This past Sunday the band at OGC played a song that will soon be in the regular rotation for corporate singing. The new song, Let There Be Light, steals most of its lyrics from John Marriott’s 1813 hymn, Thou Whose Almighty Word. I set the text to new music and added a chorus. I felt this was a timely addition to our stock of songs- our pastor is preaching through the gospel of John, and he references light often.

But doing something like this brings up at least one question: why set old words to new music? There might be a tendency to think that coming up with new music somehow tramples on tradition, or is somewhat arrogant in its approach. Surely this happens, but I don’t think this necessarily must be the case.

There are a bunch of reasons to do something like this, but there’s one main idea I’d like to present. God’s truth is always true, be it the year 2010 or 1813. He is everlasting and eternal and immutable–He doesn’t change. We, however, do change. A Christian in the 1st century would worship very differently than one in the 19th century, or our century (think of Chris Tomlin in the 1st century…weird right?). Setting old words to new music attempts to combine these two ideas in one song. The redemption that we find in God is always new, always fresh, and is simultaneously the same. That’s weird to think about, but it’s true. God’s grace is unchanging, but it is applied in different ways. In adopting these hymns with a modern mindset we are saying that God is acting in our present time, while honoring our roots in historic Christianity (though the 19th century isn’t that deep of a root, it’s still a root nonetheless).

And it’s not like we are the first generation to steal, er…appropriate other music or lyrics, many hymns come from some place else, and those other places aren’t always the church. But that’s for a different post.

I came across the text combing through Spurgeon’s compilation of hymns for his church, Our Own Hymn Book, of which the full text is available on Google Books. And here’s a brief bio on John Marriott with lyrics to Thou Whose Almighty Word.

So maybe there’s something to think about. You’ll find a rough version of the new song below with the complete lyrics:

download this song

Here are the lyrics:
Verse 1:
Thou, whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard
And took their flight
Hear us, we humbly pray
And where the gospel’s day
Sheds not its glorious ray
Let there be light

Verse 2:
Thou, who didst come to bring
On Thy protecting wing
Healing and sight
Sight to the inly blind
Health to the sick in mind
Oh! now, to all mankind
Let there be light

Chorus:
Your light come down
In it we’re found
You heal our hearts
Each crooked part

Verse 3:
Spirit of truth and love
Life-giving holy Dove
Speed forth Thy flight
Move o’er the water’s face
By Thine almighty grace
And in earth’s darkest place
Let there be light

Verse 4:
Blessed and holy Three
Glorious Trinity
Wisdom, love, might
Boundless as ocean’s tide
Rolling in fullest pride
O’er the world far and wide
Let there be light