This song draws on different biblical images of ideal times and places: the Peaceable Kingdom (Isaiah 11), the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2) and the new Jerusalem (Revelation 4 & 21). It is written in a Contemporary Christian style perhaps similar to the Rend Collective or Robin Mark. Note that this recording modulates up a semitone for the last verse. This song is included in Then Let Us Sing, a music resource published by the United Church of Canada in 2025. Most pictures in the video are courtesy of www.pexels.com.
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In the previous two psalms, God’s people have experienced God’s defense and rescue in the midst of a dangerous journey. Now, viewing the mountains surrounding Jerusalem that provide an extraordinary defense for the city, they see a picture of God’s enduring protection. Confident in God’s love, surrounded by his protection in the midst of evil, we can choose to trust and follow him.
This is a song about pressing in to God and following even when things get tough. Its a song of determination and faith based around 2 Cor 4:7-9 "7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." and Phil 3: 12-14 "12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Inspired by the words of John 10:10, this song explores aspects of the full life available to us through Jesus. Started at New Wine in 2008, it took several revisions at Resound events to arrive at the final version, performed at the first ‘Worship Songwriting Retreat WSR15’ at Wyedale Hall in June 2015.
This song was written in a time wherein I was so overwhelmed by grief that I couldn’t write songs anymore. Someone mentioned I could ask my pastor for a theme to write about. My pastor immediately knew: Romans 15:13. I studied Romans, read it in all translations I could find and then wrote this song. A song of hope when I felt no hope at all. But when I sang it to and in our church, I found I could sing it along very well. Now I hope this song will bring hope to others.