Music Monday: Even Unto Death

I’ve decided to take a little break from blogging during Advent. There’s a lot going on in my life at the moment, not least of which is the culmination of a project at work. I’ll be back blogging regularly in the New Year. In the meantime, expect lots of “Classic Pilgrim” posts on the Facebook Page.

Since this post will be the first thing on the blog which visitors will see for the next month, I spent a little bit of time thinking about what would be my last entry. When I realized that this post would be a Music Monday entry, the decision was easy…

Justin

Last week I found out that my friend Justin Schaefer died. So, with this in mind, today’s song is “Even Unto Death” by Audrey Assad. Many of Audrey’s recent songs have meditated on the subject of death:

Death, be not proud, though the whole world fear you:
Mighty and dreadful you may seem… [but] if your sleep be the gates to Heaven, why your confidence?

– Death be not proud, Audrey Assad

Today’s song focuses not such much on death, but of a life poured out for love of Jesus. This is what makes me think of Justin. I first met Justin through the Taizé services which he organized during his stay in San Diego, later leaving to work for Christ the King Service Corps. Justin was a real class act, a real gentleman and a wonderful man of prayer.

May he rest in peace.

Jesus, the very thought of You, it fills my heart with love
Jesus, You burn like wildfire and I am overcome

Lover of my soul, even unto death
With my every breath I will love You x2

Jesus, you are my only hope
And You, my prize shall be
Jesus, You are my glory now and in eternity

In my darkest hour, in humiliation,
I will wait for You, I am not forsaken
Oh, I lose my life, oh, my breath be taken
I will wait for You, I am not forsaken

One thing I desire to see You in Your beauty
You are my delight, yeah, You are my only
You have sacrificed, oh, Your love is all consuming
You are my delight, yeah, You are my glory

I will love You, even unto death, I will love You
With my every breath I will love You
Jesus, the very thought of You
Jesus, the very thought of You…

Music Monday: Jesu, Dulcis Memoria

Today it’s a classic hymn attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, recently revitalized by Tenth Avenue North and the ever-wonderful Audrey Assad:

Jesu dulcis memoria
The sweet memory of Jesus
dans vera cordis gaudia
Giving true joy to the heart
sed super mel et omnia
But more than honey and all things
ejus dulcis praesentia.
His sweet presence.

Sis, Jesu, nostrum gaudium,
O Jesus, may you be our joy,
qui es futurus praemium:
You who are our future reward.
sit nostra in te gloria,
May our glory be in you
per cuncta semper saecula.
Throughout all eternity.

Music Monday: Breaking You

While I was on my blogging sabbatical I got to see Audrey Assad live in concert in LA. She was, unsurprisingly, rather wonderful…

You’ve been let down, it’s true
Your pain is so easy to see
You’re haunted by your history
And it feels like you’ve got no escape

Your life left you high and dry
You used to be sure of yourself
But then your whole world went to hell
And tomorrow looks just like today

So, you lie on your bed, you won’t let the morning come in
And you hide in your room, feeding that fear and it’s killing you
Don’t you know
That it’s killing me too, cause your heart break is breaking you

I miss the life in your eyes
The home that I found in your arms
And now you don’t know who you are
But I won’t give up on you, no

You lie on your bed, you won’t let the morning come in
And you hide in your room, feeding that fear and it’s killing you
Don’t you know
That it’s killing me too, cause your heart break is breaking you

And you lost your fire
And your flame’s gone out
And your down on your knees
Cause your life is not what you thought it would be, no

Lift up your head
Help is on the way
And it won’t pass you by
You just gotta reach out your hand

Lift up your eyes
Love is on the way
And it won’t pass you by
You just gotta reach out your hand

Go on and lift up your head
Because love is on His way
And He won’t pass you by
You’ve just gotta reach out your hand

Music Monday: I heard the voice of Jesus

Today we have Audrey Assad’s arrangement of the 19th Century hymn, “I heard the voice of Jesus Say”:

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down,
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.

2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream.
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light.
Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that Light of Life I’ll walk
Till traveling days are done.

Music Monday: Lord I Need You

We’ll do another traditional song next week, but today’s entry is “Lord, I need you” by Matt Maher, featuring the very lovely Audrey Assad:

Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the One that guides my heart

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I’ll fall on You
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay

You’re my one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Music Monday: Death Be Not Proud

At the end of this week I’m going to be in Los Angeles for the funeral of my friend Thomas, who died in a motorbike accident last Tuesday. It seems fitting, therefore, that today’s Music Monday song should come from the title track of Audrey Assad’s latest album, “Death, be not proud”:

Death, be not proud, though the whole world fear you:
Mighty and dreadful you may seem,
But death, be not proud, for your pride has failed you.
You will not kill me.

Though you may dwell in plague and poison,
You’re a slave to fate and desperate men,
So death, if your sleep be the gates to Heaven, why your confidence?

When you will be no more, you will be no more,
When you will be no more.
Even death will die… x2

Death, be not proud x3
Cause even death will die.

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