29 Mar, 2012
Glorious Christ – New Song from a New Album
Posted by: Bob Kauflin In: —Sovereign Grace Music|—Worship and Christ|Videos
On April 10 we’ll be releasing our next album, From Age to Age, a collection of 14 new hymns for the church. We call them “hymns” because either they were based on or inspired by hymns of the past, or because the lyrics adhere to a metrical pattern in the verses. The songs also contain a theological richness that characterize most hymns.
One song I wrote for the album is called Glorious Christ. I unashamedly got the idea for the song from Chris Tomlin’s How Great is Our God, which seems to be sung throughout the world. I love how Chris’ song focuses on God’s character and works then draws out the appropriate response of magnifying the Lord in song and inviting others to join along. I thought, “I’d like to write a song like that that focuses specifically on Jesus.”
One day as I was reading the first chapter of Hebrews I was struck by how many ways the author highlights the preeminence and superiority of Christ. In just the first four verses we’re told that Jesus is:
- God’s Word to us (vs. 1)
- the heir of all things (vs. 2)
- the creator of the world (vs. 2)
- the radiance of the Father’s glory (vs. 3)
- the exact imprint of God’s nature (vs. 3)
- the one who upholds the universe (vs. 3)
- the one who made purification for our sins (vs. 3)
- now seated at God’s right hand (vs. 3)
- superior to angels (vs. 4)
Wow. While it’s biblical and right to worship God as the Trinity, the Father takes special delight when we honor His Son (Phil. 2:9-10). The Spirit has come for the purpose of glorifying Jesus (John 16:14). So it’s appropriate for us to seek to increase our understanding of, appreciation for, and commitment to proclaiming and cherishing how glorious Christ really is. And that’s what I was attempting to do when I wrote Glorious Christ.
When we were working on From Age to Age, Joel Sczebel had the idea of recording an acoustic version in the studio. So we played through the song a few times and ended up with the video below. That’s some of the Enfield guys on percussion (David Zimmer), mandolin (Wil Pearce), Â and acoustic (Ryan Foglesong). Joel played the other acoustic while I sat in (stood in?) on piano. Eric McAllister, currently one of our interns, sang vocals, although Dale Bischof sings it on the album. If you want to sample what’s on the album you can hear it on the iTunes pre-order page. Lyrics are below.
The album comes out April 10, but you can pre-order it for only 5 bucks at our Bandcamp site.
The radiance of the Father
Before the dawn of time
You spoke and all creation came to be
The molecules and planets
Reveal Your great design
And every one was made so we could see
So we could see
You are the glorious Christ
The greatest of all delights
Your power is unequaled
Your love beyond all heights
No greater sacrifice
Than when You laid down Your life
We join the song of angels
Who praise You day and night
Glorious Christ
You left the air of heave
To breathe the dust of earth
And dwell among the outcast and the poor
You came to be forsaken
And died to take our curse
So You could be our joy forevermore
Forevermore
You’re seated now in heaven
Enthroned at God’s right hand
You’ve shattered death and freed us
From our fears
And though we cannot see You
You’re coming back again
And all will be made right when You appear
And all will be made right when You appear
By Bob Kauflin © 2012 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)
