Song Discovery

I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan in the world of some of the music played at SMACC. Due to a will to get away from a traditional feeling to the meetings, there’s a bit of a reluctance to sing more traditional hymns, although I’ve been making some effort to introduce some of my favourites into the line up. This is not to say that there have not been some gems in the midst of the sea of cheesy Aussie songs though. One of the songs sung at the meetings today has to have a place among the handful of my favourite hymns and choruses, to a place reserved for songs like We Rest on Thee and I will glory in my redeemer. I’ve been told that it’s a fairly old hymn that’s been released by EMU with a new tune by Philip Percival, but I’d never come across it before. The words are excellent, and I think are worth quoting.

Great God, what do I see and hear?
The end of things created!
The Judge of mankind doth appear,
On clouds of glory seated.
The trumpet sounds, the graves restore,
The dead which they contained before!
Prepare, my soul, to meet Him.

The dead in Christ shall first arise
At the last trumpet’s sounding.
Caught up to meet Him in the skies,
With joy their Lord surrounding.
No gloomy fears their souls dismay,
His presence sheds eternal day
On those prepared to meet Him.

But sinners, filled with guilty fears,
Behold His wrath prevailing.
In woe they rise, but all their tears
And sighs are unavailing.
The day of grace is past and gone;
Trembling they stand before His throne,
All unprepared to meet Him.

Great God, to Thee my spirit clings,
Thy boundless love declaring.
One wondrous sight my comfort brings,
The Judge my nature wearing.
Beneath His cross I view the day
When Heav’n and earth shall pass away,
And thus prepare to meet Him.

It has to be said that the third verse is quite possibly the most chillingly frank account of judgement that I’ve heard in a hymn, but yet there is no hint of pleasure in recounting the idea that for those who have not accepted Christ will have a most dreadful experience in the day of judgement. Although not a gospel song (in the sense that it does not particularly mention the cross), it does face people up with the fact that in accepting Christ’s atonement there is much to look forward to on the last day, but with the warning that to remain in rebellion will result in facing God in condemnation.

I'm trying to convince Smallberry, who is just coming to the end of his time here with the mission team from St Ebbe's, to introduce it to the roster for the 11.30 meeting at Ebbe's. I reckon it would be a good addition.