The following are the songs that are not included in the printed magazine. You can listen to the songs and download them for free. The lead sheets are available at the link provided at the end of each commentary.

You Are God

You are God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You are God in our suffering
Through every tear
Lord, You are near to me

You were God clothed in human form
A baby born
To save humanity

You were God hanging on the cross
Aching loss
Enduring agony

You were God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You were God in Your suffering
In cruelty
You touched mortality

Then and there on that third day
You rose again
You conquered sin
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

You are God but You understand
What it means
To be a man
You are God and You bear the marks
Eternal scars
Of Your own suffering...for me...

You are God in the darkest night
In the stormy rain
Through waves of pain
You are God in our suffering
Through every tear
Lord, You are near to me

Oh God help us understand
What it means
To suffer in Your hands

 

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Commentary on You Are God
We see in Scripture that God has identified himself with man-becoming a man, even to the point of dying an agonizing death (Isaiah 53:4-6). We also see that "it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand" (Isaiah 53:10).

Not only did Christ identify with us, his very identification with us (in human life and in death) made it possible for us to identify with him in glory.

We not only share in his glory, but also in his suffering (see Romans 8:17). Paul writes, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Suffering leads us to cling to the hope of salvation.

In this song, I wanted to keep the focus on God and the cross as the centerpiece for our hope in times of suffering. It begins with a simple statement that God is God in times of trouble. After telling the story of the cross, the chorus is used in a new light, as Jesus faced the "darkest night," to which our sufferings pale in comparison. Jesus had his Father turn his back on him. Jesus died with the weight of the sins of the world on him. God the Father lost his only Son to death.

The climax of the song occurs with the "Hallelujahs"-the praise that results from Jesus' triumph over sin in the resurrection. As the song descends from the chorus, it speaks of how God's experience as a man shows us that he understands every suffering experience that we can have as humans. In the conclusion lies a simple prayer for God to help us understand the suffering that he allows, for they often don't make sense to us. So we cling to hope in our redemption through the cross.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

 

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Free and Forgiven

VERSE 1
There's nowhere to hide
That You do not see
I have no defense-You see my heart
I stand before You guilty
My only hope is Your mercy

I can't cover up, I can't keep it in
You know every thought, every sin
I stand before You guilty
My only hope is Your mercy

CHORUS
Giver of Forgiveness here I am
Ashamed of my unworthiness
You see the worst in me and still
You don't love me any less
But You take my sin away from me
As far as the east is from the west
I'm free and forgiven
Because of You, Jesus
Giver of Forgiveness

VERSE 2
Prisoner once more
I am chained again
Why do I return to my sin?
Oh Jesus, please remind me
Tell me again I'm free

(To CHORUS)

BRIDGE 1
My chains are broken
And sins are no more
All forgiven by my Savior
Guilty no longer
I'm washed white as snow
Jesus loves me more than I know

BRIDGE 2
I'm free
And forgiven

 

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Commentary on Free and Forgiven
The first verse is heavy with the Law, as it sets the stage of a trial in which the plea is very clearly guilty. The defendant knows it. The judge knows it is true. There is an acknowledgment of sin. And there is an acknowledgment that the only way out of punishment is mercy, which is completely undeserved. The chorus begins with a call on the "Giver of Forgiveness" as the second note of Grace begins to sound. Amidst the forgiveness, remains an understanding of being unworthy, but loved nonetheless. Echoing Psalm 103:12, the singer proclaims that God has taken our sins away from us "as far as the east is from the west." The chorus concludes with the statement that Jesus is the Giver of Forgiveness.

Verse two takes the singer back to the inevitable failing once again, despite knowing the grace that has been given. It reflects Romans 7:14-25, in that we struggle with our sinful nature and need reminders that we have been already forgiven and are free.

The bridge is an all-Gospel celebration of freedom and forgiveness.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

 

 

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Daddy Love Me

VERSE 1
I cannot run; I know I'm wrong
You see my shame; I can't explain
‘Cause I don't know what's wrong with me
It pulls me down like gravity
Why can't I be who You made me to be?

 

PRECHORUS
And I see the tears in Your eyes
You love more than I realize
Nothing I do will make my broken heart new so I'm here

CHORUS
Daddy I'm so sorry
Please, oh please forgive me
Daddy, take me in Your arms and hold me
Passion overflowing
In Your arms embracing me
Daddy, love me (Daddy, love me; Daddy, love me)

VERSE 2
I'm here again; I can't pretend
I know You know; Each time I fall
I don't know just what You see
How can You keep loving me?
Could I be who You made me to be?

BRIDGE
And as a father holds his child
Safe in his strong arms
You hold me close and I know I'm loved

Daddy I'm so sorry
Please, oh please forgive me
Daddy, take me in Your arms and hold me
Passion overflowing
In Your arms embracing me
Daddy, love me (Daddy, love me; Daddy, love me)

 

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Commentary on Daddy Love Me
"Daddy Love Me" paints a picture of a child who has sinned, approaching its father for forgiveness and assurance of his love. It is a song of repentance and confession of sin, while holding to the promise that Daddy will forgive every time.

The song begins with Law-the admitting of wrongdoing. The lyrics also state how our sinful nature pulls us down like the never-relenting force of gravity. It's something with which we must always contend. In the pre-chorus, the Gospel begins, we see that Daddy (American for Abba) loves us more than we realize. (Ps. 103:13)

In the confession of the chorus, we cry out for the forgiveness we need, while having full assurance that he still loves us. Verse 2, returns us to the Law as we return to our sinful nature, concluding with a question of "Could I be who You made me to be?" This is a longing for the day when God frees us from our sinful nature and we can truly be the people he originally made us to be.

Though this song was originally written for a soloist to sing, I have often wondered if it would work in a congregational setting (minus the keys changes and soloistic devices used in the recording). It has a fairly large range, but not impossible and the melodies are fairly simple.

You can download the lead sheets at www.nordtvedt.net/worship

 

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