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.
Praise be to the name of God
Praise be to the name of God
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are his.
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons,
promotes, demotes the heathen kings;
he gives the wise their reason,
reveals the deepest hidden things,
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light eternal blazes from his throne
unto his own.
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are his.
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are his.
I praise you, God eternal,
for wisdom and for power;
I worship you, Supernal,
exalt you in this hour:
you answer what we ask you,
the future of your people is secure,
faithful and sure.
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are yours.
Praise be to the name of God
for ever and ever:
wisdom and power are yours,
yours alone.
INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE
Praise be to the Lord our God,
the Father of Jesus:
blessings be to his name!
Praise be to the Lord our God,
the Father of Jesus:
eternally the same.
He chose us to be holy,
he blessed us as his treasured ones,
he destined us for glory,
adopted us as precious sons,
redeemed us and forgave us,
and sent his Son to save us for his own,
by grace alone.
Praise be to the Lord our God,
the Father of Jesus:
blessings be to his name!
Praise be to the Lord our God,
the Father of Jesus:
eternally the same,
ever the same.
Words and music copyright © John Hartley 2008. All rights reserved.
Based on Daniel 2:20-23 and Ephesians 1:3-9.
Story behind the song
God had just done a most amazing thing for Daniel - revealed the dream of Nebuchadnezzar to him as well as the interpretation, and thereby saved Daniel and his companions from execution. The first part of this song is a way of imagining the way Daniel might have responded, as his words are recorded in scripture.
But, from a Christian point of view, God has done such an amazing thing for each one of us: Paul lists the different blessings which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has poured out for us in him. So the song finishes with a reminder to us that we're just as blessed as Daniel ... for we have the same God as he.
I don't really envisage this song being accompanied on a piano by itself, so as you listen, please imagine a fully-grown music group!
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.