Habakkuk

Watched David Pawson last night live on webstream and he told us how he was studying the Book of Habakkuk and God gave him the words of a song and then for ages, he just could not put it to music. He shared the words with someone in South Africa and they said the lyrics would match the national anthem perfectly. He asked what the national anthem was and they said it was Beethoven's ‘Ode To Joy' (9th Symphony), but he would have been committing a legal offense if he were to sing this in South Africa.

Subsequently, he went to Zimbabwe, got the words out and the tune and was about to perform it at a pastor's convention when someone told him it was also Zimbabwe's national anthem, so he could not perform it there either! Then he went to England and while he was there, he found out that some tiny church in north england had been given the tune to sing, but no lyrics. The Holy Spirit told them to just sing the tune to "la la la", which sounded silly, so someone in the church wrote some lyrics to it, but then God rebuked the church and told them that He had not given them those words, so they returned to singing "la la la".

Then one day, he was preaching on Habakkuk and how the Lord had given him the lyrics to his song and that it matched the tune of Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' and the pastor of this little church leapt to his feet and exclaimed how they were the lyrics they had been waiting for :-) Amazing! So God had gifted Beethoven 100's of years ago to write the music for the lyrics. It really is amazing. Here are the lyrics and a link to a website that has the song.

Lord, Your Fame Has Gone Before You

Lord, Your fame has gone before You

From the time Your arm was bared;

Tales of deeds so overwhelming,

Even listening makes me scared!

Now, today, O Lord, repeat them,

Prove that You are still the same -

But in wrath remember mercy

For the honour of your name.

Look! This holy God descending

Spreads the sky with glorious rays

Trailing from His hand of power -

Earth is filled with sounds of praise.

But the guilty nations tremble,

Plague and pestilence their fears;

Even ancient mountains crumble

When the infinite appears.

Are You angry with the rivers?

Is Your wrath upon the streams?

Do You rage against the ocean

With Your horse and chariot teams?

Writhing hills and flooded valleys,

Sun and moon stand still with fear

At the glint of flying arrows,

Lightning of Your flashing spear.

Striding through the earth in vengeance,

Threshing nations till it's done -

All to save Your chosen people,

Rescue Your anointed one!

You have crushed the wicked leader

Stripped him bare and split his head:

So his storming, gloating warriors

Scatter to the wind instead.

Having heard the final outcome,

Knowing all and not just part,

Great emotion grips my body,

Quivering lips and pounding heart,

Trembling legs give way beneath me -

Yet with patience will I wait

When the foe invades my country,

Certain of his dreadful fate.

Though the fig tree does not blossom

And the vine is void of grapes,

Though the olive-trees are barren

And the fields produce no crops,

Though no lambs are in the sheep-fold

And no cattle in the stall -

Yet will I enjoy my Saviour

Glad that God is all in all.

Joyfully I face the future

With my failing strength restored

And my angry questions answered

By this marvellous Sovereign Lord.

See my heart and feet are leaping

Like a deer upon the heights!

Set my words to holy music,

Voices and stringed instruments.