Preparing For January 24th: Who Will You Invite And Pray For?

Another song we’re singing this Sunday is “Only Your Blood” by Neil Robins of Sojourn Church. The lyrics to this song are similar to Watts’ original hymn on which it is based, “Psalm 51, Part 2”. In that hymn, Watts takes Psalm 51 author David’s original confession of sin and plea for cleansing from sin and adds the declaration that in Jesus’ blood alone are we made pure. While the Old Testament stands as God’s Word, this is a liberty possessed by followers of Christ, which comes with the hindsight of viewing all of scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation. In “Only Your Blood”, Neil Robins takes the original lyrics and adapts them into a modern song structure of verses, choruses, and a bridge. Both the structure of the lyrics and the music enhance both David’s and Watts’ original intent to confess, plead and declare. Robins changes the order of Watts’ hymn, but in doing so creates a greater movement from confession (verse one) to pleading for mercy (verse 2) to declaration and praise (bridge, verse 3), all the while coming back to a chorus created on the foundation upon which we stand “For only your blood is enough to cover my sin”. It’s worth noting that Robins’ verses are not confined to four sentence blocks of those topics, but actually move in a fluid progression that transcends verses. Additionally, the music grows in instrumentation and intensity, and with more voices added to the mix the song moves well from solemn confession to serious plea to joyful declaration. For anyone attempting to sing this song corporately, these changes should be given proper attention – the dynamics provided by Robins’ production are not for mere musical value. After leading this song on several Sundays, the band I lead has had to work to capture the energy and lift in the third verse. It appears mainly to be vocal-related in the recording, but even in the instruments it feels as if there’s a lift.

The brilliance of this song is found in how easy and compelling it is to sing about the blood of Jesus. While this topic is often paired with solemn dirge-like hymns, in doing so we make the same mistake Christians make when stopping at the horrors of the Cross without moving onto the Resurrection. While it’s important that it is actual blood spilled, Jesus didn’t come to impress us with his painful sacrifice, but through it to bring us into the freedom and joy of communion with the triune God. Neil Robins and the musicians on the track strike this balance well; both lyrically and musically giving proper weight to our sin and the costly sacrifice while landing on the side of joy we find ourselves in as a result and praise Jesus deserves. I’m hard-pressed to think of a song that does this quite so well as “Only Your Blood.”

Words and Lyrics by Neil Robins, adapted from “Psalm 51 Part II” by Isaac Watts

I am ashamed conceived in sin I’ve always been
Born in a world where Adam’s fall corrupts us
Rooted is the seed of death in life’s first breath

The law demands a perfect heart but I’m defiled in every part

For only your blood is enough to cover my sin

For only your blood is enough to cover me.

All this guilt disturbs my peace I find no release

Who will save me from my crime I’m helpless

Behold I fall before your face in need of grace

So speak to me in a gentle voice for in your mercies I rejoice

For only your blood is enough to cover my sin

For only your blood is enough to cover me.

Lord create my heart anew? (Father come and make us wise)

Only you are pure and true?   (Lead us away from our demise

Lord you are the remedy?  For only your blood can set us free

For only your blood can set us free, only your blood can set us free

No bleeding bird, no bleeding beast

No hyssop branch no priest
No running brook no flood no sea
Can wash away this stain from me.

(x2)

For only your blood is enough to cover my sin
For only your blood is enough to cover me.