Trinity Songworks Podcast: Recent Episodes
Trinity Songworks
Original songs, music and the stories behind them—the epiphanic and enigmatic moments of the creative process, songwriting in and for a local church community.Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle.
Thee will I love, O Lord, my strength,
My rock, my tow'r, my high defense;
Thy mighty arm shall be my trust,
For I have found salvation thence.
Death, and the terrors of the grave,
Stood round me with their dismal shade;
While floods of high temptations rose,
And made my sinking soul afraid.
In my distress I called my God,
When I could scarce believe him mine:
He bowed his ear to my complaint;
And proved his saving grace divine—
He proved his saving grace divine.
I saw what seemed the gates of hell,
With endless pains and sorrows there,
Which none but they that feel can tell
While I was burdened with despair—
O I was burdened with despair
In my distress I called my God,
When I could scarce believe him mine:
He bowed his ear to my complaint;
And proved his saving grace divine—
In my distress I called my God,
When I could scarce believe him mine:
He bowed his ear to my complaint;
And proved his saving grace divine—
He proved his saving grace divine.
Great were my fears, my foes were great,
Much was their strength, and more their rage;
But Christ, my Lord, is conqu'ror still,
In all the wars the proud can wage.
Great were my fears, my foes were great,
Much was their strength, and more their rage;
But Christ, my Lord, is conqu'ror still,
In all the wars the proud can wage.
In my distress I called my God,
When I could scarce believe him mine:
He bowed his ear to my complaint;
And proved his saving grace divine—
My song forever shall record
That terrible, that joyful hour;
And give the glory to the Lord
Due to His mercy and his pow'r.
Due to His mercy and his pow'r.
In my distress I called my God
In my distress I called my God
In my distress I called my God
In my distress I called my God
Musicians: Steve Beatty, vocals; Jonathan Gross, engineer; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Andy Rose, guitar; Mike Van Snellenberg, drums; Robbie Watson, bass.
Lyrics: Isaac Watts 1674-1748.
Music: Luke Morton, 2021
Recorded live on Sunday, March 13 2022
trinitysongworks.org
@trinitysongworks
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
If you knew the smallest compromise of your faith would avert certain death—especially a horrifically painful one—what would you do? Where would find the strength to stand, the resolve to refuse to bend the knee? These are the questions three young men faced in the cultic, totalitarian system of ancient Babylon. Daniel 3 and the fiery furnace is usually thought of in triumphant terms—and no doubt, an astonishing thing happens. But we can forget there was a counting of the cost before the rescue. This is a kind of snapshot in time of that math, a courageous calculus still being done by brothers and sisters all over the world that trusts: even in the fire, the King is present. Listen to the preceding sermon here.
When all I feel is fear,
When pressured by the peer,
When everything’s unclear—
Be with me, be with me.
When consequence is small,
Or choice demands my all,
Lord, please don’t let me fall—
Be with me, be with me.
Oh King of the fire, God of the flame,
If I live or die, your glory the same.
All that I ask, my only plea:
Be with me, be with me.
When hesitant within
And heat is on my skin,
With courage wearing thin—
Be with me, be with me.
Oh King of the fire, God of the flame,
If I live or die, your glory the same.
All that I ask, my only plea:
Be with me in the hour
When I would you betray;
Be my strength not to cower,
But boldly stand and say:
I will not bow down,
Though I be one of few;
I will not bow down
To anyone but you.
I will not bow down,
Though I be one of few;
I will not bow down
To anyone but you.
Oh King of the fire, God of the flame,
If I live or die, your glory the same.
All that I ask, my only plea:
Be with me, be with me.
Be with me, be with me.
Musicians: Jim Richards, bass/vocals; Jon Gross, engineer; Lisa Goben, keys; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Oliver Lawford, drums.
Lyrics and Music: Luke Morton, 2021
Recorded live on Sunday, October 31 2021
trinitysongworks.org
@trinitysongworks
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
Daniel in the lion's den is one of the most well-known narratives in all the Bible. So how do you take the familiar and express something new—while still being faithful to the story? This is the challenge Katie Ribera faced with Daniel 6.
It would have been so easy,
To just close the window shades;
To hide, to pray in secret,
To be alive and unafraid,
To be alive and unafraid.
It would have been so easy,
To forget what God had done;
To protect myself instead of
Trusting in the Faithful one,
Trusting in the Faithful one.
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
For He will deliver you.
When my enemies surround me,
When their traps have all been laid,
I know death has no more vict’ry,
Why am I still so afraid?
Why am I still so afraid?
He has satisfied my hunger,
He’s upheld me in the flood.
He has carried me through fire,
And, for me, he’s shed his blood,
For me, he’s shed his blood.
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
For He will deliver you.
Would I choose to bow my head?
Would I believe what God has said:
“I will never leave you or forsake you,
I am the One who made you."
Would I choose to bow my head?
Would I believe what God has said:
“I will never leave you or forsake you,
I am the One who made you."
Would I choose to bow my head?
Would I believe what God has said:
“I will never leave you or forsake you,
I am the One who made you,
Do you trust that I will save you?”
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
Take heart, take courage,
And fear the Lord,
For He will deliver you.
Musicians: Katie Ribera, vocals; Mark Ribera, drums; Robbie Watson, bass; Emily Ryan, keys; Jon Gross, engineer;
Lyrics and Music: Katie Ribera, 2022
Recorded live on Sunday, January 16 2022
trinitysongworks.org
@trinitysongworks
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
With the fiery furnace and the lion's den looming so large in the book of Daniel, it's easy to miss more obscure stories like the ominous vision for Nebuchadnezzar in chapter four. Between a sermon assignment, a video series on trees in the Bible and the naming of his son, Pastor Gavin Brand, a longtime poet, found these lyrics emerge.
From the ancient cedar root
The godless grow their mind,
Visions of the heavens
With the earth combined.
In between the trunk
Stands tall atop the earth
And shelters many creatures,
And birds among it perch.
But from the air a voice
Proclaims aloud the news
The tree will soon be toppled,
The king his crown will lose,
The king his crown will lose.
And in its place a root
Will grow in sandy soil,
And grow into another tree
Destined for great toil.
Destined for great toil,
Destined for great toil.
Destined for great toil,
Destined for great toil.
Its bows hacked off,
Its limbs now trimmed,
It stands atop a hill,
The King of trees upon it.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
The tree King,
The tree King.
The tree King,
The tree King.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
His death all death does kill.
Musicians: Ryan Baggett, drums/alto sax; Lisa Goben, piano; Jon Gross, engineer; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Robert Watson, bass
Lyrics: Gavin Brand, 2021
Music: Luke Morton, 2021
Recorded live on Sunday, November 14th 2021
trinitysongworks.org
@trinitysongworks
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
"Advent begins in the dark and moves toward the light—but the season should not move too quickly or too glibly, lest we fail to acknowledge the depth of the darkness. As our Lord Jesus tells us, unless we see the light of God clearly, what we call light is actually darkness: 'how great is that darkness!' (Matt. 6:23). Advent bids us take a fearless inventory of the darkness: the darkness without and the darkness within.” - Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ
The people who in darkness walked
Have seen a glorious light;
The heavenly dawn broke forth on those
Who dwelt in death and night,
Who dwelt—who dwelt in death and night.
To us a child of hope is born,
To us a son is given,
And on his shoulders ever rests
All pow’r in earth and heaven,
All pow’r—all pow’r in earth and heaven.
We’ve been waiting
In the darkness so long.
Dear Redeemer,
Bring us to your dawn—
Bring us to your dawn.
His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
The Everlasting Lord,
The Wonderful, the Counselor,
The God by all adored,
The God—the God by all adored.
We’ve been waiting
In the darkness so long.
Dear Redeemer,
Bring us to your dawn—
We’ve been waiting
In the darkness so long.
Dear Redeemer,
Bring us to your dawn—
Bring us to your dawn.
His righteous government and pow’r
Shall over all extend;
On judgment and on justice based,
His reign shall have no end.
His righteous government and pow’r
Shall over all extend;
On judgment and on justice based,
His reign shall have no end.
We’ve been waiting
In the darkness so long.
Dear Redeemer,
Bring us to your dawn—
We’ve been waiting
In the darkness so long.
Dear Redeemer,
Bring us to your dawn—
Bring us to your dawn.
Musicians: Ryan Baggett, guitar/vocals; Lisa Goben, keys; Jon Gross, engineer; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Mark Sandeno, percussion; Von Sandeno, drums
Lyrics: John Morison, 1781, based on Isaiah 9:2-7
Music: Luke Morton, 2021
Recorded live on Sunday, December 19th 2021
trinitysongworks.org
@trinitysongworks
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
My soul in silence waits for God,
My Savior He has proved;
He only is my Rock and Tower;
I never shall be moved.
My honor is secure with God,
My Savior He is known;
My Refuge and my Rock of strength
Are found in God alone.
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
My enemies my ruin seek,
They plot with fraud and guile;
Deceitful, they pretend to bless,
But inwardly revile.
My soul in silence waits for God,
He is my help approved;
He only only is my Rock and Tower,
And I shall not be moved.
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
On him, you people, evermore
Rely with confidence
Before Him pour out all your heart,
For God is our defense
For he has spoken o’er and o’er,
And unto us has shown,
That saving power and lasting strength
Belong to Him alone.
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
O my soul, O my soul
In silence waits for God
My soul in silence waits for God,
My Savior He has proved;
He only is my Rock and Tower;
I never shall be moved.
Recorded live on Sunday November 28th, 2021.
Lisa Goben, piano/vocals; Jon Gross, engineering; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Jim Richards, bass/vocals; Mark Sandeno, drums.
Words: Psalter, Psalm 62
Music: Luke Morton, 2019
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle
Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from ev'ry sin and set me free—
Set me free.
I praise thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify thy name.
Lord, take my life and make it wholly thine;
Fill my poor heart with thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;
I now surrender; Lord, in me abide—
Lord, in me abide
Lord, in me abide
Lord, in me abide
Lord, in me abide
Recorded live on Sunday, November 21st, 2021
Steve Beatty, vocals; Jon Gross, engineering; Luke Morton, guitar/vocals; Andy Rose, piano; Mike Van Snellenberg, drums; Robbie Watson, bass.
Words: J. Edwin Orr, 1912-1987
Music: Luke Morton, 2021
Trinity Songworks is the music of Trinity Church Seattle