of hearts and songs

recently the chorus of the song "garden" by needtobreathe has been stuck in my head. literally for days now i have heard the chorus echoing ceaselessly through my noggin. while i had always thought the lyrics insightful and found them to be much in line with the longing of my own heart, they acquired even more applicability upon my reading through and meditating upon isaiah 12 today. the following are the lyrics of the chorus and the words of isaiah 12:


"garden" chorus:


let the songs i sing bring joy to You,
let the words i say confess my love.
let the notes i choose be Your favorite tune,
Father, let my heart be after You.


isaiah 12


"you will say in that day: 'i will give thanks to You, o LORD, for though You were angry with me, Your anger turned away that You might comfort me.' behold, God is my salvation, i will trust and will not be afraid, for the LORD God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation and you will say in that day: give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His name is exalted. sing praises to the LORD, for He has done gloriously, let this be made known in all the earth. shout and sing for joy, o inhabitant of zion, for great in your midst is the holy One of israel."


joyfully exulting.
faithfully proclaiming.
constantly thanking.
ever-exuberant and never fearful.


such are the actions and attitudes of one who realizes that he is eternally free, wholly forgiven, and completely loved.


He has touched me, despite my filth, and cleansed me of all unrighteousness. His anger is no longer my dread as serving and proclaiming Him are now my joy. He has done gloriously and continues to do so in my midst. i will bless Your name, Abba!


may i never hold my possessions too precious or count my life too valuable as to hinder me from singing at the top of my lungs wherever You lead me. let my heart rest in the joy and assurance of my salvation. then may the joy, hope, compassion, grace, truth, and love that characterized Your life permeate every part of me. may i ever be led to the cross- keenly aware of my own inadequacy yet joyfully reliant on the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice.


in loosing my life, may i truly find it. in forsaking earthly treasure, may i daily lay hold of the greatest Treasure. in learning to count all but Christ as nothing, may i see Your face and know Your heart.


away with fear, pride, malice, lust, and all things of flesh -  Christ has crushed these. i rejoice for my heart has been awakened by mercy and grace! let that now be the theme of my song and may my song bring joy to You, dear Savior.

"thy mercy my God is the theme of my song,
the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.
thy free grace alone, from the first to the last,
hath won my affection and bound my soul fast.

without Thy sweet mercy, I could not live here.
sin would reduce me to utter despair,
but through Thy free goodness, my spirit's revived
and He that first made me still keeps me alive.

thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,
which wonders to feel its own hardness depart.
dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground
and weep for the praise of the mercy I've found.

great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own
in the covenant love of Thy crucified Son.
all praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine
seals mercy and pardon and righteousness mine."

hallelujah.