O God of Our Salvation (iTunes)
Words and Music by Matt Boswell and Michael Bleeker
From the album Gravity and Gladness (Doxology and Theology)
This week's featured hymn, published in 2009, is a new addition to the canon of worship music. Michael Bleeker and Matt Boswell, two worship pastors from Texas, got together to write the text and tune to this modern hymn. Here is the story of their collaboration as they shared on thevillagechurch.net:
This song began with a desire to write a modern hymn that would help teach the Trinitarian nature of God. On March 24, 2009, Matt Boswell and I talked through the importance of singing Trinitarian songs and how many church songs center on one person of the Godhead but rarely all three. So, we decided to communicate this through a hymn, the distinct roles of the Godhead in the work of salvation.
Early on, it became clear that writing doctrinally sound verses about the Trinity would be a difficult endeavor, so we consulted the likes of Wayne Grudem ("Systematic Theology"), Isaac Watts, the Bible and prayer. It's always fun to write doctrinally rich words, hear the melody form and watch them fit right into place within a rhyme scheme, all in a day essentially.
Verse one reminds us that the Father is sovereign and reigning over all, and that all blessings come from His providence. Verse two centers on the work of the Son, whose obedience purchased our salvation with His blood. Verse three reminds us that the Holy Spirit is the promise of salvation, and that He is the revealing deity, both revealing himself and glorifying Christ.
When writing the bridge, I found myself drawn to 1 Chronicles 16:29: "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness."
We were then left with a modern hymn that we couldn't wait to introduce to our churches.
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