"When I first received the call about the OBE, I was pretty surprised. It's a real honour for our family and for the field of hymn writing, which has been on the decline in recent years…I am very grateful to her Majesty the Queen for this honour. I've never met any of the royal family before, my wife wants to discuss fashion with Kate Middleton." —Keith Getty
Honored by Queen Elizabeth II
Last Friday on June 16, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II honored Keith Getty with the award of "Officer of the Order of the British Empire" (OBE). This award was given for shaping modern hymnody. To celebrate this monumental occasion with the Gettys, we wanted to share with you three of our favorite Getty hymns. SDG.
1. Come People of the Risen King
This hymn is calling the people of God to gather together, lifting up one voice as one church, to the praise of God in Christ—the "Morning Star of grace."
“Come, people of the Risen King,
Who delight to bring Him praise;
Come all and tune your hearts to sing
To the Morning Star of grace.
From the shifting shadows of the earth
We will lift our eyes to Him,
Where steady arms of mercy reach
To gather children in.
REFRAIN
Rejoice, Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice!
One heart, one voice; O Church of Christ, rejoice!
Come, those whose joy is morning sun,
And those weeping through the night;
Come, those who tell of battles won,
And those struggling in the fight.
For His perfect love will never change,
And His mercies never cease,
But follow us through all our days
With the certain hope of peace.
Come, young and old from every land –
Men and women of the faith;
Come, those with full or empty hands –
Find the riches of His grace.
Over all the world, His people sing –
Shore to shore we hear them call
The Truth that cries through every age:
“Our God is all in all”
2. In Christ Alone
This is the first hymn the Gettys wrote together, and it's always the most popular. From beginning to end, this hymn exalts the person and work of Jesus Christ.
“In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.”
3. Holy Spirit
This hymn is a sung prayer that focuses on the Holy Spirit’s renewing power. In three verses, we corporately pray for inward renewal, bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), and for the whole church.
“Holy Spirit, living Breath of God,
Breathe new life into my willing soul.
Bring the presence of the risen Lord
To renew my heart and make me whole.
Cause Your Word to come alive in me;
Give me faith for what I cannot see;
Give me passion for Your purity.
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.
Holy Spirit, come abide within;
May Your joy be seen in all I do—
Love enough to cover ev’ry sin
In each thought and deed and attitude,
Kindness to the greatest and the least,
Gentleness that sows the path of peace.
Turn my striving into works of grace.
Breath of God, show Christ in all I do.
Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth,
Giving life to all that God has made,
Show Your power once again on earth;
Cause Your church to hunger for Your ways.
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise.
Lead us on the road of sacrifice
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see.”
To find out more about the Gettys, visit their website at gettymusic.com.