This hymn was written by modern songwriters Stuart Townend & Keith Getty. Often today the preaching of the Word has been diminished in value – from its prominence in a service, to it’s passion; but most of all in our own expectation each time we sit down and ask God to speak to us. In writing this hymn, it was their prayer that through the power of the Spirit, this hymn would prepare people to humbly listen to the Bible being taught and respond to the huge consequences it has on their lives¹. The lyrics below would be an excellent prayer for any church leader to lead their congregation with before the preaching of the Word.

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of your holy word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us
All Your purposes, for Your glory.

Teach us Lord full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility.
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise
Cause our eyes to see,
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of power that can never fail;
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time,
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises;
And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, ’til your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.

¹facebook.com/gettymusic/posts/the-story-behind-speak-o-lordone-of-christianitys-distinctives-is-that-we-worshi/10155873712805136/

Wendell Kimbrough is the writer of this song, whose songs are marked by strong singable melodies, steeped in the sounds of folk, gospel, and soul music. What has made his songs popular is “his use of scriptural texts for his lyrics; his tunes which are extremely useful for congregational singing; and his approach in concert, which involves teaching God’s people the music to sing”¹. This is one of my favourites takes from the album Psalms We Sing Together.

Now the days and hours and moments
Of our suff’ring seem so long;
And the toilsome wait and wond’ring
Threaten silence to our song.
Now our pain is real and pressing
Where our faith is thin and weak,
But our hope is set on Jesus;
And we cling to him, our strength.

Oh eternal weight of glory!
Oh inheritance divine!
We will see our Lord redeeming
Every past and future time.
All our pains will be transfigured,
Like the scars of Christ our Lord.
We will see the weight of glory,
And our broken years restored.

For behold! I tell a myst’ry:
At the trumpet sound we’ll wake
“Death is swallowed up in vict’ry!”
When we meet our King of Grace
Every year we thought was wasted
Every night we cried “How long?”
All will be a passing moment
In our Saviour’s vict’ry song

We will see our wounded Saviour.
We’ll behold him face to face;
And we’ll hear our anguished stories
Sung as vict’ry songs of grace.
For behold! I tell a myst’ry:
At the trumpet sound we’ll wake
“Death is swallowed up in vict’ry!”
When we meet our King of Grace
Every year we thought was wasted
Every night we cried “How long?”
All will be a passing moment
In our Saviour’s vict’ry song

¹http://www.wendellk.com/#about

This song by Sovereign Grace is a prayer that we would all do well to pray to God – structured to draw near to God during the morning, the day and the night, this song will stir your heart to see our daily need for God.

As morning dawns and day awakes,
To You I bring my need.
O gracious God, my source of strength,
In You I live and breathe.
Each hour is Yours by wisdom planned,
Each deed empowered by sovereign hands.
Renew my spirit, help me stand;
Be glorified today

As day unfolds, I seek Your will
In all of life’s demands.
And though the tempter tries me still,
I cling to Your commands.
Let every effort of my life
Display the matchless worth of Christ.
Make me a living sacrifice;
Be glorified today.

As sun gives way to darkest night
Your Spirit still is here.
And though my strength fades like the light
New mercies will appear.
I rest in You; abide with me
Until our trials and suffering –
Give way to final victory;
Be glorified, today; be glorified, I pray

Not much is known about the author John Stocker, other than he lived in Honitan, Devonshire. He is considered a friend of A. M. Toplady (who wrote “Rock of Ages”) and Stocker contributed nine hymns to “The Gospel Magazine” in 1776-1777¹. This hymn, included in Spurgeon’s Own Hymn Book, is a personal favourite of mine.

Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song,
The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue;
Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast.

Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here;
Sin would reduce me to utter despair;
But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive,
And He that first made me still keeps me alive.

Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart;
Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found.

Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own,
And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son;
All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine.

¹bibletruthpublishers.com/john-stocker/adrian-roach/the-little-flock-hymn-book-its-history-and-hymn-writers/a-roach/la105012

This song is written by Kha Do, Assistant Professor of Music and Worship at Boyce College. He has also spent time leading Norton Hall Band, a music ministry of Southern Seminary. Norton Hall Band’s purpose is “to lead in worship that centres around the gospel and is birthed out of the Word of God”¹. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the below song and words by the band.

Be a lamp for all my days Lord
Bear a torch that I might see;
Through the fog of bitter pain
And know Your purpose lies beneath.
Oh to taste and see the gospel
As I never have before;
Be a lamp for all my days
And I shall walk in endless joy.

As I sojourn cross this dessert
Through the plains of doubtful night;
Speak the words that guide my footsteps
Let them shine as stars so bright.
Point me northward to thy country
Where my soul will find its home;
Be a lamp for all my days
And I shall walk in endless joy.

You’re the lamp, the light of heaven
Dawn of mercy for all men;
Through Your death and resurrection
Sons of night are born again.
What a gift so free and moving
Sets ablaze my fainting soul;
Be a lamp for all my days
And I shall walk in endless joy.

Oh to taste and see the gospel
As I never have before;
Be a lamp for all my days
And I shall walk in endless joy.

¹https://www.sbts.edu/bgs/biblical-worship/norton-hall-band/