In 1989 Rich Mullins wrote a short chorus "Our God is an awesome God" which we often sing in church. The tune sounds Israeli and we tend to sing the chorus five times going faster for each repeat and perhaps raising the key a semitone each time until it builds to crescendo. I often have the irreverent temptation to shout "Hey!" and smash a plate as it finishes. (Or is that Greeks?) I also feel quite guilty about singing it as it seems to me to smack of 'vain repetition'. Here are the words:
Our God is an awesome God,
He reigns from heaven above,
With wisdom power and love,
Our God is an awesome God!
This seems to me to be a final verse and there is scope for adding four more to precede it. It's not easy though. Essentially it means writing four rhyming couplets for the second and third lines of each verse. The content needs to tell the story from creation to salvation and the lines need to be very short; only six syllables.
With the benefit of steroids for my current course of chemotherapy, I woke early and thought about it. Here is my attempt at a first verse:
Our God is an awesome God,
Behold the world He's made,
And praise His power displayed,
Our God is an awesome God!
I'm not entirely happy with 'Behold' as it's a word much loved by the old hymn writers but not used today in normal speech. Is there a two syllable synonym with the beat on the second syllable? My Thesaurus offers 'observe' 'inspect' 'espy' or 'regard', none of which carries the commanding force of 'behold'. I can't see a way out.
The second constraint I foresee with such a tight verse structure is how to avoid the impression that it is God, the Father, who suffers on the cross but explaining the Trinity is too hard a task for such a short verse hence the next verse:
Our God is an awesome God,
Just glimpse His glorious grace,
To free this fallen race,
Our God is an awesome God!
Thesaurus coming in handy again for 'glimpse'. Am I overdoing the alliteration? Is 'free' OK or should it be 'save'? Is 'race' clear enough to stand for 'human race'?
Verses 3 and 4 must refer to the cross and the resurrection. To reduce the cross to just 12 syllables seems like blasphemy but I guess it can be done. Some of those 12 have to be linking words or the lines become too dense.
We have to assume knowledge of the meaning and effect of the crucifixion and just refer to it in the shorthand of a couple of words. How about:
Our God is an awesome God,
Nailed on a cross to die,
We watch and wonder why,
Our God is an awesome God!
or perhaps lines 2 and 3 should be reversed?
If we are assuming knowledge of the meaning of the cross isn’t line three nonsense? No because it places us in the immediacy of the cross; we stand with the disciples marvelling at what is happening. Does this avoid the error of God the father suffering or does it emphasise that Jesus is God?
Our God is an awesome God,
He rises from the grave,
With all He came to save,
Our God is an awesome God!
Not literally of course but it refers to I Corinthians 15:: 22 and following, also Romans 5:15 and Ephesians 4:8.
Finally we can place Rich Mullins’ verse at the end of the crescendo. So the whole hymn goes like this:
Our God is an awesome God,
Behold the world He's made,
And praise His power displayed,
Our God is an awesome God!
Our God is an awesome God,
Just glimpse His glorious grace,
To free this fallen race,
Our God is an awesome God!
Our God is an awesome God,
We watch and wonder why
He's nailed to a cross to die,
Our God is an awesome God!
Our God is an awesome God,
He rises from the grave,
With all He came to save,
Our God is an awesome God!
Our God is an awesome God,
He reigns from heaven above,
With wisdom power and love,
Our God is an awesome God!
Perhaps verse 3 should read
We watch and wonder why
He's nailed to a cross to die?
What do you think?
Yes, I've changed it.
4 comments:
"What do you think?" You conclude your last blog post with this question.
I think that I am delighted to see you writing, thinking (alebit with the benefit of steroids)and praising God through your own personal trials.
I've been praying for exceptional CT results to be presented to you, Dr. Hamblin.
Praising Him with you,
Stacie
Terry, I thought this was great.
(He died to set us free) Praise be to God for His love, mercy, and grace.
Even though you are going through some tough times, you inspire others with your writing. I know the Lord will surely bless you for uplifting Him even when you are facing the storms of this life.
Thank you for sharing and caring.
Connie
It is amazing to me that, with our different traditions, I have had almost the same thoughts about the hymn you re-worked. I really like the results of your steroid-enhanced thinking! What a great use for that energy!
By the way, I like verse 3 without the comma...
Thanks for sharing the new hymn, and your thoughts of Him!
Blessings to you from His grace.
Marcia
Marcia, Yes the comma is an error. I've changed it.
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