(Go here for lead sheets and chord charts.)
Lyrics
Your perfect Law exposes me
I feel my sin and desperate need
My best good works are powerless
To satisfy Your righteousness
But there is One who lived for me
His life, my only victory
His death forever sealed in time
That I am His and He is mine
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
Words: Traditional (verse 3); Zac Hicks & Julie Anne Vargas (verses 1-2)
Music: “Old Hundredth,” arr. Zac Hicks & Julie Anne Vargas
©2014 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP); Julie Anne Vargas
About
At Coral Ridge, we longed to regularly sing a Doxology that became a gripping summary of the Gospel we preach. In our liturgy, the Doxology regularly falls after the final song in our set of music that walks through the Gospel story, so we wanted to be able to punctuate the Story with a “recap.” Verse 1 talks about the crushing, devastating work of the Law–exposure of sin and inability, leading to desperation. Verse 2 talks abotu the resurrecting Word of the Gospel–Jesus, in His life and death (both are important), provides all that we need to approach God rightly. Verse 3, the traditional Doxology, then erupts in praise. In its original form, we begin the song in darkness, with the “Old Hundredth” melody undergirded by an uneasy minor chord progression. Each verse lifts from the other, so there are two intentional key changes in the song.
What we like about this song is its flexibility. There are many ways that this song could be arranged to fit traditional and contemporary/modern environments. It could be done with an organ and choir. It could be done with a band and loop tracks. And, since people already know the tune, it has a small learning curve, making it immediately accessible for people.