Skip to main content

"How the Sacred Sign Reminds Me" (Giles and Battles)

We recently had a baptism at our church. I gave the one being baptized several baptism hymns to consider for us to use during the worship service. He chose this hymn, but because it was so antiquated in language, I modernized and changed a lot of it. So it's originally a text by John Eustace Giles but I changed much of it. 

I was made aware of this hymn by David Ward's website ThousandTongues (now called Hymnicity), but I want back to the original wording and updated it myself without consulting his. So I think it can rightly be called a new hymn with an old heritage. 

Words: John Eustace Giles (1805–1875) and © Dustin R. Battles (1986– ) 

Suggested Music: Henry Smart, 1867 (REGENT SQUARE)


How this sacred sign reminds me

Savior, of your love to me.

Buried with you, baptism binds me

to you for eternity;

Resurrection, resurrection

guarantees new life for me!


As I view the pool before me

should I shun your selfless love?

Though unworthy of your mercy, 

should I run from mercy’s wave?

No, I’ll enter! No, I’ll enter,

picturing your power to save.


Should my baptism break relations,

should I suffer shame or loss, 

this must be my contemplation: 

I have been where Jesus was!

This revives me, this revives me

when I waver in my woes.


Soon we’ll be immersed with glory,

taunting death, “Where is your sting?”

In this great redemption story,

all will bow before the King.

Saints once sinners, saints once sinners

evermore his praise will sing!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forsaken—with Dan Forrest

A forthcoming choral anthem published by Beckenhorst Press features my lyrics and music by Dan Forrest. Dan wrote some sobering but powerful music that completely captures the grief Christ's sacrifice expressed in the text. The text is written in a 1st-person narrative by Christ in the garden of Gethsemene and on the cross at Golgotha. “How long, My God, will You neglect My prayer? Will You forget these tears of dark despair? Yet not My will, but Yours alone be done: Forsake not man, but Me—Your sinless Son. I, Christ the Son, obey Your great command, Enduring punishment for sinful man. As Son and silent Lamb, I choose this path: Accept rejection to appease Your wrath.” “O why, My God, have You forsaken Me? Why have You now refused My final plea? Though I cry out in sorrow, pain, and fear, You turn Your back; in silence, disappear. I, Christ the Son, bear all their sin alone, Embracing judgment from Your glorious throne. As Son and spotless Lamb, ...
3 comments
Read more

"Beneath the Sun" (Annotated) A Hymn Based on Ecclesiastes by Dustin Battles

Beneath the Sun A hymn based on the book of Ecclesiastes Words: © 2022 Dustin Battles Tune: WAYFARING STRANGER Lyrics with footnotes to Scripture passages: 1. Beneath the sun [1]  my soul is sighing: [2] how brief a vapor [3]   is my life ! [4] My gain is gone , [5]   my days  are dying. [6] I chase the wind [7]  and   stir up  strife. [8] Why is my life,  O God , not fruitful? [9] Will nothing last that I have done? [10]   Life is  unfair, [11]   for all is futile. [12] There's nothing new beneath the sun . [13]   [ 2 . ] I told myself, “Perhaps some pleasure [14] will fill the void  within my soul. [15] Perhaps hard work [16]  or gaining treasure [17] will make me wise [18]  and not a fool.” [19] But my delight [20]  turned into sorro w , [21] transformed before my very eyes. [22] What charms today dissolves tomorrow. [23] Earth never fully satisfies. 3 . There is a season under heave...
1 comment
Read more

Take Heart—with Dan Kreider

In Fall of 2012, I collaborated with Dan Kreider to write Keep Heart . Dan wrote the music, I wrote the lyrics. Three years later, we are re-releasing it. Dan and I are distributing it through Grace Music, which Dan runs as worship pastor of Grace Immanuel Bible Church, Jupiter, Florida. Most of the lyrics are the same, but some are changed from its 2012 edition. I originally wrote these words as an encouragement for suffering Christians. Rather than "lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4), we should "take heart." “ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. ” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV) Here are the lyrics to the song: Take heart, O...
Post a Comment
Read more