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My Beloved. Traveling Music for the 40 days
This is a little, simple song I wrote a couple of years ago on my front porch. As the spring opened up I found myself immersed in the Song of Songs. The real song at the heart of the Song of Songs comes down to 5 Hebrew words. They translate like this: My beloved mine. I his. The last time I heard these lyrics sung was in the 80's standard, "His Banner over Me." It occurred to me that we weren't really singing the simplicity of these lyrics very much any more. And we completely burned out that 80's tune. This is the song at the heart of the Song of all Songs and we weren't really singing anymore.
One spring morning on the front porch swing I sang out these words as prayer and this simple melody flowed out. (The great Willie Nelson was right when he said, "The air is filled with melodies. We need only reach up and pull one out.") As I sang the 5 words, my mind ran to Psalm 40 and I began singing each of those first several lines as verses to this new-old song. At the end I added a doxology, "Praise the Father. Praise the Son. Praise the Spirit, three in One. Praise the Father. Praise the Son. My beloved mine I his.
As I journeyed through those 40 days of Lent to the Cross, I imagined Jesus singing this song to his Father on that lonely road. "My beloved mine; I his." This song captured the "joy set before him." As my life slowly and progressively becomes "crucified with Christ," and I can more honestly and humbly whisper, "and I no longer live but Christ lives in me," this is my song. Someone out there in YouTube world put this song to a series of texts. Listen and Watch and Pray.
A few years back on a visit to Austin, Texas, to see Chris Tomlin, I shared this song. He liked it immediately and the song began its long road to a record. Chris worked with some of the verses and invented a powerful bridge. He invested a lot in the song, pulling together a choir and making a great recording. The song was slated to be on the Hello Love album right up to the last minute when it was pulled in favor of another one. It wound up finding a spot on the iTunes version as a "bonus" track, free for those who purchase the entire iTunes record.
Perhaps that's fitting. The Song of all Songs must be free and yet a bit hidden. Off the beaten path, it must be searched out and found. I know it took me years and years to find it. The singer most always discovers this song like a treasure buried in a field. The lyrics stand the test of time while the melody moves with the age. "My beloved mine; I his." This song rings out the very heartbeat of the cosmos; the anthem of creation, and the essence of redemption.
Perhaps that's fitting. The Song of all Songs must be free and yet a bit hidden. Off the beaten path, it must be searched out and found. I know it took me years and years to find it. The singer most always discovers this song like a treasure buried in a field. The lyrics stand the test of time while the melody moves with the age. "My beloved mine; I his." This song rings out the very heartbeat of the cosmos; the anthem of creation, and the essence of redemption.
I offer it here as a song for the 40 days ahead; traveling music as we head to the Cross and onward to Easter.
Labels: Lent, practicing the story, song writing
posted by John David Walt | at 2/25/2009 03:01:00 AM | 7 comments
Today...