I have heard this song before, but had not really let the words sink into my mind and soul until now. Read it along with me. (Or aloud. I will append a link for some music.)
What is our hope in life and death? Christ alone, Christ alone.
What is our only confidence? That our souls to Him belong.
Who holds our days within His hand? What comes, apart from His command,
And what will keep us to the end? The love of Christ in which we stand.
Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal. Oh, sing hallelujah
Now and ever we confess. Christ, our hope in life and death.
What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good, God is good.
Where is His grace and goodness known? In our great Redeemer's blood.
Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh Unto the shore? The rock of Christ.
Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal. Oh, sing hallelujah
Now and ever we confess. Christ, our hope in life and death.
Unto the grave, what will we sing? "Christ, He lives, Christ, He lives!"
And what reward will Heaven bring? Everlasting life with Him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord. Then sin and death will be destroyed,
And we will feast in endless joy, When Christ is ours forevermore (forevermore)
Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah
Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death (oh, sing)
Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah
Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death
Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death
This is a series of questions and answers. Just let those words suffuse your heart and mind. “What is our hope in life and death?” Is there a more cogent and germane question in all of life? There is only one answer. No thing or no one can give an answer. “Christ alone, Christ alone.”
Then it goes the next step. “What is our only confidence?” And again there is only one answer. “That our souls to Him belong” Keep going. This phrase has a triplet. “Who holds our days within His hand? What comes, apart from His command, And what will keep us to the end?” The world is desperate for an answer, especially for the final query. Can we survive without knowing that everything that happens is controlled by Him? And here it is: “The love of Christ in which we stand.” That is a long meditation by itself.
Doesn’t that prompt, no, demand that we cry, “Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah, Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death.”
If the song stopped there, it would be good, but there are some further thoughts. “What truth can calm the troubled soul?” Were the authors reading my mind? “God is good, God is good.” (Check the previous paragraph.)
The next logical question is, “Where is His grace and goodness known?” And the answer is blasted out of the speakers in the Bible. “In our great Redeemer's blood.” But it does not stop there. “Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial? Who sends the waves that bring us nigh Unto the shore?” I have never been lost on the stormy ocean, but have read some accounts. There is either a peril or secure location as we approach the shoreline. “The rock of Christ.”
Sing, “Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal Oh, sing hallelujah, Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death.”
One last question remains. What comes next? “Unto the grave, what will we sing?” And our confident response is the refrain. "Christ, He lives, Christ, He lives!" We exultantly anticipate, “And what reward will Heaven bring?” Hold on to your hats. “Everlasting life with Him.” (That needs a few exclamation points!!!!)
But that is not all. Get ready to load the wagon. “There we will rise to meet the Lord, Then sin and death will be destroyed, And we will feast in endless joy When Christ is ours forevermore (forevermore).”
Glory. Open up all the stops. “Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal. Oh, sing hallelujah Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death. Oh, sing hallelujah Our hope springs eternal. Oh, sing hallelujah, Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death.”
And one last time for the sake of singing. “Now and ever we confess Christ, our hope in life and death.”
Our Pastor in Longview, Texas, would exclaim “Glory,” when something particularly touched him. But there were times when it was, “GLORY!” And I join with Pastor Paul today. GLORY!
Listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDY3F5SYiXs
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Matt Boswell / Matt Papa / Keith Getty / Jordan Kauflin / Matthew Sherman Merker
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