Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16).

This beautiful passage by our brother Paul is a defense against the denial of the deity of Christ that was part of some members in the church of Colossian. Some scholars believe that these verses were part of an ancient hymn by an anonymous author that celebrated Christ as God, and Paul used it to make his point that Jesus is the Creator of everything, because “all things were created through Him and for Him.” John MacArthur said, “As God, Jesus created the material and spiritual universe for His pleasure and glory.”

This verse was the inspiration to Margaret Clarkson to write her hymn “We Come, O Christ, to You.”

“We come, O Christ, to you,
true Son of God and man,
by whom all things consist,
in whom all life began:
in you alone we live and move,
and have our being in your love.”

Margaret Clarkson was a Canadian hymn writer, poet and author with a very strong Reformed theology. Her hymns are deep in doctrine, and beside this hymn, in our hymnal we have another of her hymns, “O Father, You Are Sovereign.”

Margaret Clarkson wrote this hymn as part of her quiet time, focusing on the mystery and core Christian doctrine: the humanity and divinity of Christ, “true Son of God and man.” And because, she is pointing that Jesus is God in flesh, like the Bible teaches very clearly, her hymn tells us that Jesus is the Creator of everything; that his death is the substitutionary atonement; that He is judge and mediator; the He is the great I AM, therefore, He deserves our total devotion and praise.

“You are the Way to God,
your blood our ransom paid;
in you we face our Judge
and Maker unafraid.
Before the throne absolved we stand,
your love has met your law’s demand.”

The melody that we use for this lovely hymn is the same tune for “Rejoice, the Lord Is King.”

“We worship you, Lord Christ,
our Savior and our King,
to you our youth and strength
adoringly we bring:
so fill our hearts, that all may view
your life in us, and turn to you!”

Please, use this hymn during your quiet time, worshiping Jesus as your God and Savior.
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In His service,
Israel