.
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
I wanted to use that attitude the father has. After all the son has done he still runs to him with compassion and arms open.
Verse:
Each day, every mistake weighs
On my mind, and how weary they make me
How far I drift away
But Your arms, are always open
And Your grace is waiting for me
In my tears, I come running
Chorus:
‘Cause Your love,
It restores and redeems and You
You come running after me
Here I am, crying out
Saying sorry, to You God
Hear my prayer, hear my cry
I am sorry
Verse 2:
The longer, that I delay confessing
Every sin, gives Satan ammunition
To keep pulling me away
But Your love, it conquers all things
Each day, You welcome me in to Your arms
So I come running
Tag:
I’m sorry, I’m sorry
I’m sorry Lord
I’m sorry, I’m sorry Lord
New Song 18: Through Your eyes
Through Your eyes – Demo
I wrote this song a few years ago, it’s one that I’ve always felt is verging on a kids some. I’m not sure why it just seems to have something about it. The main idea of the song is that in the world’s eyes most (and nearly all) of us are nothing. We’re not celebrities, we’re not millionaires or pop stars are anyone else that gets in the pupil eye but through God’s eyes we’re amazing. We’re perfectly made. In His eyes we are so much more than we could be on the earth.
This song could easily be played using different chords but I quite like playing it on Capo 7.
Verse 1:
I’m not a rock star
I’m not a world champion
I am no one, in this world
(repeat)
Chorus:
In Your eyes
I’m made perfectly
Through Your eyes
There is beauty I can’t see
I long to be; all that you ask me
For I know You love me
I know You love me
Verse 2:
I’m not pin-up
I’m not a movie star
I am no one in this world
Bridge:
I’m storing up; treasures in heaven
Not this worlds dumb ideas
If I was someone in this world
I’d give all to be Your friend
New Song 17: Let Your justice reign
Let Your justice reign – Demo
I started writing this song several years ago. It was inspired by a small passage highlighted by one of my friends. He had used in the Sunday school class we were running.
Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy
This song has gone through many iterations. here is the original version.
Verse 1:
If we stand for those who cannot stand,
If we speak for those without a voice
If we pray, prayers for of faith, we’ll see a change
If we dance all over injustice
And cry out for everyone in pain
If we treat everyone as equal, we’ll see a change
Lives will be changed
Chorus:
Let justice reign, let justice reign
Open the eyes of the world, to see the suffering and pain
Verse 2:
If we lead the broken back to Jesus, and share the gospel with the lost,
If we show the love of the Father, lives will be changed
Lives will be saved
Chorus 2:
Let justice reign, let justice reign
Set our hearts on fire, to see justice reign again
Tag:
You’re calling us to the last, the least, the lost
To see justice flow like the river
Righteousness like a never-failing stream, never-failing stream
This was one of the two songs I had planned to submit for the new People’s Album so I requested a little bit of guidance from Tim Hughes. He highlighted a few key things. Firstly he felt the gap between the verse and chorus was too big. On the lyrics side he point out that it is God that saves not us and that world is very much aware of the suffering and pain and doesn’t really need its eyes opened to it.
I went back to drawing board and started work on the chorus again. This is the version I finally submitted.
Verse 1:
If we stand for those who cannot stand,
If we speak for those without a voice
If we pray, trusting in Your word, we’ll see a change
Chorus:
Let justice reign, let justice reign
Lord we cry out to You, to see this world changed
Verse 2:
We will lead the broken back to Jesus,
And share the gospel with the lost,
We will live as Your hands and feet, Lord You will save
Chorus 2:
Let justice reign, let justice reign
Set our hearts on fire, to see injustice end
Tag:
You’re calling us to the last, the least, the lost
To see justice flow like the river
Righteousness like a never-failing stream, never-failing stream
The song wasn’t selected but I thought I would post in on the worship central website to get a more opinions. I received a private message from Chris Sayburn who was interested in working on the song with me. He re-worked some of the verse and we had a few e-mails about it but no progress was made on the chorus. These were the changes.
Verse 1
If we stand for those who cannot stand,
If we speak for those without a voice
If we pray, trusting in Your word,
We’ll see change, We’ll see change
Verse 2
If we love those who know no love
If we give to those who cannot give
If we go, living out Your word
We’ll see change, we’ll see change
Verse 3:
We will stand for those who can not stand
We will speak for those without a voice
We will pray, trusting in Your word
We’ll see change, In Jesus’ name.
Verse 4:
We will love those who know no love
We will give to those who cannot give
We will go,living out Your word
We’ll see change, we’ll see change
Three years I came back to the song again with new ideas for the chorus. I finally settled on this
Chorus:
As we go, Lord You will save
By Your power, we’ll see lives changed
And as we live as Your hand and feet
Let Your justice reign
Let Your justice reign
Last week a gave a copy of this final version to the person who heads up the worship at my church. These are the final lyrics.
Verse 1
If we stand for those who cannot stand,
If we speak for those without a voice
If we pray, trusting in Your word,
We’ll see change, We’ll see change
Verse 2
If we love those who know no love
If we give to those who cannot give
If we go, living out Your word
We’ll see change, we’ll see change
Chorus:
As we go, Lord You will save
By Your power, we’ll see lives changed
And as we live as Your hand and feet
Let Your justice reign
Let Your justice reign
Verse 3:
We will stand for those who can not stand
We will speak for those without a voice
We will pray, trusting in Your word
We’ll see change, In Jesus’ name.
Verse 4:
We will love those who know no love
We will give to those who cannot give
We will go,living out Your word
We’ll see change, we’ll see change
New Song 16: Oh, how I love You
Oh, how I love You – Demo
Recently I decided to flick through a small notepad I was given around 10 years ago. It has lots of song ideas and lyrics in it from over the years. I came across one page which had just a few lines and chords. I don’t remember how it went, as a result I just started playing what felt natural.
After a short time I had the melody I liked which could be sung in a higher octave as well.
Oh, how I love You
Oh, how I love You
Oh, how I love You Lord
How I love You Lord
A few weeks later I started working on a verses. It was very simple. I jiggled around with a few lines and come up with a little bridge. This song is probably not finished but this is how it stands at the moment.
Verse 1:
Name above all names
What sacrifice You gave
Standing in my place
Took the sins of the world
And placed them on Your shoulders
Now I’ll never be the same
Bridge:
And my heart,
It cries out
And my soul,
Oh it sings
Chorus:
Oh, how I love You
Oh, how I love You
Oh, how I love You Lord
How I love You Lord
New Song Week 15: This is the God
This is the God – Demo
I’m still catching up with the songs and I haven’t had time to finish the recordings yet but they will be coming soon. There’s not really a story to go with this song. The segments of the songs were pretty much created in the order below and haven’t really had any changes. The one major change was the line “And reaches out to the poor”; originally it was “and feeds the poor”.
Verse 1:
Love that goes beyond the grave
Grace strong enough to save
The Saviour that out lasts time
He’s overwhelmingly sublime
Chorus:
This is the God who welcomes all
Who loves the lost
And reaches out to the poor
The Saviour who gave it all
Through death that gave life
The perfect sacrifice
Verse 2:
The Father to the fatherless
He restores us in the quietness
Took our sin so we might live
And sacrificed Himself instead
Bridge:
He is awesome, He is worthy
He is glorious, and He is mighty
He is powerful, and He is strong
He reigns forever
His love goes on and on and on
His love goes on and on and on
New Song Week 13: So much higher
So much higher – Demo – coming soon
About 8 years ago I was given a gift by a friend at Christmas. It was a small little square notepad. I kept it on my almost all the time and it was especially good for jotting down song ideas. The very first page I used contained the verse to the song. The next few pages contained several attempts at a chorus. No matter how much I tried I couldn’t find anything that I felt worked.
A month or two ago I came across my notepad again and started using it to jot more song ideas in. I’ve since started to go through it to look at some of my older song ideas and came back to this song. It’s great to come back to a song with fresh eyes, new experiences and new revelations. A new chorus flowed quite naturally while I played the verse. I can’t decide if it is finished yet but at the moment I’m happy with it.
Verse:
I’m giving up my life
To You my King
My hearts a sacrifice
An offering
I bow down, bow down
I’m giving up my heart
To You
Everything I am
And everything I do
I bow down, bow down
Chorus:
So much higher You must be
So we worship at Your feet
Bowed down
Crying You are Holy
Here I am, take all of me
For God You are everything
Jesus You are Holy
New Song Week 13: Your name and Your glory
Your name and Your glory – Demo – coming soon
This was the last song that I introduced at Wymondham Baptist Church before moving to Gateway Vineyard in Norwich. It came in more unusual way for me. I’d previously given a CD of song to our former temporary church leader before our church split. He was very complimentary about the songs but suggested I include more scripture. One evening I decided to go through Psalms. I came across Psalm 102. Most of the lyrics are variations on the exact words in the NIV translation of the psalm. You can see below which verses I’ve drawn on for the lyrics.
Hear my prayer, LORD;
let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
when I call, answer me quickly.
11 My days are like the evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
12 But you, LORD, sit enthroned forever;
your renown endures through all generations.
13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come.
15 The nations will fear the name of the LORD,
all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.
Capo 4
Verse 1:
G
Hear my prayer O Lord
Em C G
Turn Your ear to hear my cry
G
Do not hide Your face
Em C G
When I call, please answer me Lord
Bridge:
Em D
My days are like the evening shadow
Em D
My heart withers like the grass
Em D
My hope’s secure for on Christ
Cmaj7 D
The solid rock I stand
Chorus:
G D C
You never change, You never fade You’re always the same
G D C
You never change, You never fade You’re always the same
G D
You sit enthroned, Your forever renown
Em D
You will, rise with compassion
G D
The nations will fear, world leaders revere
Em D
Your name and Your glory
New Song Week 12: Time
Time – Demo (Coming Soon)
It’s now been over 3 weeks since I last posted a song so I’m going to try a catch up over the next couple of weeks. I’ve been a bit short of time but have started writing some new songs. This is one of the oldest songs I’ve posted so far and it’s theme is quite fitting. I still lived at home when I wrote, I was very busy and I felt I never seemed to have enough time for “quality” time with God but it was something I was after. The lyrics have never really changed from the first draft. There isn’t a chorus as such as the lyrics change every time.
Verse 1:
C Am C Am
I can’t seem to find the time, all I do gets on top me
C Am C Am
I know this loves worth more, all this can wait for You
Chorus 1:
Em Am
Shouldn’t need to find the time
Em Am
Distractions fill my mind
G Am
I know all will be alright
C Am
For You remain
Verse 2:
Oh how time goes by, still these passion burn within me
How I’ve pushed You aside, I want to change the way that I’ve been
Chorus 2:
You’re the center of my life
You’ve made my burdens light
I know all will be all right
For You remain
Bridge:
G Em
So I’ll push aside the works that keep me ground
G Em
Released from chains that have slowed me down
Am Em C
And I’ll run for You, Oh I’ll run for You
Verse 3:
You’ve breathed in me new life
Already won the fight
I’ll give the time to make it right
So we’ll remain
My Speil 