I wrote a song.

Psalm 73:28

But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds.

 

The title of this post is actually a bit misleading. I didn't actually write a song - God did. I'm writing this post to tell of the deeds of the Sovereign Lord and to glorify His name.

 

Brittany

World, meet Brittany. A former youth group student, turned youth group leader, turned friend. I had the honor of singing in Brittany and TJ's wedding almost six years ago. In the last several years, Brittany has shared her life and faith on her blog: http://sprinklesandwrinkles.blogspot.com/

 

After the birth of her beautiful baby boy, Brittany and her husband experienced the loss of their two little girls. She shares their stories on her blog: http://sprinklesandwrinkles.blogspot.com/p/edens-story.html and http://sprinklesandwrinkles.blogspot.com/p/jubilees-story.html. Have tissues nearby. You've been warned.

 

Throughout Brittany's pregnancy with Jubilee, God really laid this family on my heart and I prayed like I haven't prayed before. After the loss of Jubilee, I continued to pray and pray and pray. God has given this amazing family the gift of faith, that much is sure. I have been blessed, challenged and encouraged watching them live our their lives of faith, even in the face of such tradgic loss.

 

Psalm 100 became a Scripture that Brittnay and TJ clung to during this - they were shouting for joy to the Lord through it all - the pain, the loss, the wondering, the questions, the grief, the prayers. They never stopped worshipping the Lord or questioning his goodness or his enduring love.

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

 

The Song

This past May 2 was the two year anniversary of little Jubilee's arrival and departure of this earthly world. On her blog and facebook, Brittany asked people to share what they were "Shouting for Joy" for that day and to simply share what was filling our hearts with gratitude to God.

 

I sat down and didn't know what to share at first. I decided to read through Psalm 100, and immediately the song "I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart" came into my head. I actually thought how sad I was that, while it's a fine song, it didn't at all seem fitting for remembering Jubilee and the goodness of God through the whole situation.

 

My guitar was sitting next to me, as I had recently finished practicing for worship on Sunday. 

I picked it up and a song began to form. I've never written a song before, so I was a bit shocked that it came together so easily, but I attribute that to the fact that it was truly written by the Lord.

 

God wrote the words Himself and the Holy Spirit inspired the music. I was able to share the song with Brittany & TJ on May 2, as I felt it was a song God gave to me, but was meant for them.

 

 

 

Jubilee {Psalm 100}

written May 2, 2014

 

Intro: C G C G

Verse 1:

C2                     G

Shout for Joy, to the Lord

C2                   G

all the earth, worship Him

C2                      G

Come before Him with joy

C2                         D

Know that He is God

Chorus:

                          G                  D

And we sing, Halleluiah! Jubilee!

C2                        D

We adore you, Trinity!

G                                D

You have saved us, by your grace

C                      D                                          C  G  C  G         

Now we enter, your courts with praise

Verse 2:

C2                                 G

You have made us, We are yours

C2                              G

You the shepherd, we your sheep

C2                           G  

We kneel down, before your throne

C2                          D

to  worship you, JESUS

 

Bridge:

G                                 C2                           D

Lord you're good, Lord you're good, Lord you're good

 C2   

 your love endures forever (x2)

G                       C2                              D

Faithful God, you're faithful God, you're faithful God

C2

To every generation (x2)
 

Listen to the song here: https://soundcloud.com/gretchen-driesenga/jubilee-psalm-100

I recorded this a few hours after it was written - not the best 'performance', but you'll get the idea. Take a listen - and if you like it, GLORY BE TO GOD because He wrote it. If you don't like it, well, God wrote it. :)