In this series, I take a brief glance at some very modern worship songs. I’m very much a lover of old hymns. I also take delight in listening to some of the charismatic choruses that were popular back in the 1980’s, when I was a young Christian. For many years, I tended to dislike or despise anything new. But now I’m making an effort to get to know and like the newer stuff. Today’s song is Living Hope by Phil Wickham:
It was released in 2018. The title probably comes from the following verse:
1 Peter 1:3
“He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ”.
You can see the lyrics in the second video or at the Bethel Music.
The word “hope” has various shades of meaning. Think of the following examples:
- Dream: I just hope that I have a rich relative somewhere who will leave me a million euro in their will.
- Desire: I hope my aunt leaves me something in her will.
- Certainty: A solicitor has informed me that my uncle has left me a million euro in his will. I hope to have it in my bank account by the end of the year.
In the final case, I’d be certain to get it, though it might not be by the end of the year. Now, none of these are true for me, but my Christian hope is a certainty. All those who believe can know that they are going to heaven. They won’t know exactly when, but they’ll be there.
1 John 5:13
” I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
I don’t analyze all the lyrics of each hymn in this series. I just make a couple of observations. Living Hope begins with a chasm.
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
It then speaks of how Jesus is the solution to our problem.
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Another line that strongly resonates with me is the following:
The God of ages stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame
I think that the writer must have had this passage in mind:
Phil 2:7-11
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Are there any other hymns about our living hope? I can think of a few.
And here are some that don’t have hope in the title, but do touch on our Christian hope:
Hibernia Gospel 