Category Archives: songs & scripture

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the Beauty of the Earth
Words by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint, 1863, Music by Conrad Kocher, arr Ben Parks & Cameron Gray © 018 Rough Harbor Music

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light

CHORUS:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense and sound to sight

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all thoughts gentle and mild

For Thyself, best Gift Divine
To the world so freely given,
For that great, great love of Thine
Peace on earth and joy in heaven

Devotional Thoughts:
God gives us good things to tell us that He loves us. When we realize how much God loves us, it moves our hearts to grateful praise—we say, or sing, or even shout, “Thank you, God!”

But giving thanks to God is harder than we’d like to admit. The busyness, bustle, and distractions of life make it easy to forget to be grateful. Selfishness and discontent also make us blind to the good gifts God gives to us every day. The truth is, we are much better at coming up with a list of things we want than a list of things we are grateful for.

That’s why it is good to take time to practice. This song helps us remember God’s good gifts, and helps us practice saying, “Thank you, God!”

Verse 1 and 2:
Ever since you were born God has surrounded you with wonderful things as a way of telling you that He loves you. Right now, look around at the beauty of the earth, and the glory of the sky. Think about the different ways beauty comes out at different times of the day and night. Look at the hills and fields, the trees and flowers, the sun, moon and stars. What other things in nature make you feel awe or delight? Let’s thank God for His good gifts.

Sing:
For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies;

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light

Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

Verse 3:
Think about the miracle that you can hear and see, and that your heart and mind can delight in all the beauty around you! Isn’t it amazing that you can think and understand and learn? God gave you those things to tell you He loves you. Let’s thank God for His good gifts.

Sing:
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense and sound to sight;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

Verse 4:
God gave us families and friends to remind us that He loves us. Have you ever felt loved by your mom or dad or brother or sister? Have you ever looked forward to spending time with a friend? The love we feel for and from people is a gift from God. Let’s thank God for His good gifts.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all thoughts gentle and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

Verse 5:
But out of all the good gifts God gives us, the very best gift is Jesus. You could say all the other gifts fit inside the one big gift of Jesus. In Jesus we find all the beauty of creation (Col 1:16-17), all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3), and all the joy of family and friendship (John 1:12; Eph 2:19). More than that, Jesus takes away all our sin, gives us all His goodness, and fills us with His Spirit to make us more like Him. Jesus is the biggest, widest, longest, highest and deepest way God could say, “I love you!!” (John 3:16; Eph 3:16-19).

Sing:
For Thyself, best Gift Divine
To the world so freely given,
For that great, great love of Thine
Peace on earth and joy in heaven;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise!

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him, all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host!
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!
Amen.

Psalm 22

Psalm 22
Words & Music by Cameron Gray © 2017 Rough Harbor Music

My God, my God,
Why have you forsaken me?
My God, my God,
Darkness overtaking me
My God, my God,
Dried up like shards of clay,
Poured out in tears by night,
Melted like wax by day

My God, my God,
Calling from the lion’s mouth,
My God, my God,
Scoffers mock and thieves surround,
My God, my God,
Saints before have trusted You,
But You have left me here,
And I am piercéd through

Oh God, my God, my—

My God, my God,
Why are You so far from me?
My God, my God,
Why have You abandoned me?
My God, my God,
You raised me from my mother’s womb
Now raise me up again,
Up from my lonesome tomb

Oh God, my God, my God, my God, my God.

We Believe

We Believe
Words & Music by Travis Ryan, Richie Fike, Matt Hooper ©Integrity Worship Music CCLI Song #6367165

In this time of desperation,
When all we know is doubt and fear,
There is only one foundation,
We believe, we believe

In this broken generation,
When all is dark You help us see,
There is only one salvation,
We believe, we believe

CHORUS:
We believe in God the Father,
We believe in Jesus Christ,
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
That He’s given us new life,
We believe in the crucifixion,
We believe that He conquered death,
We believe in the resurrection,
And He’s coming back again

So let our faith be more than anthems,
Greater than the songs we sing,
In our weakness and temptations,
We believe, we believe

BRIDGE:
Let the lost be found, let the dead be raised,
In the here and now, let love invade,
Let the church live loud, our God will save,
We believe, we believe,
That the gates of hell will not prevail,
That the pow’r of God has torn the veil,
Now we know Your love will never fail,
We believe, we believe

SCRIPTURE:
1 Cor 3:11; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31; Rom 10:9; Matt 16:18; Matt 27:51; Psalm 136; Lam 3:22; 1 Cor 13:8

A Refuge Strong And Sure (Psalter 46)

A Refuge Strong And Sure (Psalter 46)
Words: Psalter 46, God Is Our Refuge And Our Strength, arr Cameron Gray, 2015. Music: Cameron Gray ©2015 Rough Harbor Music

Be still and know that I am God
O’er all exalted high,
The subject nations of the earth
My Name shall magnify;
The Lord of Hosts is on our side,
Our safety to secure,
The God of Jacob is for us
A refuge strong and sure

REFRAIN:
I will be still,
I will be still

God is our refuge and our strength,
Our ever-present aid,
And therefore though the earth remove
We will not be afraid;
Though hills amidst the seas be cast,
Though foaming waters roar,
Yea, though the mighty billows shake
The mountains on the shore
(REFRAIN)

The nations raged, the kingdoms moved,
But when His voice was heard,
The troubled earth was stilled to peace,
Before His mighty word;
The Lord of Hosts is on our side,
Our safety to secure,
The God of Jacob is for us
A refuge strong and sure

The Lord of Hosts is on our side
Our safety to secure
The God of Jacob is for us
A refuge strong and sure
(REFRAIN)

—–

A river flows whose steams make glad
The city of our God,
The holy place wherein the Lord
Most high has His abode;
Since God is in the midst of her
Unmoved her walls shall stand,
For God will be her early help
When trouble is at hand

Scripture:
Psalm 46

Even In This Place

Even In This Place
Words & Music by Cameron Gray. ©2015 Rough Harbor Music

Where the stone breaks the plow,
Where the thorn chokes the wheat,
Where the sweat burns my brow,
Where there’s wolves among the sheep

PRE-CHORUS:
Even in this place,
Even in this place—

CHORUS A:
Our God is in this place,
Our God is in this place,
Emmanuel with the saints
Our God is here,
Even in this place.

In darkness deep, where sorrows low
Stack like stones ‘neath my head
Your Promise keeps where’re I go
A Kingdom calling in the wilderness
(PRE-CHORUS & CHORUS A)

CHORUS B:
Our God is in this place,
Our God is in this place,
Spirit, awaken the saints
Groaning creation awaits—

BRIDGE:
Daughters and sons bringing Your kingdom come,
Hope ringing true through the work that they do,
Righteousness reigns as they walk in Your way,
A City made glad will shout out on that Day—
(CHORUS)

Scripture:
Gen 28:10-17; Gen 3:17; Matt 13:7; Matt 7:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matt 1:23; Prov 11:10; Phil 2:12; 1 Peter 2:9; John 4:23-24; Matt 12:6; Eph 2:21; Rev 21:3; Psalm 46:4

A Work Song.
Christians are in the same situation as everybody: Our work is difficult and broken and frustrating—the same as everyone else. But with one huge difference—we are actually part of God’s solution to the brokenness of work.

One day He will return and make all things new, including work. But until that day comes, He has chosen to put His Spirit in us and send us out to sweat and to groan and to work alongside our neighbors. By His Spirit, we bring His presence with us into our broken workplaces, where He works in us and through us to multiply His goodness and to bear fruit for His kingdom.

Emmanuel means God With Us—even in the wilderness of our work.

Psalm 13 (How Long, O Lord?)

Psalm 13 (How Long O Lord?)
©2014 Rough Harbor Music. Words & Music by Cameron Gray

How long, O Lord?
Will You hide Your face forever?
How long, O Lord?
Shall my enemy prevail?
How long, O Lord?
With sorrow in my heart,
How long, O Lord?
How long, O Lord?

How long, O Lord?
Look on me and answer,
How long, O Lord?
O God my Savior,
How long, O Lord?
Shall all my foes rejoice?
How long, O Lord?
How long, O Lord?
How long, O Lord?
How long, O Lord?

Yet I trust
In Your love,
Praise lift up,
For Your love.

Scripture:
Psalm 13

So Send I You

So Send I You
Words by Margaret Clarkson, 1954 & 1963. Music by John W. Peterson. © 1954, 1963, 1982 New Spring. CCLI Song #5880942

So send I you—to labor unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown,
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing-
So send I you—to toil for Me alone.

So send I you—to leave your life’s ambition,
To die to dear desire, self-will resign,
To labor long, and love where men revile you-
So send I you—to lose your life in Mine.

So send I you—to bind the bruised and broken,
O’er wand’ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,
To bear the burdens of a world aweary-
So send I you—to suffer for My sake.

So send I you—My strength to know in weakness,
My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain,
To prove my pow’r, My grace, My promised presence
So send I you—eternal fruit to gain.

So send I you—by grace made strong to triumph
O’er hosts of hell, o’er darkness, death and sin,
My Name to bear and in that Name to conquer
So send I you—My victory to win.

So send I you—to bear My cross with patience,
And then one day with joy to lay it down,
To hear My voice, “Well done, My faithful servant
Come share My throne, My kingdom and My crown!”

Scripture:
John 20:21

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
©2013 Rough Harbor Music. Words & Music by Cameron Gray, 2013 (based on John Mor­ris­on’s hymn, 1781).

To us a Child of hope is born,
To us a Son is giv’n,
Our praise His advent to adorn,
With all the host of heav’n;

For every valley shall be raised,
And every mount made low,
Prepare His path, make straight His way,
Salvation to make known

CHORUS:
Hosanna! His praise shall never cease
Hosanna! Hosanna, Prince of Peace

To us the King of kings has come,
His reign no end shall know,
Love the foundation of His throne,
Justice the cornerstone;

Almighty God, Immanuel,
The great and mighty LORD,
The Wonderful, the Counselor,
The Everlasting Word
(Chorus)

BRIDGE:
Through darkness deep, the brightest beam
of Heaven’s light has shown,
To bring us peace, He bore our grief,
His wounds have made us whole
(Chorus)

Scripture References:
Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:13-20; Luke 3:4-6; Isaiah 40:3-5; John 12:13; Isaiah 9:7; Rev 19:16; Ps 106:48; Ps 89:14; Ps 97:2; Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-2; Luke 1:78-79; Isaiah 53:4-6

Jesus Messiah

Jesus Messiah
©2008 worshiptogether.com songs. Words & Music: Daniel Carson, Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash & Jesse Reeves. CCLI Song #5183443

He became sin who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing, Love so amazing

CHORUS:
Jesus Messiah, Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners, the Ransom from heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all

His body the bread, His blood the wine
Broken and poured out, all for love
The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn
Love so amazing, Love so amazing
(Repeat CHORUS)

BRIDGE:
All our hope is in You, All our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God, the Light of the world
(Repeat CHORUS)

Scripture References:
Phil 2:6-11; 2Cor 5:21; Acts 10:36; Luke 22:19-20; Matt 22:51

Come People Of The Risen King

Come People Of The Risen King
Words & Music: Kristyn Lennox Getty , Keith Getty , Stuart Townend. © 2009 Thankyou Music. CCLI Song #5232617

Come people of the risen King,
Who delight to bring Him praise,
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace;
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in

CHORUS:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice
O Church of Christ rejoice!

Come those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night,
Come those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight,
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace
(Chorus)

Come young and old from every land,
Men and women of the faith,
Come those with full or empty hands,
Find the riches of His grace,
Over all the world His people sing,
Shore to shore, we hear them call,
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all!”
(Chorus)

Scripture References:
Romans 15:5-6; Acts 2:26