Selah starts off their "Greatest Hymns Album" with ' Be Thou My Vision". What an appropriate beginning for such an album depicting such wonderful hymns. What a wonderful song and so timely. It was only in 1905 that a lady named Mary E. Byrne translated the words into English. Such words that had been hidden to us for thousands of years that date back to a writer named Dallan Forgaille who lived between 530 and 598. The words are of Celtic Irish origin.
Three hundred years after that a melody was created depicting " Slane Hill " an event that took place in the year 433. Legend says that a pagan king said that nobody could light their candles until he did, marking a pagan spring festival. St Patrick went against his decree and So High King of Lotaire pardoned him, being impressed with his defiance, and let him continue his missionary work in Ireland.
So here we have a song that took centuries to create and has experienced a revival in the twentieth century. From the prolific poet Dallan Forgaille, who apparently went blind from all his writing endeavors, to a story that took place on Tara Hill, involving St Patrick. Today Selah sings this with their usual vigor an passion that does this song such wonderful justice. They seem to be able to get inside this hymn and other hymns on the album with such depth and clarity. Did Mary E Byrne have any idea this song would resound so tremendously in the years following her translation, in so many churches and homes?
It has been a joyous experience to begin today listening to Selah's 'Greatest Hymns ' album and to ponder such things. The word 'inspiration' in the middle ages meant divine guidance. Certainly we can see the divine guidance in the creation of ' Be Thou My Vision'. We read in the bible that to Him, a 'thousand years are like a day". Well, what a song and what a day! How evidently the Lord leads in the creation of beautiful songs and profound lyrics.
As for their album, they did pick many profound songs. It would be exciting to research the history of each one of them and to hear how wonderfully they got interpreted and played by Selah. Certainly Selah has many albums to investigate and listen to. They are prolific in their musicianship and they glorify God in their worship.
Three hundred years after that a melody was created depicting " Slane Hill " an event that took place in the year 433. Legend says that a pagan king said that nobody could light their candles until he did, marking a pagan spring festival. St Patrick went against his decree and So High King of Lotaire pardoned him, being impressed with his defiance, and let him continue his missionary work in Ireland.
So here we have a song that took centuries to create and has experienced a revival in the twentieth century. From the prolific poet Dallan Forgaille, who apparently went blind from all his writing endeavors, to a story that took place on Tara Hill, involving St Patrick. Today Selah sings this with their usual vigor an passion that does this song such wonderful justice. They seem to be able to get inside this hymn and other hymns on the album with such depth and clarity. Did Mary E Byrne have any idea this song would resound so tremendously in the years following her translation, in so many churches and homes?
It has been a joyous experience to begin today listening to Selah's 'Greatest Hymns ' album and to ponder such things. The word 'inspiration' in the middle ages meant divine guidance. Certainly we can see the divine guidance in the creation of ' Be Thou My Vision'. We read in the bible that to Him, a 'thousand years are like a day". Well, what a song and what a day! How evidently the Lord leads in the creation of beautiful songs and profound lyrics.
As for their album, they did pick many profound songs. It would be exciting to research the history of each one of them and to hear how wonderfully they got interpreted and played by Selah. Certainly Selah has many albums to investigate and listen to. They are prolific in their musicianship and they glorify God in their worship.
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