I’ve written here a few times about one of my favorite albums — Shane & Shane’s Psalms Live — and have shared some of its songs over the past few months. They’re all so good, and they all seem to come along at the most opportune times, even if I’ve listened to them dozens of times before (and I suppose if one listens to something dozens of times, one will encounter moments when those songs are especially meaningful).
I’ve known the song “O Praise the Name” for even longer than I’ve known the album. It somehow found its way onto a playlist I’d built quite some time ago, and remains one of my favorites. From the days when I’d put together songs I could take with me on my longer bike rides, one of my prime requirements was good theology. A song could have a great pace to it (important on rides when you’re trying to motivate yourself a bit more), but if its theology was wrong, there’s no way I’d take it with me.
I think this song has that. Jesus dying, cursed upon the cross, for me. Buried in a borrowed tomb. Rising again and conquering death. Coming again in glory.
That just gets me.
Tom Schrader used to say, “Why do you want to go to heaven?” Sure, you might get to see loved ones who went on before you. You might love the idea of everlasting peace and joy. I mean, Revelation 21:4 says so famously, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,” and this is awesome. But there’s the verse right before that that should mean even more: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Schrader would be sure to remind us, “Yeah, all that other stuff is great; but we should look forward most of all to seeing Jesus face to face!”
It’s hard to imagine for me sometimes, and I’ll admit, the “no more mourning, crying, and pain” part has its appeal more than you can imagine, but I’ve got to remember the real purpose behind it: the glory of God through the work of Jesus Christ. One cannot help but know that and sing “O praise the name!”
I cast my mind to Calvary Where Jesus bled and died for me I see His wounds, His hands, His feet My Savior on that cursed tree His body bound and drenched in tears They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb The entrance sealed by heavy stone Messiah still and all alone O praise the name of the Lord, our God O praise His name forevermore For endless days we will sing Your praise O Lord, O Lord, our God Then on the third, at break of dawn The Son of heaven rose again O trampled death, where is your sting? The angels roar for Christ, the King O praise the name of the Lord, our God O praise His name forevermore For endless days we will sing Your praise O Lord, O Lord, our God He shall return in robes of white The blazing Son shall pierce the night And I will rise among the saints My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face O praise the name of the Lord, our God O praise His name forevermore For endless days we will sing Your praise O Lord, O Lord, our God