Sing We (or to) the King -- Charles Silvester Horne and Billy Foote

 

He was a preacher, so what he wrote may have been intended to communicate something musically that he was addressing from the pulpit also. The Englishman Charles Silvester Horne (see Horne’s native English flag here) evidently envisioned the congregants in a London suburb’s church to whom he preached joining with him as he sang “Sing We the King” in the early years of the 20^th Century. Some 100 years later, the American Billy Foote took Horne’s hymn and recast a few words (including the title – “Sing to the King”) and employed a new tune to refresh its use, but its purpose has remained unchanged. Draw those who are gathered to appreciate Him, what He’s done, and especially what we all hope and trust He will do. While Billy’s version says something very succinct about praise, the version Charles originally wrote broadens the message to include some thoughts about how His salvation will impact the redeemed. Both versions are worthy. He just wants to hear from His people, no matter if it’s a few sentences or a meatier paragraph.

 

Charles presumably wrote ‘Sing We…’ while ministering and preaching at one of two churches in the London area in the first decade of the 20^th Century. He was also a member of Parliament in the latter portion of this period, so he was well-accustomed to public life and how to address crowds and motivate them with his words. What precisely moved Charles to write a five-verse hymn with a chorus-refrain to use in worship is unknown, but ‘Sing We…’ is one that continues to be used a century later, including in the first few years of the 21^st Century when Billy Foote’s revised version, with two verses and a chorus-refrain, was introduced. Billy’s version borrows the lyrics of Charles’ first and fifth verses with a few modifications, and then adds more changes to a chorus that coaxes believers to repeat praises to Him as King. Charles’ second through fourth verses foresee His kingdom being one in which racial divides are gone, and ‘justice and truth’ expunge all ‘wrongs’ (v.2); in which ‘peace’, ‘freedom’, and ‘wisdom’ are present, creating an environment in which ‘foe(s)’ become friends (v.3); and in which sin’s punishment is paid, while ‘doubt’, ‘death’, and ‘hell’ are overcome (v.4). Both Charles and Billy eagerly await the ‘dawn of the (that) day’ when all will sing to Him as He inaugurates the everlasting kingdom (v.5); it’s an enthusiastic ending that really builds on what is said in verse one – His reign is approaching, Jesus’ atoning death is the reason we can offer praise, and it’s a reality that is cause for all nations’ rejoicing. Both Charles and Billy were intent on making a song that casts aside all hesitation, telling a people that there need not be any lingering questions about how all this will happen. The Father and Son have done what is necessary, including removing the ‘vanquished Satan’ from the picture and elevating ‘King Jesus’ to the throne in the song’s final few words. Our part is to step forward, grab hold of the gift, and let out our loudest cheer!   

 

Not much more needs to be explained in what Charles Horne and Billy Foote have told us. The few downbeat words in the lyrics are overwhelmed by the accomplished work of Jesus as the ‘slain Lamb’ and what that entails. These two authors-composers don’t dwell on these few negative words, and that is a life message for the hearers. We don’t have to tell ourselves that troubles don’t come along – because they do -- but rather that they shrink and ultimately vanish in the light of what’s coming. A community of believers provides an embrace for each of us when we’re hurting, but in the end, those embraces turn into linked arms that have us all marching – and indeed, skipping – together to the finish line and beyond into the victory party on the infield of the great racetrack we’re all traversing. It’s a marathon for most of us, but Charles and Billy remind us that at some point the applause will get increasingly louder, urging us on. Keep going!

 

Classic hymn was titled “Sing We the King”  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/s/i/n/g/k/singking.htm

See here for information on the classic hymn’s original composer-author and the verses he wrote: Sing to the King | Hymnary.org  and here: Charles Silvester Horne | Hymnary.org 

Also see here for information on the original composer: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/h/o/r/n/horne_cs.htm and here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvester_Horne

Read about the secondary composer here: Billy Foote site

See information on the England flag here: File:Flag of England.svg - Wikipedia…This work has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder. This applies worldwide.

Overcome -- Jon Egan

 

The year between late 2006 and late 2007 might be one that members of this church would rather forget. Two tragic events struck, and the people at New Life Church in Colorado Springs (see the flag of Colorado Springs here) were stunned and distraught, until they were moved to remember that He had “Overcome”, and that they could do the same. Nothing is irredeemable in God’s kingdom, so these people clung to that belief that was rooted in reality. The song helped this church community heal, and that was something that only a Spirit-filled body could do, because the events that led to one leader’s downfall and to the deaths of two members of the church could not be taken back. Those things made even the author-composer of the song, Jon Egan, once feel deep inside as if the church could not recover from these twin calamities. And then they sang the song, three days after their lowest point, when a shooter had done the unthinkable within their spiritual community. Let Him and the example of His life – and death and resurrection – speak over you when you feel that hope is missing. That’s what Jon and this Colorado church did.

 

When trust is broken, and when two innocent people are struck down, that’s when many people might ask if something is terribly wrong with the ways of a church. Jon Egan apparently had written ‘Overcome’ in the aftermath of the church’s senior pastor’s dismissal, a consequence of drug-related and sexual sin in which he had engaged. ‘Shock waves’ was how the emotions of the church were described (see the video link below) at that time in November 2006. And yet, that did not overwhelm this group. Instead, they leaned on Him through prayer, trust, and worship in order to persevere. The band that Jon Egan and his friends had been using to minister to the church (since 2001) was aptly named Desperation, and they could not possibly have known just how desperate this church was about to become through this year-long period. Barely a year later (December 2007), a gunman entered the church building and shot five people, including two sisters who were killed. Does life get any more brutally unfair than that? Jon really thought the church was suffering irreparably, that his and others’ faith had sunk too low. That was when they sang to remind themselves of the once-desperate nature of another death that had rocked other believers…and, that Jesus overcame. The words of the song were never more meaningful for New Life than when they met just days after the shooting occurred. That Wednesday night was described as the time when ‘Overcome’ became their ‘anthem’, and Jon later retells how the church was rising and living ‘in the truth’ that God was not going to leave them, that He would pull them through, whatever happened. Instead of desolation, they leaned on words like ‘victory’, ‘awesome’, ‘power’, ‘great’, and of course the song’s title word that described Christ’s resurrection. The resurrection did not wipe out the events that lead to Jesus’ sacrifice, but it gave His death new perspective…that the lowest point of someone’s experience can be outdone by the height of His redemption in God’s kingdom.

 

Jon and the New Life Church remembered it all, the depth of their despair, but also the recovery that brought a resurgence of life in Him. God’s ways cannot be defeated, even by the indiscretions of we who are weak in our sin natures, or by bullets fired by gunmen tragically lashing out in uncontrolled rage. Jesus also encountered sinful and rage-filled people – that is what lead to his own death. He did not shrink from it, and though none of us would likely move willingly toward such danger, His ability to overcome what befell Him provides you and me something we would not otherwise have. I don’t have to live in dread of hazards that might ensue and overtake me. He’s already made sure – unshakably so – that I too will overcome, no matter what happens to me here on earth. Make sure that you too can assert that. Jesus is the way.

 

See the song story retold in this video: Bing Videos

 

See one retelling of the story here: overcome Jon Egan | Devotions by Chris Hendrix

 

Read about the church through which the song emerged here: New Life Church (Colorado Springs, Colorado) - Wikipedia

 

Read about Jon Egan’s band at the church here: Desperation Band - Wikipedia

 

See information on the flag here: File:Flag of Colorado Springs, Colorado.svg - Wikimedia Commons…This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930. The following statement is also attached to the photo’s information: 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.

Holy Spirit (You Are Welcome Here) -- Bryan and Katie Torwalt

 

Maybe they had at least tasted Him (as did the ancient songwriter David, see Psalm 34:8), even in an irregular way or on a special occasion, and had experienced all that He could do. (See reproduction of 17^th Century artwork Dove of the Holy Spirit by Gian Lorenzo Bernini here.) Bryan and Katie Torwalt called out to the “Holy Spirit (You Are Welcome Here)” because, as one could deduce by looking at what they eventually said to Him, they didn’t want Him to be just a vague suggestive force in their lives. No, they wanted to sense Him and all He could mean for them clearly, powerfully. It was transformation for which they were looking, and it did indeed begin with saying what they meant to Him in a new, unvarnished way. An older song seemed to be stuck in Bryan’s head, and that evidently played a part in spurring his and Katie’s conviction that they needed to listen to what the Spirit was urging them to do. He’s right here, so just acknowledge Him, and even more, tell Him you want Him to take over. That’s what the Torwalts had the audacity to invite Him to do. Do what David also voiced centuries ago, and see how He’ll respond.

 

The Torwalts had been thinking about writing a new Holy Spirit song for two years before they actually got serious and responded with a song in 2011. In an interview (see link to it below), Bryan related that an old classic (unnamed) Holy Spirit song became stuck in his head during this period, so that its words were on his lips frequently. Perhaps as a therapy to deal with this phenomenon, Bryan says he and his wife just became determined one day to bring a new Holy Spirit song into reality, one for their own era instead of the one that Bryan was constantly humming. A portion of the song happened rather spontaneously after they had secluded themselves in a room, and perhaps that was the spark their songwriting juices needed, for the remainder of the song emerged over the course of the next few weeks in various ways, including while they were together in their car. Bryan says it was basically a prayer that they voiced, a talk with the God-Spirit whom they wanted to invite into their consciences in a much more discernible way. ‘Awareness’ – that was what Katie said she and Bryan emphasized to others as they shared this desire openly. Sure, the Spirit is obviously with us, but are we always totally alert and responsive to His influence? Katie and Bryan said it was a ‘deep desire’ to have Him not just be present, but to fill and ‘overwhelm’ the believer with His being. So, these and other phrases and words like ‘nothing worth more/can compare’, ‘sweetest of love’, ‘flood this place’, ‘fill the atmosphere’, ‘overcome’, ‘shame is undone’, ‘heart becomes free’, ‘hunger’, and ‘experience the glory’ inhabit the lyrics they wrote.   

 

Bryan and Katie didn’t want to hold back, so the phrases they use are what we English speakers would define as those with a superlative nature. They were seeking the pinnacle experience, the summit of being with Him. Having Him is not just some routine, unremarkable, and predictable relationship. The last few words of the Torwalts’ lyrics include ‘deeper’, so what they suggest for the worshipper isn’t a casual affair. It could unsettle you, so best to prepare yourself. You could educate yourself with reading in your bible how He thrust forward His people, even into hazards that can make one hesitate or turn back if He weren’t present. You have to have been in the doldrums, probably, to really decide that you’d rather have the ‘glory’, the ‘overwhelm(ing)’, the ‘overcom(ing)’, and ‘sweetest’ Holy Spirit to radically change your lifestyle. So, honestly ask yourself – ‘Is my life dull, and am I ready to seek Him out’? The heavenly kingdom and what awaits the saved in the afterlife will not be dull – of that you can be sure. Read some of Revelation and see what you think.  

 

Watch/hear the song story here: Bing Videos  (the story is shared by the songwriters from 0:43 to 2:37)

 See information about the picture here: File:Holy Spirit as Dove (detail).jpg - Wikimedia Commons…This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. {{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States.