Behind the Praise - Sunday August 2, 2009

Blended 9:30 am

“Guide Me O, Thou Great Jehovah”

This hymn is also called “Guide Me O, Thou Great Redeemer”. Encouraged by the Welsh Calvinist Methodists to update their hymnal, William Williams, the "Sweet Singer of Wales" produced about 800 hymns, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" being the first in 1745.
This very personal hymn seeks the same care that God gave the Israelites in the wilderness: "Bread of heaven", the manna in the wilderness, "Open now the crystal fountain", water from the rock, "Let the fire and cloudy pillar", the pillar God used to guide them and protect them in the wilderness.
"Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" has been translated into seventy-five languages. It is so loved in Wales that it is considered an unofficial national anthem
Many are the stories of this beautiful anthem giving people strength in time of adversity. Three women missionaries in China, with bandits outside their door, sang this as though nothing was wrong, receiving comfort and courage from their "Strong Deliverer". Imprisoned with only dry, hard bread and tea, they sang it as Paul and Silas, their spirits undaunted, fed by the "Bread of heaven." In the trenches of Flanders during World War I, it was sung so melodiously by the Welch soldiers that the German soldiers also took it up. Miners sang it on their way to the mines. It could be spontaneously sung at Welsh sporting events, and was sung at Princess Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, London, on September 6, 1997.


Click here to listen to a tower bell arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejdz1yAtDq0

Click here to listen to the great Mahalia Jackson sing the hymn:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe6C92qJGMQ&feature=related

Click here to listen to a choir arrangement of the hymn:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oei9Hcp5W9U

Click here to read through the words:
www.oremus.org/hymnal/g/g401.html

“O God Our Help in Ages Past”

Isaac Watts wrote "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" as a paraphrase of Psalm 90. His desire to write the hymn was born, in part, out of his dissatisfaction with the church music of his day. At 20 years of age, he complained that the metrical psalms they had to sing at Above Bar Chapel in Southampton were grim and ponderous. But to sing anything other than the actual words of Scripture was said to insult to God.


Isaac Watts wrote "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" as a paraphrase of Psalm 90. His desire to write the hymn was born, in part, out of his dissatisfaction with the church music of his day. At 20 years of age, he complained that the metrical psalms they had to sing at Above Bar Chapel in Southampton were grim and ponderous. But to sing anything other than the actual words of Scripture was said to insult to God.
Watts’ father heard Isaac’s complaining and challenged him to "write something better for us to sing." In 1719, he published an important hymnal titled The Psalms of David in the Language of the New Testament. In it he paraphrased the entire Psalter with the exception of twelve Psalms he felt were unsuited for usage.
At this time in England, religious freedom was severely limited and Watts’ father was jailed twice for his religious views. Isaac himself was considered a radical churchman, since he wrote many "hymns of human composure” songs that did not directly quote Bible passages.
In such uncertain times, Watts looked to Psalm 90 for comfort and wrote more than a paraphrase of its heartening words. His hymn actually gave a grand commentary on the subject of time and how God stands above human time.
Originally, "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past" contained nine verses. Today most hymnals use only verses 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9. In 1738, John Wesley changed the first line from "Our God" to "O God." Some feel that the change makes it easier to sing and also calls the vocative case which causes the singer to expect the "Thy" of the second stanza.
O God, our help in ages past,Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,And our eternal home!
Under the shadow of Thy throneStill may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight,Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night, Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dreamDies at the op'ning day.
O God, our help in ages past,Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guide while life shall last,And our eternal home.

Click here to sing along with Westminster Abbey church:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=asrwlIxLeko

Click here for an organ arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo-byfEpXu8

"How Great is Our God"

This worship song was written by Chris Tomlin. Chris said he almost apologized to the Lord for writing such a simple song, but felt that the English language could only go so far in describing the greatness of our God. After writing the song he felt in his spirit that he had written a song that would be embraced by the church around the world.
Chris received his first guitar from his father, Connie, at the age of eleven after contracting a case of mono. Then, Tomlin wrote his first worship song at age fourteen. He entered college planning to study medicine, but he stated that he felt God's calling to something else and did not pursue that career.In the mid-1990's Tomlin spent time leading worship at the Dawson McAllister Youth Conferences, as well as at various camps around the state of Texas.Following college, at Texas A&M University Tomlin continued to play and write songs, and in 1997, Louie Giglio asked if he would be interested in working with the Passion Conferences. Tomlin agreed, and he has played a key role ever since. His first nationally released solo project, entitled The Noise We Make, was released in 2001, which saw the emergence of songs "Forever" (his most famous song other than "How Great Is Our God"), "Be Glorified", and "Kindness", all of which made the top 200 in the CCLI 2005 top 500 worship songs.
According to Christian Copyright Licensing International's list of the top 25 worship songs in the United States as of August 2007, Tomlin held 5 spots with songs he has either written or co-written with other songwriters: "How Great Is Our God" (#1), "Forever" (#5), "Holy Is the Lord" (#7), "We Fall Down" (#12),and "Indescribable" (#22).


Click here to listen to the story behind the song:
www.theheartofworship.org/stories/Story-302-HowGreatisOurGod-Tomlin.mp3

Click here to listen to Chris share about how the song came about on newsong café: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfKli_4LQ0&mode=related&search=

Click here to worship along with Chris:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxPG_mRHDs&feature=related

Click here to learn more about Chris’ ministry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Tomlin#Biography

Click here to visit Chris’ website:
http://www.christomlin.com/

Click here to visit Chris’ myspace:
www.myspace.com/christomlin

CONTEMPORARY 11:00AM

“All to You”

This worship song was written by Lincoln Brewster. Brewster has been musically inclined since his early childhood in Homer, Alaska. At the age of one, his mother, Cheryl, noticed how well he could keep rhythm on a drum set his grandfather had given him. At the age of five, his mother introduced him to the mandolin. Quickly mastering the instrument, he began playing for cruise ship tourists alongside his mother in Homer, Alaska.
By the age of 12, Brewster had a band called Lincoln and the Missing Links, which included his mother on bass and vocals. In his late teens, he moved with his family to California where he joined the high school jazz band (playing guitar and drums) and marching band (playing snare drum).
Due to connections gained in Los Angeles, he had recording contract offers by 19. Feeling emptiness in his life, Brewster attended church services with his high school sweetheart and Christian, Laura. He recalls feeling God drawing him close after attending a drama ministry performance with Laura.
"I was afraid to lay down a lot of things in my life," Lincoln said. "One night, I laid all my cards on the table. I asked the Lord to come into my life, all by myself. It was the best night of sleep I'd ever had. I was very peaceful.

Click here to listen to the song online: http://play.rhapsody.com/lincolnbrewster/letthepraisesringthebestoflincolnbrewster/alltoyou?didAutoplayBounce=true

Click here to read more about Lincoln:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Brewster

Click here to play Lincolns’ songs on his myspace – the songs are available on his standalone player, you can also listen to “Everlasting” and “Let the Praises Ring”
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=83285546

Click here to listen to Lincoln share about his journey and how a 70 year-old woman encouraged him during a time of worship;
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPh1asdTsw

"Blessed Assurance"

The story behind the writing of "Blessed assurance" is simple, yet interesting. One day Miss Crosby was in the home of her friend Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp. In the Knapp home was installed what was believed to be the largest pipe organ ever placed in a private dwelling. However, on this particular day Mrs. Knapp called her guest over to the piano to listen to a new melody she had just composed. After playing the tune a few times she asked, 'What do you think the tune says?' "Blessed assurance Jesus is mine", answered Fanny Crosby, and then, drawing from her vast storehouse of Scripture knowledge, continued with “Oh what a foretaste of glory divine Heir of salvation, purchase of God Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. In a very short time a new sacred song was born with words by Fanny Crosby and music by Mrs. J. F. Knapp. Although written as far back as 1873 Blessed Assurance still remains a firm favorite with Christians everywhere.


Click here to read more about Fanny Crosby
www.sermonaudio.com/hymn_details.asp?PID=blessedassurance#history

Click here for an arrangement by the Isaacs:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE7AGB5nXTs&feature=related

Click here to worship along with Randy Travis:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fon84ecsAbI&feature=related

“To the Ends of the Earth”

Marty Sampson (b. May 31, 1979) is a Christian songwriter and a worship leader at the Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. Originally featuring in the Youth Alive albums of the late 1990s, he was one of original Hillsong United worship leaders and has led worship on every United album to date. He plays guitar and occasionally piano. He was married in November of 2006 to Michelle. Sampson was a former worship leader for Hillsong United together with Joel Houston (son of pastor Brian Houston). His last album with United in the 2007 United album All of the Above, could be his last album with Houston and the Hillsong United team. Since his marriage with Michelle, Sampson has moved from Hillsong United to the Hillsong band and helps lead worship with Darlene Zschech and the rest of the team. He is now one of the main worship leaders in Hillsong Church along with Zschech and Reuben Morgan. Sampson recently released a solo album entitled "Let Love Rule Love unfailing Overtaking my heart
You take me in Finding peace again
Fear is lost in all You are And I would give the world to tell Your story
Cause I know that You've called me I know that You've called me
I've lost myself for good within Your promise I won't hide it I won't hide it

Click here to visit Marty Sampsons’ myspace:
www.myspace.com/martysampsonmusic

Click here to learn more about Martys’ ministry:
http://martysampson.net/

Click here to worship along:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0G5azgrTUo