OCTOBER : 10,000 Reasons

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul

Worship His holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger

Your name is great, and Your heart is kind

For all Your goodness I will keep on singing

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

And on that day when my strength is failing

The end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing Your praise unending

Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Song Story: 10,000 Reasons 

WL: Please share the specifics of writing “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)”and what was on your heart as far as the theme and focus?

Redman: I wrote this song with a great friend, Jonas Myrin. He’s a Swedish guy who I’ve sat down to song-write with lots over the last few years. He played me an idea for some of the chorus melody, and I found it immediately inspiring. In fact, it felt like a perfect fit for a song based on the opening of Psalm 103. The song came together really quickly—a good chunk of the song was actually a spontaneous moment. I have no idea why some songs take months of writing and re-writing (like “Blessed Be Your Name”) and others arrive really swiftly (like this one). One thing I’ve realized over the years is there’s no distinct rule that says that something composed quickly must therefore be more spiritual or inspired! Yes, God-breathed inspired worship songs can at times be written very quickly and spontaneously—but at other times they’ve involved a lot of perseverance, perspiration, and hard work!

SEPTEMBER : Cornerstone

song of September

by Edward Mote, Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin, & Reuben Morgan © Hillsong 2012

My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus' name

-Chorus-

Christ alone, Cornerstone. Weak made strong, in the Savior's love

Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of All

When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil, My anchor holds within the veil

Then He shall come with trumpets sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless, stand before the throne

Story behind song by Reuben Morgan

There had been a horrific shooting in a nearby city just before I arrived. The details were still hazy - frightening talk of a gunman executing innocents at random - but what was beyond all doubt was the fact that it had shaken people up. It had left them at the intersection of fear, doubt and sorrow. Just walking down the street was enough to know that people had been shaken to their very foundations.