In 2008 I wanted to try to be creative with Scripture. At the time I was reading in Isaiah, and began attempting putting some of it to music. Later, other songs emerged as well.
1. Ballad for Isaiah 29-30
November 2008
These verses struck me as I wondered how often I give the Lord lip-service and He is longing for heart-service. As I wrote this, it reminded me more of the people among whom I live. They go through the motions of washing, kneeling, and moving their lips five times a day, saying the words they are required to say, in a language they don’t speak, to a God they don’t know personally. It is easy for me to fall into their trap of going through the motions, even when I know better. In repentance and rest is your salvation. In quietness and trust is your strength. I see it as a call to more than the people of Zion—the people of my island, and I’m sure there are plenty of others that could be inserted into those parentheses.
Hear the Lord:
“These people come near me with their mouth.
“These people come near me with their mouth.
They honor me with their lips
but their hearts are far from me.
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is made up of rules taught by men.”
They say to seers:
“See no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.
Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!”
with the Holy One of Israel!”
The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says to you:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
In quietness and trust is your strength,
But you would have none of it…”
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
He rises to show you compassion.
For He is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
O people of Zion
O people of Zion
You will weep no more.
How gracious he will be when you cry for help!
As soon as he hears He will answer you
O people of (Zion)!
2. Be Gracious to Me / Be Glorified (Isaiah 33:2)
January 2009
This song is about a continual morning battle that I had for several years while working on "the island." When I read Isaiah 33:2, my heart resounded with the prayer, and I fleshed it out with my own thoughts. It was the first song I wrote that included lyrics other than Scripture.
When I wake up in the morning
There’s a cloud over my head
And it happens nearly every morning
Father hear my cry of distress:
O Lord, be gracious to me
I long for you
Be my strength every morning
My salvation in times of distress.
Well I woke up yet again this morning
With that cloud back over my head
So I sing out yet again this morning
Repeating my cry for help:
You know He wakens me
Morning by morning
Because He helps me
I’ll not be disgraced
He awakens my ear to listen
Awoken to listen like one being taught
In my life, Lord, be glorified
Be glorified
In my life, Lord, be glorified today
3. Hezekiah’s Writing (Isaiah 38)
July 2009
I tried to change the tune of Filthy Rags, but didn’t like it. Then I remembered some verses a precious friend of mine had liked, and when I looked them up, it was a perfect fit. I couldn’t stop with just a few verses, but had to keep on going through most of the chapter.
I cried like a swift or thrush,
I moaned like a mourning dove
My eyes grew weak
as I looked to the heavens.
I am troubled;
“O Lord, come to my aid!”
But what can I say?
He has spoken to me,
and he himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
Because of this anguish of my soul.
Lord, by such things men live;
And my spirit finds life in them, too.
You restored me to health
And let me live
Surely for my benefit
I suffered such anguish
In your love you kept me from the pit
The pit of destruction
And put my sins behind your back
For the grave cannot praise you
and death can’t sing your praise (x2)
The grave cannot praise you and death:
Well those who go down to the pit
Cannot hope for your faithfulness.
The living, the living—they praise you
As I am doing today
The living, the living—they praise you
As I am doing today
Fathers tell their children
Of your faithfulness
And I will sing your praise!
The living, the living—they praise you
As I am doing today.
The Lord, He will save me,
And we will sing His praise
The Lord, He has saved me,
And I’ll sing all my days
4. Sing a New Song (Isaiah 42:10)
February 2009
This song is a prayer for the Island where I worked, but instead of “you islands,” any island name or location can be inserted. The song came shortly after my January 23, 2009 journal entry:
Isaiah is amazing. So much meat in it. So much that feels applicable to us here. Father, I want to write a song for 42:10 because it is so perfectly matched to this place!...
Sing to the LORD a new song
His praise from the ends of the earth
You who go down to the sea
And all that is in it
You islands and all who live in them
Sing praise
Arise!
Arise (you islands)
And sing a new song to the Lord
Sing his praise
From the ends of the earth
(You islands)
5. Redeemed (Isaiah 44)
December 2008
One will say, “I belong to the LORD,”
Another will call himself
By the name of Jacob
Still another will write on his hand
“The LORD’s”
And will take the name “Israel.”
I have swept away
Your offenses like a cloud
I have swept away
Your sins like the morning mist (repeat)
Turn to me, for I have redeemed you!
Sing for joy (o heavens)
Shout aloud (o earth beneath)
Burst into song (you mountains)
You forests and all you trees
Repeat
For the LORD has redeemed
6. His Word (Isaiah 55)
November 2008
In 2006 I tried to memorize this chapter, and eventually it occurred to me that maybe putting it to music would help me learn it. This was my first attempt at song writing, borrowing the Jehova Jireh tune. It was too long for one song, so eventually this chapter ended up as two songs when I came up with another tune for the remaining verses.
Come all you thirsty—
Come to the waters,
And you without money:
Come, buy, eat
Come eat, come eat!
Come all you thirsty—
Come to the waters,
Come buy wine and milk for free!
Why spend money
on what is not bread?
And your labor
on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me
And eat what is good
And your soul will delight
In the richest of fare
And your soul will delight in rich fare!
My thoughts are not your thoughts
Neither are your ways my own
Declares the Lord
of the heavens and earth
Just as the heavens
Are higher than the earth,
So my ways and thoughts
Are higher than yours
The rain and snow
Come down from the sky
And don’t return
Without watering the earth
They will make it bud
And flourish giving seed
Then the sower has his seed
And the eater has bread
Then the sower and the eater are fed
It is the same with my word
That goes from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty at all
It will accomplish what I desire
And achieve the purpose
For which I sent it
7. His Promise (Isaiah 55)
November 2008
Listen and come to me
Hear me that your soul may live
I will make a lasting covenant with you
My faithful love promised to David
See how he’s a witness to the peoples,
A leader in charge of nations
You will call out to nations
You’ve never known
They’ve never known you
But they’ll come running
Because (of) the Lord, the Lord
The Lord your God
The Holy One of Israel (x2)
He has honored you
Seek the Lord while he may be found
Call on him while he is near
Let the wicked forsake his way
And the evil man his thoughts
Let him turn to the LORD
And He will have mercy
You will go out, go out
Go out in joy
And be led forth in peace you will
The hills, the hills
The mountains and hills
Will break out in singing
And the trees of the field
Will clap their hands
Listen and come to me
Hear me that your soul may live
Instead of thornbush
The pine tree will grow,
And the myrtle instead of briers
(This will be) for the Lord, the Lord
The Lord’s renown
For an everlasting sign be found (x2)
Which will not be destroyed
8. Filthy Rags (Isaiah 64)
March 2009
All of us have become
Like one who is unclean
And all our righteous acts
Are like filthy rags;
We all shrivel up like a leaf,
And like the wind
Our sins sweep us away
Yet O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter,
We are all the work of your hand
Don’t hide your face from us
Because of our sins
9. All of My Days (Psalm 90)
December 24, 2010
I love these verses. They speak of my life, and the chorus is the cry of my heart. It came together over a year and a half and finally finished on Christmas Eve, 2010, a special Christmas with family and friends in Singapore.
December 24, 2010
I love these verses. They speak of my life, and the chorus is the cry of my heart. It came together over a year and a half and finally finished on Christmas Eve, 2010, a special Christmas with family and friends in Singapore.
You, O Lord, have been
my dwelling place through all my life.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth,
you were eternally God
and you will be God both now and forever
Satisfy me with your love,
O Lord, every morning
so I’ll sing for joy to you,
I’ll rejoice, and be glad all of my days.
And let your beauty, O Lord
Be upon me through eternity
Treat me with kindness, my Lord
and bless me, O my God!
May I see your glorious power
established in me—the work of your hands
10. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 149)
August 2009
I love that our praise is a sword and fights the Enemy!
Praise the Lord
Sing to Him a new song
Let’s rejoice in our Maker
And be glad in our King
Praise the Lord
Sing to Him a new song
Let us praise His name with dancing
And make music on our strings!
For the LORD takes delight
in his people
He crowns the humble with salvation
Let us rejoice in this honor!
Sing for joy on your bed
Put the praise of God in your mouth
It’s a double-edged sword in your hand
To inflict vengeance on the enemy!
12. Family (Colossians 3, CEV)
November 2009
Each year our Island team would individually write up a “game plan” for guarding: our intimacy with the Father; our team unity; and our focus for those we have come to serve. Part of my game plan for guarding team unity was to memorize Colossians 3:12-17. The easiest way for me to memorize is through song! I finally got around to it. Although written about the body of Christ, I also thought of flesh and blood brothers and sisters in large families as the song came together. Any way you define it, it’s for family.
God loves you, He’s chosen you
God loves you
You’re his own special people
God loves you…It’s true
So be gentle, be kind,
Be humble and meek,
And don’t forget to be patient.
Put up with each other
And forgive any wrongs
Just as Christ has forgiven you
Love is more important
Than anything else
It’s what ties everything all together
Each one of you’s part
Of the body of Christ
And you were chosen to live together
Since you were called to live in peace
Let the peace that comes from Christ
Control your thoughts….
And be grateful.
Let the message of Christ
Completely fill your life
While you teach
And instruct with wisdom
With thankful hearts,
Sing psalms, sing hymns
And spiritual songs to God.
Whatever you say or do
Do it all in the name of Jesus,
As you give thanks to God through him
Trust Him… Obey Him… He loves you
13. What To Do
14. Daddy My King
October 6, 2011
Now in 2014 I don't recall what scripture prompted this song. I think I was trying to believe that God is pleased with me, and started thinking about kings. Months after writing this, I was playing around with "Garage Band" on the Mac, played with my flute, and had fun making this recording with multiple instruments.
15. Hallelujah Intro
While playing around with intro ideas for the song Hallelujah/Your Love is Amazing, Garage Band again came in handy for creating 2 flute parts. I think I have only ever made 2 recordings with Garage Band. Hmmmmm.... I made a little video to go with this recording. You can watch here.
16. Sin Ming Improv
Mom and dad lived in a neat apartment in Singapore on Sin Ming Avenue that had great acoustics, so I had fun playing my flute in the loft and recording it. 2010 I think?
17. His Eye is on the Sparrow
Also recorded at Sin Ming Avenue. Recently added photos to make a video that can be viewed here.
18. Mozart's Thousand Tongues
2014––While working a flute concerto by Mozart, I decided to try mixing in one of my favorite hymns. This arrangement is the result. I hope to add piano to it someday!
13. What To Do
On February 18, 2012 I wrote a stanza in a bad funk, depressed over not knowing what to do with my life. I saw a counselor a few days after that who said, “Start knowing some things. Saying ‘I don’t know’ all the time is draining you!” The next day I looked back at the song I had started, and decided to apply her advice there. This song makes my heart smile.
Lord, I really don’t know what to do
I’m gonna need your help today
Show me what to do and say (repeat)
I know!
The thing for me to do is praise
In rain, sunshine or haze
I know I want to praise your name (repeat)
So I say: Ha - la - la - la - la - le - lu - ia [King Jesus]
Ha - la - la - la - la - le - lu - ia [My Savior]
Ha - la - la - la - la - le - lu - ia [my Jesus]
Ha - la - la - la - la - le - lu - ia [Creator]
Hosanna
to the KING of kings
Hosanna
Hosanna
Today and forever I sing glory to your name
Today and forever I’ll sing glory to your name
Glory to your name (3x)
14. Daddy My King
October 6, 2011
Now in 2014 I don't recall what scripture prompted this song. I think I was trying to believe that God is pleased with me, and started thinking about kings. Months after writing this, I was playing around with "Garage Band" on the Mac, played with my flute, and had fun making this recording with multiple instruments.
Kings have processions with trumpeteering praise
They’re mighty, they’re warriors they establish all our ways
A king has the power to take off a head
His word once decreed cannot have amend
Hosanna! Hosanna our king!
Hosanna to the King of all kings
The King of the earth established the mountains
Earth trembles at His anger, He’s the Almighty God
Eternal, Immortal, Invisible King
the One who will save us is King of all kings
Hosanna! You are my king!
Hosanna to the King of all kings
A king who is with me? Now that blows my mind!
The One Who has made me is here at all times!
He says He’s my Husband and I am His bride
He calls me His daughter in whom He takes pride
You are my daughter, in you I’m well pleased
Oh heavenly Father, please help me believe!
I am your daughter, a daughter of the King
You are my Father, I’m a princess of the King
Hosanna! Daddy my King!
Hosanna to the King of all kings!
Hosanna! Oh Daddy my King!
Hosanna to my Daddy, THE KING!
15. Hallelujah Intro
While playing around with intro ideas for the song Hallelujah/Your Love is Amazing, Garage Band again came in handy for creating 2 flute parts. I think I have only ever made 2 recordings with Garage Band. Hmmmmm.... I made a little video to go with this recording. You can watch here.
16. Sin Ming Improv
Mom and dad lived in a neat apartment in Singapore on Sin Ming Avenue that had great acoustics, so I had fun playing my flute in the loft and recording it. 2010 I think?
17. His Eye is on the Sparrow
Also recorded at Sin Ming Avenue. Recently added photos to make a video that can be viewed here.
18. Mozart's Thousand Tongues
2014––While working a flute concerto by Mozart, I decided to try mixing in one of my favorite hymns. This arrangement is the result. I hope to add piano to it someday!
