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.
Before you formed me
Before you formed me
Before you formed me in the womb, you knew me;
before my birth, you appointed me and set me apart.
O Lord, I long to do your will, and serve your purposes,
with all of my heart, all of my heart.
I don't know how to speak,
in the world's eyes I am young,
but I will say what you command.
And if your word seems bleak,
I will not hold my tongue,
for I know you would rebuke your chosen
to draw us back to your hand.
Before you formed me ...
I want to give your word,
and to help the people see
truths that you long to say to them.
And if it seems absurd
that you could speak through me,
yet I know you would restore your chosen,
to save them, not to condemn.
Before you formed me ...
You put your word within,
and you fill me with your tears,
for you are jealous for our race.
And if I hold it in
your fire within me sears:
your compassion for your children, chosen
and needing your gift of grace.
Before you formed me ...
Words and tune copyright © John Hartley 2006.
Based on verses from Jeremiah, including 1:5-7 and 20:9.
Story behind the song
I wrote this hymn in response to a request on the COIN (Christians on the Internet) Music list e-mail chat group for suggestions for hymns on the subject of vocation. I've always been struck by Jeremiah's feeling of being compelled to speak even when he feels he is inexperienced, unpopular and about the be ignored - yet the fire of the Lord burns within him and he cannot hold it in, and underneath it all is the certainty that the Lord has had his hand on him since before birth. The hymn is an attempt to set the sentiment to music .
I acknowledge my debt of gratitude to Daniel Shutte's song "I, the Lord of sea and sky", which showed me that this type of song could be written on Old Testament passages about the Lord's call (in his case, Isaiah 6).
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.