Hallowed

January 14, 2013 | My Jottings

Do you ever listen to a song over and over again because you like it so much? I do that once in a while. When I was a little girl I had a very modern and hip record player in my bedroom. I took the white poodle lamp (with an umbrella as its shade) off of my round, pink-painted metal nightstand and put the record player there, and listened to music as I read Nancy Drew books. I bought long-playing albums sometimes, but I mostly chose the smaller 45s – they cost 99 cents at The May Company, the large department store in the mall near where I lived. Some of the 45s I owned and played repeatedly were: Venus by The Shocking Blue, Angel of the Morning by Merilee Rush, and Love Is Blue by Paul Mauriat. If I hear these songs today, the seasons and views of my Southern California youth come rushing back, sometimes accompanied by warm memories, sometimes not. And the lyrics are still engraved in my mind and I can sing along without missing a beat, although these days I’m more careful about what I put into my head.

I’ve been listening to a song a lot lately, on an older CD called City on a Hill with various artists. I have it in our van, and everyone knows it by heart now because I play it so much. The song is beautifully done, truly a prayer, as you will hear. It is so far removed in scope and portent from the songs of my childhood that there aren’t words to convey the contrast.

Here are the words, which should be very familiar to most, followed by a link so you can listen.

Hallowed

Our Father
Which art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
Hallowed… hallowed…

Done on the earth as it is in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Give us this our daily bread,
Hallowed… hallowed…

And please forgive all of our debts
Hallowed be Thy name
As we forgive our debtors
Hallowed… hallowed…

Lead us not into temptation’s lair
But deliver us from the evil snare
For Thine is the kingdom
Power and glory

Forever and ever, Amen…
Forever and ever, Amen…
Forever and ever, Amen…

Hallowed… hallowed…

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Click on the red word, then once it opens, click on the play arrow:

Hallowed – by Jennifer Knapp, accompanied by Phil Keaggy on guitar.

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These are the words of Jesus. Even though all believers know this prayer, this song helps me grasp in a fresh and powerful way what He wants for my life, and what His desire is for the lives of my children and grandbabies. This is what is on His heart for all of us this very day.

God bless you!

(updated from the archives…)