He might have told a story as he taught a group to sing this song for the first time. And, Marc Imboden could have been at a conference, a youth rally, or some kind of workshop, a travel habit in which he routinely engaged, but it’s also possible that he said “You Are Holy (Prince of Peace)” as he went about his life in his home in Lebanon, Indiana (see an image highlighting Boone County, where Lebanon is located, in the picture here) in 1994. His friend and collaborator, Tammi Rhoton, also apparently had contributed to the lyrics or the music, and one or both of them had just one thing in mind with this song, though they decided it was a good idea to call out to God with multiple names. What they had to say suggests stress might have sparked this prayer of devotion, a recognition that even people who call Him ‘Lord’ are not immune from the anxieties that come with the flesh and bone with which he formed us, and the surroundings and other people He grants us. Which other names does He arouse in your spirit today?
The variety of locations and the circumstances that Marc and Tammi may have inhabited when they called out to God are not detailed for us, but what they had to say could have emerged from anywhere. Perhaps it was a situation in which they felt a need for calm to enter the room. ‘Prince of Peace’, they write and sing no less than three times, a name that Jesus, even before He was born on earth, was called prophetically (Isaiah 9:6). Or, perhaps it was the Christmas holiday season, when Isaiah’s prophecy could have been on the lips of celebrants recalling how this Holy One was to enter the world and bring what no one else could. Marc and Tammi could have been looking at a wide number of biblical scriptures, in order to gather all the names for Him that they use in their verses. ‘King’, ‘Lord of lords’, ‘King of kings’, ‘Mighty God’, ‘Lord of everything’, ‘Emmanuel’, ‘the great I AM’, ‘the Lamb’, ‘Living God’, ‘Saving Grace’, ‘Ancient of Days’, ‘Alpha and Omega’, ‘Beginning and End’, ‘Savior’, ‘Messiah’, ‘Redeemer’, and ‘Friend’ – 17 other names, in addition to the special one that Isaiah assigned to Him. Each one is a mouthful, and perhaps that’s just what Marc and Tammi thought, too. They need no other accompaniment, other than the few words that these two 20th Century musicians write about worshipping this worthy, holy, and praiseworthy being. We can do this daily, by following, listening, loving, and singing to adore Him. There’s one posture I can assume in His presence -- ‘bow(ing) down’-- but ‘live(ing) my life for you’ also means I’m walking about every day, appreciating what He means for me right now and in the never-ending future. How would a person, with all that realization of who He is, properly address Him? Perhaps that was on the minds of Marc and Tammi also. The 18 names they use for Him could be multiplied many times, and that still would not suffice. Maybe He provides so many, so that we can call upon Him to match each new day’s challenges.
One source says that Marc Imboden typically told stories as a method he used in worship, when he traveled to help lead gatherings of believers. His aim was to draw the crowds into a special place, even a setting where they could laugh and let their imaginations loose. One doesn’t have to go very deep inside oneself to see that’s what ‘You Are Holy’ was about. Imagine you are with Peter, James, and John up on that high mountain (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9) and suddenly Jesus is glowing, accompanied by Moses and Elijah. How would you react? That sounds like something maybe Marc Imboden might have said, in telling a story about a group of disciples who were undoubtedly blown away by what they experienced, particularly when God spoke from heaven and told Peter to hush! He’s holy, and you and I are not. Just tell Him who you know Him to be, what others for centuries have been calling Him. That is all you need to understand in that moment. What will you and I say in His presence? That moment is coming, for you and me.
See here for some information on one of the authors (Marc Imboden): https://hymnary.org/hymn/LUYH2013/598
The link here shows an album by, and a picture of one of the authors in 2005: Tammi Rhoton - Inside Paper Walls Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic
Image of Boone County, where Lebanon is located: File:Map of Indiana highlighting Boone County.svg - Wikimedia Commons and Public Domain statement by the owner of the image: I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
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