Lyrics: Charles Wesley (again)

Music: LENOX by Lewis Edson.
Towner by Daniel Brink Towner.

This tune performed by the acapella group, Glad, isn’t either of the ones above. I don’t know the name of it, but I do like it.

Indelible Grace version, music by Kevin Twit.

However, my preferred tune to these words is none of the above. I first learned this song at our church, Trinity Fellowship, and the music leaders there are great fans of Twila Paris. Arise, My Soul, Arise is the lead song on Twila’s album Sanctuary. You can listen to a snippet of it by going to her website and clicking on the album cover under “albums”.

Theme: But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me.”

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.”

Hannah: “a joyful liberation from guilt and sin, into joy and righteousness.”

Hymn Studies: “A song which mentions the fact that we can be born of God is “Arise, My Soul, Arise.” The text was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788). It first appeared under the title ‘Behold The Man’ in his 1742 Hymns and Sacred Poems.”

Philip Bishop: “I have many favorite hymns, but this Wesley hymn has to be in the ‘Top 10.’ I love the imagery and the progression of thought it expresses.”

1. Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears:
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the Throne my Surety stands,
Before the Throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.

2. He ever lives above,
For me to intercede,
His all-redeeming love,
His precious blood to plead;
His blood atoned for ev’ry race,
His blood atoned for ev’ry race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

3. Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They strongly plead for me;
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

4. The Father hears Him pray,
His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away,
The presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.

5. My God is reconciled;
His pard’ning voice I hear;
He owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh,
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father!” cry.

Dictionary:
Surety = a person who is legally responsible for the debt, default, or delinquency of another.

Abba = Aramaic for “father”; indicates intimacy; literally “Daddy” or “Papa.”

Effectual= successful in producing a desired or intended result; effective.

Intercede= to intervene on behalf of another.

I think my children’s vocabularies have been expanded because of all the hymns we sing. Do have any examples of words you’ve learned from hymns?

I’m submitting to the Poetry Friday round-up at Becky’s Book Reviews because it’s quite poetic. I love the idea, taken from the verses in Isaiah, that my name is written on His hands.