This page is provided so that you can hear the tunes of items which we use in church. Mostly they are written by the vicar. Please note that they are copyright - we are very happy to give permission to you to use them, but we would like to hear about it. Please include any use on your Christian Copyright Licence returns.
Down this page:
- the words,
- the story,
- the sheet music,
- media player.
If God is on our side
If God is on our side
If God is on our side,
then who on earth can be against us?
If he gave Christ, who died
for us, then surely he befriends us?
Who can bring any accusation
that will mean our condemnation?
We have God who justifies us,
we have Christ who died and is risen:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
If trouble comes our way,
how can it ever separate us
from all God's love today?
No heav’nly being can berate us,
no pow’rs of hell, nor earthly glitches
can remove us from God's riches.
We have God who sanctifies us,
we have Christ who strengthens his children:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
If Christ has died for sin,
this is the end of condemnation.
If we have him within,
this is our full complete salvation.
Shall persecution make us doubt him?
No! We'll never live without him.
We have God who glorifies us,
we have Christ who leads us to heaven:
Nothing now can separate us
from the love of God
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2007.
Based on Romans 8:31-39
Story behind the song
This song was basically inspired by John Robinson's comment in his book "Wrestling with Romans", where he says (on page 107): "Thus ends perhaps the greatest chapter in the New Testament. It speaks for itself or not at all. All commentary is bathos - like trying to describe the Ninth Symphony in words." So, while I was supposed to be wrestling with a sermon, I wrestled with a song instead.
John Hartley.
Windows Media Player. When you click the left-hand "play" button your computer should have started to play the tune. If it didn't, you might be able to get the tune by clicking here, or by right-clicking the link, choosing "save target as", saving it onto your computer, and then opening it with a music-playing program.
Please remember that a midi file of a tune isn't supposed to be a state-of-the-art musical arrangement - it is only supposed to give a basic idea of how the tune goes. Any reasonable organist / keyboard player / music group could make it sound far better.