I heard the voice…but I changed its music

Last week, I finished mixing my upcoming sacred music recording, From This Place. Three of the pieces are new settings to hymn texts from various nineteenth century writers.

I love the fact that words have potential to become new for us. I think that’s why in so many faith traditions, sacred scriptures are read again and again—we somehow get another chance to become part of the story.

But often, words can become stale, or overused, and their power is diluted. When words are married with music, in order for the words to be more than just words, there has to be a combination of melody, harmony, and text that allows the words to penetrate our spirits in a deeper way than they would if we were just saying them, or reading them.

I love many old hymns, but to be honest, sometimes I find myself loving a particular text more than a particular tune that’s been married to the text. Case in point: an 1846 text by the Scottish hymn writer, Horatius Bonar, called “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.” I’ve heard various musical settings of this text, but Bonar’s lyrics jumped out at me as wanting a new setting that would breathe as the “resting place” that is found in the presence of God. Bonar’s first verse reads:

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto me and rest;
lay down my weary one,
lay down your head upon my breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was,
so weary, worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.

Each of the three verses speak of hearing God’s voice, and then of responding in some way. I responded by writing a new setting—you can hear the first two verses here.