People find the Lord in music in various ways–worship songs, psalms, hymns, instrumentals, a capella, rock, jazz, and many others. Sometimes the context in which one listens to or participates in the music makes a significant difference. My best friend enjoys soothing, Vineyard worship music in the quiet of her home. I find it most in songs of deep, yet profound and meditative lyrical content, specifically in the music of Steven Curtis Chapman and old folk hymns.

Chapman’s lyrical content breathes the mesage of the kingdom through and through, and is coupled with a musical quality that borders on the majestic beauty of the grandest mountain peaks and the transcendant beauty of the lushest tropical forests. Even in the variant nature inherent in each of his albums exists a musical quality unlike many others.

Since my days of college, I have found solace and healing in the simple and profound nature of folk hymns, and a few in particular. One of these is Anne Steele’s “Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul.”

Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel

But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee
Though prostrate in the dust

Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner’s prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there

Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet

On thee alone my hope relies:
Beneath thy cross I fall,
My Lord, my life, my sacrifice,
My Savior and my all.

©1998, Kevin Twit Music.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Doug

Doug Stuart is a committed follower of Jesus and passionate about building for the Kingdom of God through education and mobilization. He is a regular writer at LibertarianChristians.com as well as the founder of Living Loud.

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