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Great Song: “Because of Your Love”

Cody Crigger, music and administration pastor at Willow Creek Baptist Church, West Des Moines, Iowa, has found and used a wonderful new song. The following is his description of the song, the song lyrics, and links to the song on the artist’s website and iTunes.

Because of Your Love

The beginning of “Because of Your Love” beautifully explains unique aspects of the gospel and, more specifically, Christ as our substitute. It begins in a unique way with the words “endured my pain” and “bore all my shame.” Next the lyrics show that the innocent and holy Creator is the Savior for the very creation that turned from Him. It then moves to our freedom and desire to serve because of His initial love. The melody is simple yet memorable for the congregation. It uses subdued verses and then climaxes in anthem to our Savior. If your church strives to teach Scripture through music, you will appreciate that these truths will be long remembered through this well-written melody.

Jesus you endured my pain
Savior you bore all my shame
All because of your love
All because of your love

Maker of the universe
Broken for the sins of the earth
All because of your love
All because of your love

Because of your cross my debt is paid
Because of your blood my sins are washed away
Now all of my life, I freely give
Because of your love, because of your love I live

Innocent and Holy king
You died to set the captive free
All because of your love
Lord you gave your life for me
So I will give my life for you
All because of your love
All because of your love

Because of your cross my debt is paid
Because of your blood my sins are washed away
Now all of my life I freely give
Because of your love, because of your love I live

You did it for me, you did it for love
It’s your victory, Jesus you are enough

© 2008 Phil Wickham Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.)

http://philwickham.com

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/heaven-earth-bonus-track-version/id339111020

10 Comments

  • Jamie Hart says:

    Good song…easy to sing and great message. Thanks for sharing!

  • Matthew Olmstead says:

    Not great poetry—no real imagery, the meter doesn’t flow well between lines. The hymn is not really doing anything. I probably won’t use it.

    How are the words in the beginning unique?

  • I agree, Matthew. Is this kind of music typical of GARBC churches? This would not have fit in John Wesley’s 1780 Hymn Book, given what he wrote in the preface:

    “6. May I be permitted to add a few words with regard to the poetry ? Then I will speak to those who are judges thereof, with all freedom and unreserve. To these I may say, with-out offence, 1. In these hymns there is no doggerel ; no botches ; nothing put in to patch up the rhyme ; no feeble expletives. 2. Here is nothing turgid or bombast, on the one hand, or low and creeping, on the other. 3. here are no cant expressions ; no words without meaning. Those who impute this to us, know not what they say. We talk common sense, both in prose and verse, and use no words but in a fixed and determinate sense. 4. Here are, allow me to say, both the purity, the strength, and the elegance of the English language; and, at the same time, the utmost simplicity and plainness, suited to every capacity. Lastly, I desire men of taste to judge, (these are the only competent judges,) whether there be not in some of the following hymns the true spirit of poetry, such as cannot be acquired by art and labour, but must be the gift of nature. By labour, a man may become a tolerable imitator of Spenser, Shakspeare, or Milton ; and may heap together pretty compound epithets, as pale-eyed, meek-eyed, and the like ; but unless he be born a poet, he will never attain the genuine spirit of poetry.”

  • Todd says:

    Todd,

    1. I’m not sure there is any kind of music that is “typical” of GARBC churches.

    2. I’m not necessarily sure why it should concern us that this song wouldn’t fit in John Wesley’s 1780 hymn book.

  • Greg Long says:

    Oops, the above comment was from me, Greg Long. I accidentally put my name as “Todd” because I was addressing the comment to Todd.

  • I submit that the reason it wouldn’t fit should trouble us.

  • Greg Long says:

    Todd,

    Can you help me understand:

    1. Exactly how the song does not fit Wesley’s definition?

    2. Why Wesley’s definition of poetry from 1780 should be our standard for choosing hymn texts today? I’m not saying it shouldn’t, but I would like to hear your case as to why it should.

    I appreciate your contribution to this discussion.

  • David King says:

    I had not heard this song before. I took a listen on youtube and found it quite enjoyable. Thanks Mike and Cody for the post.

    Good lyrics, good tune, I think it would fit well in congregational singing.

    PK

  • Brian Dare says:

    Thanks Mike, I have appreciated your song suggestions. This is a good one.

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