I've placed some of my favorite music here, both songs and a few instrumentals. I've included the lyrics with the songs in case you might want to sing along.
On the left you 'll find stories behind the beloved hymns. It really makes the hymns come alive when you know the story behind them.
Also on the left side there are Hebrew songs. I spent time in Israel and these are my favorites from there.
Enjoy your stay. Notice on the Menu Bar above, the last link will take you to lists of my other sites. Many topics to choose from, a little something for everyone.
Enjoy!
The Story Behind The Hymn 'And Can It Be?’
by Charles Wesley
And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
He left His Father’s throne above—
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me!
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness Divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A beautiful piano arrangement of "And Can It Be"
by Kim Collingsworth
The Story Behind The Hymn 'In The Garden'
I come to the garden alone,
While
the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my
ear,
The Son of God discloses...
And He walks with me, and
He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we
share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!
He
speaks and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush
their singing,
And the melody that he gave to me,
Within my
heart is ringing...
And He walks with me, and He talks with
me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we
tarry there
None other, has ever, known!
_____________________________________________
The Story Behind "In The Garden" in his own words:
“One day in April 1912, I
was seated in the dark room where I kept my photographic equipment,
and also my organ. I drew my Bible toward me and it opened at my
favorite book and chapter, John chapter twenty. I don’t know if
this was by chance or by the work of the Holy Spirit. I will let you
the reader decide. That story of Jesus and Mary in John 20 had lost
none of its power and charm.
It was though I was in a trance,
as I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a
silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary’s life when she
knelt before her Lord and cried, “Rabboni”. I rested my hands on
the open Bible, as I stared at the light blue wall. As the light
faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking
down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in
white, with head, bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to choke
back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she
came unto the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to
look in and ran away.
John, in a flowing robe, appeared
looking at the tomb. Then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed
slowly by John. As they departed, Mary reappeared leaning her head
upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus
standing there, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him,
with arms outstretched, and looking into His face cried,
“Rabboni”.
I awakened in sunlight, gripping my Bible with
my muscles tense, and nerves vibrating, under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit. I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the
lyrics exactly as it is sung today. That same evening, I wrote the
tune. It is sung today as it was written in 1912.”
C. Austin Miles
Abba Father -by Steve Fry
Now that we’ve prepared ourselves to worship,
the Spirit can begin to lead us in expressing that worship
in the way that would please God most.
And one of the first things the Holy Spirit desires to lead us into
is the very embrace of the Father. For as the Word says, we
have been given the spirit of sonship and can cry “Abba Father.”
In our day that would be like saying “Papa God.”
That’s not irreverence; that’s intimacy with the Father.
He desires for us to be as little children—
crawl upon His lap and say, “Abba Father.”
One of the acts of worship that pleases Him most is when
we call to mind different attributes of His character with praise:
like His power, His mercy, His holiness.
He has revealed Himself as Jehovah Shammah,
the God whose Presence is with us;
as Jehovah Shalom, the God who is our peace;
as Jehovah Ropheh, the Lord who heals us.
And He wants us to acknowledge who He is—as we worship.
You are my righteousness
(You are my righteousness)
You are my peace
(You are my peace)
You are my strength
(You are my strength)
You are my wisdom
(You are my wisdom)
You are my joy
(You are my joy)
Father, Father, Jehovah Shammah,
You are the One who’s standing near.
Father, Father, Jehovah Shalom, You are my peace
Jehovah Ropheh, You are my healing,
Yahweh my God.
Abba Father, Abba Father
Deep within my soul I cry
Abba Father, Abba Father
I will never cease to love You
Avinu Malkenu
Avinu Malkenu
Avinu Malkenu
Avinu Malkenu
Chanenu
v'anenu
Ki ein banu ma'asim
Oseh imanu
Tsadaka
v'chesed
Oseh imanu
Tsadaka v'chesed
V'hoshi-einu.
Our
Father our Father our King
Our Father our Father our King
We
pray for your grace
For Israel your people
And grant us
salvation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Literal
translation:
Our Father our King
Our Father our
King
Our Father our King
Grant favor and answer us
Because
there is in us no good deeds.
Do (or perform) with
us
Righteousness and grace
Do with us
Righteousness
and grace
And save us.
No More Night - Instrumental and chorus
by Greg Howlett
No more night, no more pain,
No more tears, never crying again,
And praises to the great, "I AM"
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.
See all around, now the nations bow down to sing,
The only sound is the praises to Christ, our King,
Slowly the names from the book are read,
I know the King, so there's no need to dread.
No more night, no more pain,
No more tears, never crying again,
And praises to the great, "I AM"
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.
No more night, no more pain,
No more tears, never crying again,
And praises to the great, "I AM"
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.
See all around, now the nations bow down to sing,
The only sound is the praises to Christ, our King,
Slowly the names from the book are read,
I know the King, so there's no need to dread.
No more night, no more pain,
No more tears, never crying again,
And praises to the great, "I AM"
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb.
Jesus Is Lord Of All
by Jim Hill and the Gaithers
All my tomorrows, all of my past,
Jesus is Lord of all.
I've quit my struggles, contentment at last,
Jesus is Lord of all.
CHORUS:
King of kings, Lord of lords,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All my possessions and all my life,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All of my conflicts, all my doubts,
Jesus is Lord of all.
His love wins the battles I could not have fought,
Jesus is Lord of all.
King of kings, Lord of lords,
Jesus is Lord of all.
All my possessions and all my life,
Jesus is Lord of all.
Jesus is Lord of all.
It Is Well With My Soul
by Guy Penrod, David Phelps, and the Gaithers
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought,
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the Cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord oh my soul.
It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.
And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back like a scroll;
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord oh my soul.
It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul;
It is well, it is well with my soul.
The Story Behind The Hymn 'The Old Rugged Cross’
On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary
In the old rugged Cross,
stained with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For 'twas on that old Cross
Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me
To the old rugged Cross
I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He'll call me some day
To my home far away
Where his glory forever I'll share
So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
The Story Behind The Hymn 'Holy, Holy, Holy’
Holy, holy, holy
Lord, God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons blessed Trinity.
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and art, and evermore shall be.
Holy, holy, holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
The Story Behind The Hymn 'Just As I Am’
by Charlotte Elliott
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings and fears within without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
The Story Behind The Hymn 'Jesus Paid It All’
by Alvina Hall/John Grape
I hear the Savior say, thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
Lord, now indeed I find thy power and thine alone
Can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone.
For nothing good have I whereby thy grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white in the Blood of Calvary's Lamb.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
And when before the throne I stand in him complete
"Jesus died my soul to save" my lips shall still repeat.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.
The Story Behind The Hymn 'Victory In Jesus’
Eugene Monroe Bartlett, Sr.
I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.
Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
The Story Behind The Hymn 'I Have Decided To Follow Jesus'
The lyrics are based on the last words of Nokseng, a Garo man, a tribe from Meghalaya in Northern India
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
The Cross before me, the world behind me,
The Cross before me, the world behind me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
The Story Behind The Hymn ‘Amazing Grace'
The history behind the hymn "Amazing Grace" written by John Newton
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Yea, when this flesh and heart will fail
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Lord hath promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.