A Worship Song Moving Forward from Advent: The Servant King

One of the main advantages to leading and participating in worship in Canada has been the greater access to the worship music of the U.K.’s Graham Kendrick.   Though not as well known in the U.S. — except perhaps for the song, “Shine, Jesus Shine;”  Kendrick’s hymns modern worship pieces are rich in theology and allusions to Biblical passages.   Though his style became less stylish during the 7-11 phase of worship music — the songs that have seven words and you repeat them eleven times* — as a new generation yearns for something deeper, modern worship written in a “hymn style” with multiple verses and lyrical depth is being reconsidered.  (Consider the popularity of  another songwriter’s piece, “In Christ Alone,” for example.)

Two of Kendrick’s compositions, “Meekness and Majesty,” and “The Servant King” are most appropriate to this time of year.  “The Servant King” begins with incarnation and moves, as so many of Kendrick’s best pieces do, towards the cross.  They work well with piano or guitar, though your guitar playing has to be beyond the basic chords (i.e. better than mine!)

Here’s the lyrics for “The Servant King”

Verse 1
From heav’n You came helpless babe
Enter’d our world Your glory veil’d
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live

Chorus
This is our God, the Servant King -
He calls us now to follow Him
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King

Verse 2
There in the garden of tears
My heavy load He chose to bear
His heart with sorrow was torn
Yet “Not my will, but Yours”, He said

Verse 3
Come see His hands and His feet -
The scars that speak of sacrifice
Hands that flung stars into space
To cruel nails surrendered

Verse 4
So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone Him
Each other’s needs to prefer
For it is Christ we’re serving

YouTube audio-only for “The Servant King”

Here’s the lyrics for “Meekness and Majesty”

Verse 1
Meekness and majesty,
manhood and deity
in perfect harmony – the Man who is God
Lord of eternity dwells in humanity
Kneels in humility and washes our feet

Chorus

O what a mystery – meekness and majesty
Bow down and worship for this is your God

Verse 2
Father’s pure radiance, perfect in innocence
Yet learns obedience to death on a cross
Suffering to give us life,
Conquering through sacrifice,
And as they crucify prays, “Father, forgive.”

Verse 3
Wisdom unsearchable; God the invisible,
Love indestructible in frailty appears
Lord of infinity stooping so tenderly
Lifts our humanity to the heights of His throne

YouTube audio-only of this song.

*category invented by Garrison Keillor (hey…they share the same initials!)

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