Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,
“For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.” (Isaiah 63:16).

This week, during my quiet time, I read this passage, and this verse has a powerful message: God never abandons us. God will be with us during our trials, troubles, problems, and hard situations. Today’s hymn makes an echo of this passage, “We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer.”

The author of this hymn is Julia Cady Cory, from New York. She was born in a Christian home, and her father was an architect and a Sunday school superintendent. He was an amateur hymnologist, and he was Julia’s influence to write hymns. She was a member of a Presbyterian Church in Englewood, NJ.

Her hymn teaches us how faithful is God in the present, past, and future of the believer. Read the first stanza, a humble call to praise our God.

“We praise Thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator;
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring;
We lay it before You; we kneel and adore You;
We bless Your holy name: glad praises we sing.”

The second stanza tells us how good God has been to us.
“We worship you, God of our fathers and mothers;
Through life's storm and tempest our guide you have been;
When perils o'ertake us, you never forsake us,
And with your help, O Lord, our battles we win.”

The last stanza is painting a wonderful picture of our glorious future with our God and Savior.
“With voices united our praises we offer,
And gladly our songs of thanksgiving we raise.
With You, Lord, beside us, Your strong arm will guide us.
To You, our great Redeemer, forever be praise.”

The melody is a Dutch Folk melody, and we are very familiar with it, because we sing this tune with the hymn “We Gather Together.”

Are you in deep trouble? Trust in the Lord, because He is faithful.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
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In His service,
Israel