All posts by cgray

O In The Grace That Calls Me Home

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O In the Grace That Calls Me Home
Words: Combined texts from the Gadsby Hymnal: Watts (752), Swain (738), Hart (740), c. 1838; Chorus & arr. by Cameron Gray, 2006; Music: Cameron Gray, 2006. ©2006 Rough Harbor Music.

O, in the grace that calls me home
See how my Lord’s bright glory shines.
There on the cross ’tis fairest drawn
In precious blood and crimson lines,
In precious blood and crimson lines.

O, the sweet wonders of that cross,
Where God my Savior loved and died;
Her noblest life my spirit draws
From His dear wounds and bleeding side,
From His dear wounds and bleeding side.

O, the vast mystery of that love;
How high, how deep, how wide it rolls.
It’s fountain springs in heav’n above,
It’s streams revive my sorrowing soul,
It’s streams revive my sorrowing soul.

CHORUS:
My treasure is Thy precious blood;
Fix there my heart, fix there my heart;
Thy righteousness my own, my God;
Fix there my heart, fix there my heart.

I shall forever speak His name
In sounds to mortal ears unknown.
With angels join to praise the Lamb
And worship at my Father’s throne,
And worship at my Father’s throne.

Recorded in December 07. Erica Schroeder on backing vocals, Johnny Ciccolella on piano, Will Turner on violin, me on everything else.

Instrumental Version:

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Hosannas On My Tongue

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Hosannas On My Tongue
Words: Isaac Watts, 1748, from the Gadsby Hymnal #409, altered by Cameron Gray. Music: Cameron Gray, 2008. ©2008 Rough Harbor Music.

To Him who loved me first
While I was in my sin
To Him who bore that curse
Just to make me safe in Him
To Him who formed my heart anew
Is endless praise and glory due
Is endless glory due

CHORUS:
The Father’s love shall ever run
Through my immortal song
I bring to God the Saving Son
Hosannas on my tongue
Hosannas on my tongue

Let every saint above
And angel around the throne
Forever bless and love
The holy Three-in-One
For mercy wrought by Spirit’s grace
I join my heart in grateful praise
I join my heart in praise

Scripture References
1 John 4:19; Eph 2:4-5; Gal 3:13; Eze 36:26; Mat 21:15; Ps 118:25-26; Rev 7:9-12

Hosanna: From the Hebrew “Hoshana”, meaning please save or save now.

Notes
Found these Isaac Watts lyrics in Gadsby’s and put them to music. I tweaked the words a bit, but not too much.

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. – C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Heart Like Mine

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Heart Like Mine
Based on hymn by John Newton (Gadsby, 999), c. 1779; altered & arr. by Cameron Gray. Music: Cameron Gray, 2007.

O Lord, with a heart like mine,
‘Less you hold me fast
I feel that I must and shall decline,
And leave my Lord at last
And leave my Lord at last.

You alone have power, I know,
To save a wretch like me,
Where or to whom shall I go
If I should turn from Thee?
If I should turn from Thee

No voice but Thine can give me rest,
No strength my fears depart,
No love but Thine can make me blessed,
Or satisfy my heart
Or satisfy my heart

O Lord, with a heart like mine

Go On, Thou Mighty God

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Go On, Thou Mighty God
©2006 Rough Harbor Music. Words: William Gadsby,1838; Music: Cameron Gray, 2006.

Go on, Thou mighty God
Thy wonders to make known,
Til every sinner bought with blood
Shall trust in Thee alone.

May grace triumphant reign
And Christ exalted be
May sinners calling on Thy Name
Thy great salvation see.

May mercy, truth and peace
Fill each believer’s soul,
And by the Spirit of Thy grace
Our wand’ring hearts control.

Thus let Thy kingdom come
And free salvation reign,
Till all Thy saints arrive at home
To never part again.

Gloria, Gloria!
Ad maiorem dei gloriam*
Gloria!

*To the greater glory of God

In Darkest Shades

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In Darkest Shades
Words & Music by Cameron Gray (based on a hymn by Isaac Watts, 1748, Gadsby 1011). ©2007 Rough Harbor Music.

My God, my God,
Thou spring of all my joy,
Thou life of my delight,
Thou glory of my brightest day,
Thou comfort of my night—
In darkest shades,
If Thou would but appear,
My dawning is begun;
Thou art my soul’s sweet morning star
And Thou my rising sun.

My Long-Awaited Christ

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My Long Awaited Christ
©2007 Rough Harbor Music. Words & Music by Cameron Gray

my long-awaited Christ has come
run and tell your brother
run and tell your dad and your mom
no more, no more, no more
will the darkness ever win
a new day is dawning
come and see the new day begin.

my long-awaited Christ has come
run and tell your neighbor
what Jesus has done
no more, no more, no more
anger and despair
got a home over yonder
and soon I’ll be there.

halleluia

my long-awaited Christ has come
such a dark road he traveled
just to bring me home
no more, no more, no more
will I wonder if I’m loved
evermore, evermore, evermore
shall my soul praise the Lord.

halleluia

Rejoice, Rejoice

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Rejoice, Rejoice
Words & Music: Cameron Gray, based on lyrics by Joseph Hart, (Gadsby, 725 & 787), c. 1768.

Come, come away with me
In meditations fair,
Let us to Golgotha go
And find my Savior there;
Let me in His wounded side
Wash away my shame,
And in that fountain opened wide
Lose all my guilty stain.

Rise up and rejoice
Rise up and rejoice
Rise up and rejoice
Rise up and rejoice
Lift up and sing;
With my heart and my voice
To Jesus my King

Come, come away with me,
Leave your sorrows behind;
Don’t you know that your life is hid
In the righteousness of Christ?
O the riches of His grace,
Enough to go around;
For who of mercy should despair
Since I have mercy found?

Harbor Art Show Success!

Harbor Art ShowHarbor Art just pulled off a pretty bitchin art show. Over 30 pieces from 22 San Diego artists exploring the theme Visions From A Perfected City. We partnered with Zagrodnik+Thomas Architects in North Park, who have a really unique and awesome gallery space. They even lent us the talented Mr Dan, gallery consultant extraordinaire. Heather, Matt & Erika did an outstanding job pulling everything together, from artist recruitment to webpage building to finding the gallery space to marketing to live music to refreshments and decor. We estimate somewhere around 250 people showed up, and by all accounts everyone had a great time. I had some cool conversations with the artists, two of which told me it was one of the best shows they had ever been a part of. Our tiny brains are already rolling with ideas for the next event. Hit me up if you want to be part of it! Check out harborart.org for pix and other cool stuff.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Come, Christians, Join To Sing

Words & Music
Words: Christian Bateman, 1843. Music: Madrid (traditional Spanish folk melody), arr David Evans, 1927. Public Domain.

Come, Christians, join to sing
Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King;
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all with heart and voice,
Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice.
Alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high,
Alleluia! Amen!
Let praises fill the sky;
Alleluia! Amen!
King, Prophet, Priest, and Friend;
To us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end.
Alleluia! Amen!

Alleluia! Amen!
Alleluia! Amen!
Alleluia! Amen!
Amen!

Praise yet our Christ again,
Alleluia! Amen!
Cease not your song’s refrain;
Alleluia! Amen!
On heaven’s blissful shore,
His goodness we’ll adore,
Singing forevermore,
Alleluia! Amen!

Alleluia! Amen!
Alleluia! Amen!
Alleluia! Amen!
Amen!

Scripture References

Behind the Song

Related Material
Alleluia (Hallelujah) – Hebrew for “Praise the Lord!”

“…hallelujahs are cannonades… this strongest of all Hebrew praise words thunders across the earth reverberating…” Eugene Peterson, Answering God, The Psalms As Tools For Prayer.

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