William Chong

Most people will know the tune to “O Danny Boy” – it has a ubiquitous melody and many people have written lyrics to it, with the most famous one starting with “O Danny Boy, the pipes the pipes are calling…” It’s clearly not about a plumber being called out to a job, though the meaning is unclear – some theorise it as a message from a parent to a son going off to war or leaving as part of the Irish diaspora.

Christians through the years have also tried to put some lyrics to this tune. A couple of my favourites:

1. I Cannot Tell

These powerful words were written by William Young Fullerton, a Baptist preacher from Belfast, Ireland who was a contemporary (and friend) of Charles Spurgeon.

I cannot tell why He Whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wanderers,
To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary
When Bethlehem’s manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and laboured,
And so the Saviour, Saviour of the world is come.

I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the brokenhearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Saviour, Saviour of the world is here.

I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of East and West, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendour
When He the Saviour, Saviour of the world is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Saviour, Saviour of the world is King

2. He Looked Beyond My Fault

Written by Dottie Rambo, described as “the Queen of gospel music”. This video was a performance by Voices of Lee, who also did the fantastic “All Rise” I swooned about last week.

Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise,
for it was grace that brought my liberty;
I do not know just why He came to love me so,
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.
I shall forever life mine eyes to Calvary,
to view the cross where Jesus died for me,
how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul;
He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

3. What Grace is Mine (Kristyn Getty)

Features on the Gettys’s latest album, words written by Kristyn Getty herself. It’s the first half of the video (she breaks into “In Christ Alone” straight after, also a great song).

What grace is mine that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from his scars poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live and in his name be known
So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart, take up my cross and follow Him

What grace is mine to know His breath alive in me
Beneath his wings my wakened soul may soar
All fear can flee for death’s dark night is overcome
My Saviour lives and reigns forevermore
So I will go…

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