Our song this week is called "Depth of Mercy" (click to hear an extended clip), and it comes from the music of Red Mountain Church in Birmingham, AL. Red Mountain Music focuses on resurrecting all-but-forgotten hymn texts of the Christian faith, and writing new tunes for those texts.
One particular verse of the song caught my attention today. This week, I'll be preaching God's word to our Jr. High students on the Fall Creek Falls trip, and one night I'll be making a brief point about Paul's loathsome self-description, "chief of sinners" - my preaching point being that anyone who truly "gets" the gospel and begins to understand his own soul will feel the exact same way as Paul - "I must be the worst offender on the planet."
Yet God's mercy is lavished on even the chief of sinners, like myself - and by this, I'm stunned:
Depth of mercy can there beYes, he spares even me. But only because:
Mercy still reserved for me
Can my God his wrath forbear
Me the chief of sinners spare
Jesus speaks and pleads his bloodWhat a glorious thought for the worst offender on the planet. (No, not you... ME.)
He disarms the wrath of God
Now my Father's mercies move
Justice lingers into love
(This song can be purchased from iTunes or directly from Red Mountain Church)
Depth of Mercy
Words: Charles Wesley, 1740
Music: Jeff Koonce, Brian T. Murphy, Clint Wells, 2003
Depth of mercy can there be
Mercy still reserved for me
Can my God his wrath forbear
Me the chief of sinners spare
I have long withstood his grace
Long provoked him to his face
Would not hearken to his calls
Grieved him by a thousand falls
I have spilt his precious blood
Trampled on the Son of God
Filled with pains unspeakable
I, who yet, am not in Hell
I, my master have denied
I afresh have crucified
And profaned his hallowed name
Put him to an open shame
Jesus speaks and pleads his blood
He disarms the wrath of God
Now my Father's mercies move
Justice lingers into love
There for me the savior stands
Shows his wounds and spreads his hands
God is love, I know, I feel
Jesus weeps and loves me still
Pity from thine eye let fall
By a look my soul recall
Now the stone to flesh convert
Cast a look and break my heart
Now incline me to repent
Let me now my sins lament
Now my foul revolt deplore
Weep, believe and sin no more.
© 2003 Red Mountain Music
www.redmountainmusic.com
