Yahweh, the Faithful one (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:
Yahweh's love will last forever,
His faithfulness till the end of time.
Yahweh is a loving God, Yahweh, the faithful one.

1. Have no fear for I am with you, I will be your shield.
Go now and leave your homeland.
For I will give your home (Refrain)

2. You shall be my chosen people and I will be your God.
I will bless your name forever and keep you from all harm. (Refrain)

3. Look up and see the heavens and count the stars if you can.
Your name will be even grearter, greater than all these stars. (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Holy Darkness (Dan Schutte)

Refrain

Holy darkness, blessed night,
heaven's answer hidden from our sight.
As we await you, O God of silence,
we embrace your holy night.

1. I have tried you in fires of affliction;
I have taught your soul to grieve.
In the barren soil of your loneliness,
there I will plant my seed.

2. I have taught you the price of compassion;
you have stood before the grave.
Though my love can seem
like a raging storm,
this is the love that saves.

3. Were you there
when I raised up the mountains?
Can you guide the morning star?
Does the hawk take flight
when you give command?
Why do you doubt my pow'r?

4. In your deepest hour of darkness
I will give you wealth untold.
When the silence stills your spirit,
will my riches fill your soul.

5. As the watchman waits for morning,
and the bride awaits her groom,
so we wait to hear your footsteps
as we rest beneath your moon.

Inspired by St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)

Composer: Dan Schutte (1988)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.   

Blest be the Lord (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Blest Be the Lord, Blest Be The Lord
The God of mercy, the God who saves.
I shall not fear the dark of night,
Nor the arrow that files by day.

1. He will release me from the nets of sinful men,
He will release me from their wicked hands.
Beneath the shadow of His wings, I will rejoice,
To find a dwelling place secure.

2. I need not shrink before the terrors of the night,
Nor stand alone before the light of day.
No harm shall come to me, no arrow strike me down.
No evil settle in my soul.

3. Although a thousand men have fallen at my side,
I'll not be shaken with the Lord at hand.
His faithful Love is all the armor that I need
To wage the battle with the foe

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.  

Behold the Wood (Dan Schutte)

Refrain

Behold, behold, the wood of the cross,
On which is hung our salvation.
O come, let us adore.

1. Unless a grain of wheat shall fall
upon the ground and die
It shall remain but a single grain,
and not give life

2. And when my hour of glory comes
as all was meant to be
You shall see me lifted up upon a tree.

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Though the mountains may fall (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Though the mountains may fall and the hills turn to dust,
yet the love of the Lord will stand
as a shelter for all who will call on His name.
Sing the praise and the glory of God.

1. Could the Lord ever leave you?
Could the Lord forget His love?
Though a mother forsake her child,
He will not abandon you

2. Should you turn and forsake Him,
He will gently call your name.
Should you wander away from Him,
He will always take you back.

3. Go to Him when you're weary,
He will give you eagle's wings.
You will run never tire,
For your God will be your strength.

4. As he swore to your Fathers,
when the flood destroyed the land.
He will never forsake you,
He will swear to you again.

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

If the Lord does not build a house (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

If the Lord does not build a house,
Then in vain do the builders labor.
And in vain does the watchman stand his guard,
If the Lord is not his help,
If the Lord is not his help.

1. If a man wants to boast,
Let him boast in the Lord,
In the Lord who is kind and merciful,
Who forgives our sins.

2. Who is man to compare
With the Lord who is God?
What is man that the Lord should care,
or that God should be moved?

3. Put not your faith in man
Whose life must fade like the fields.
From the earth he is born and to earth returns.
Put your trust in the Lord.

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

What you hear in the dark (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

What you hear in the dark
you must speak in the light.
You are salt for the earth,
You are light for the world.

1. Let your light be seen:
Stand against the night.
Let your words of mercy tell
The glory of the Lord.

2. Earth shall pass away:
Heaven will be undone.
Never shall the word of God
Be broken or destroyed.

3. God will keep you safe;
See the sparrows that fly.
You are worth a world of sparrows
Sheltered, by the Lord.

4. Strengthen weary arms;
Steady all trembling knees.
Say to every fearful heart:
Have courage, trust in God.

Composer: Dan Schutte

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Gather the People (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Gather the people, enter the feast,
all are invited, the greatest and least.
The banquet is ready, now to be shared.
Join in the heavenly feast that God has prepared.

1. Around this table we dine as kin,
beloved family of God.
We share the body of Christ the Lord.
Here we become what we eat. (Refrain)

2. Around this table God's bounty falls
on all who hunger and thirst.
We drink the fullness of Christ the Lord,
so we become what we eat. (Refrain)

3. Around this table our hearts rejoice
in love that’s stronger than death.
We’ll rise in glory with Christ the Lord,
then we become what we eat. (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte (2004)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.   

Join in the Dance (Dan Shutte)

Refrain
Join in the dance of the earth's jubilation!
This is the feast of the love of God.
Shout from the heights to the ends of creation:
Jesus the Savior is risen from the grave!

1. Wake, O people; sleep no longer:
greet the breaking day!
Christ, Redeemer, Lamb and Lion,
turns the night away! (Refrain)

2. All creation, like a mother,
labors to give birth.
Soon the pain will be forgotten,
joy for all the earth! (Refrain)

3. Now our shame becomes our glory
on this holy tree.
Now the reign of death is ended;
now we are set free! (Refrain)

4. None on earth, no prince or power,
neither death nor life,
nothing now can ever part us
from the love of Christ! (Refrain)

5. Love's triumphant day of vict'ry
heaven opens wide.
On the tree of hope and glory
death itself has died! (Refrain)

6. Christ forever, Lord of ages,
Love beyond our dreams:
Christ, our hope of heaven's glory,
all that yet will be! (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte (b. 1947)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Beyond the Moon and Stars (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Beyond the moon and stars, as deep as night,
So great our hunger, Lord, to see your light.
The sparrow finds her home beneath your wing,
So may we come to rest where angels sing.

1. Our eyes have longed to see your loving face,
To live within your courts for all our days.

2. Your roads have led us, Lord, 'cross desert sand.
We place our hopes and dreams within your hand.

3. Upon our darkness, Lord, a light has shone.
You came to dwell with us in flesh and bone.

4. With shining stars at night, and cloud by day,
you brought us here to see your love's display.

5. When life’s great journey ends, and day is done,
Then may our eyes behold your Holy One.

Composer: Dan Schutte (1970, 2004)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

City of God (Dan Schutte)

Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep!
A new day is dawning for all those who weep.
The people in darkness have seen a great light.
The Lord of our longing has conquered the night.

Refrain:
Let us build the city of God.
May our tears be turned into dancing.
For the Lord our light and our love has turned the night into day.

We are sons of the morning; we are daughters of day.
The One who has loved us has brightened our way.
The Lord of all kindness has called us to be
a light for all people to set their hearts free. (Refrain)

God is light; in God there is no darkness.
Let us walk in the light. God's children one and all.
O comfort my people make gentle your words,
proclaim to my city the day of her birth. (Refrain)

O city of gladness now lift up your voice,
proclaim the good tidings that all may rejoice

Composer: Dan Schutte (1981)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Table of Plenty (Dan Schutte)

Refrain

Come to the feast of heaven and earth!
Come to the table of plenty!
God will provide for all that we need,
here at the table of plenty.

O come and sit at my table
where saints and sinners are friends.
I wait to welcome the lost and lonely
to share the cup of my love. (Refrain)

O come and eat without money;
come to drink without price.
My feast of gladness will feed your spirit
with faith and fullness of life. (Refrain)

My bread will ever sustain you
through days of sorrow and woe.
My wine will flow like a sea of gladness
to flood the depths of your soul. (Refrain)

Your fields will flower in fullness;
your homes will flourish in peace.
For I, the giver of home and harvest,
will send my rain on the soil. (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte (1992)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Yahweh, I Know You Are Near (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Yahweh, I know you are near,
standing always at my side.
You guard me from the foe,
and you lead me in ways everlasting.

Lord, you have searched my heart,
and you know when I sit and when I stand.
Your hand is upon me protecting me from death,
keeping me from harm. (Refrain)

Where can I run from Your love?
If I climb to the heavens You are there;
If I fly to the sunrise or sail beyond the sea,
still I'd find You there. (Refrain)

You know my heart and its ways,
you who formed me before I was born
in the secret of darkness before I saw the sun
in my mother's womb. (Refrain)

Marvelous to me are Your works;
how profound are Your thoughts, my Lord.
Even if I could count them, they number as the stars,
You would still be there. (Refrain)

Paraphrase of Psalm 139

Composer: Dan Schutte (1971)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Only This I Want (Dan Schutte)

Refrain:

Only this I want:
but to know the Lord,
and to bear his cross
so to wear the crown he wore.

All but this is loss,
worthless refuse to me,
for to gain the Lord
is to gain all I need. (Refrain)

I will run the race;
I will fight the good fight,
so to win the prize
of the Kingdom of my Lord. (Refrain)

Let your heart be glad,
always glad in the Lord,
so to shine like stars
in the darkness of the night. (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte (1981)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Here I Am, Lord (Dan Schutte)

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Refrain:

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send? (Refrain)

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide,
'Til their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send? (Refrain)

Paraphrase of Isaiah 6:8 and 1 Samuel 3.

Composer: Dan Schutte (1981).

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Glory and Praise to Our God (Dan Schutte)

Refrain

Glory and praise to our God
Who alone gives light to our days
Many are the blessings He bears
To those who trust in His ways

We the daughters and sons of Him
Who built the valleys and plains
Praise the wonders our God has done
In every heart that sings (Refrain)

In His wisdom He strengthens us
Like gold that’s tested in fire
Though the power of sin prevails
Our God is there to save (Refrain)

Every moment of every day
Our God is waiting to save
Always ready to seek the lost
To answer those who pray (Refrain)

God has watered our barren land
and spent his merciful rain.
Now the rivers of life run full
for anyone to drink (Refrain)

Composer: Dan Schutte (1976)

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.