Hymn Spotlight: "In the Secret of His Presence"

Song Title: In the Secret of His Presence
Artist: Sandra McCracken
Album: The Builder and the Architect
Writer: Ellen Goreh (words), Chris Miner (music)

In the secret of His presence, how my soul delights to hide!
O, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus' side!
Earthly cares forever vex me, all my trials lay me low;
But when Satan comes to tempt me, to that secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty, 'neath the shadow of His wing
There is cool and pleasant shelter, and a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet.
If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him all my doubts, my griefs and fears;
O, how patiently He listens! And my sorrowed soul He cheers.
Do you think he ne'er reproves me? What a false friend He would be,
If he never, never told me of the sin which He must see.

Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow. This shall then be your reward;
And whene'er you leave the silence of that happy meeting place,
You will surely bear the image of the Master on your face.

Audio sample: Here

Why this hymn: If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you'll know that this CD is my favorite. I can listen to it over and over again for a long time. It's amazing. So why this song, the slowest on the CD? Unfortunately, my reasons for choosing a song for a hymn spotlight are a little different than usual. I was listening to this song on the way to work this morning when it hit me -- "I'm not feeling this song right now." For the first time I think, I wasn't tempted to drive carelessly with my eyes closed while listening. Has my soul be delighting to hide in the presence of the Lord? Not really. At least not in the last few days. Would I like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord? Most definitely. That's why I chose this song tonight.

Why I like it: First of all, it's another beauty put together by Sandra McCracken. Her overall sound is incredible, and the lyrics are deep, true, peaceful, and convicting. No other song I know speaks so clearly of that mysterious yet wonderful intimacy that can exist between a human and the triune God of the universe. You ever wonder if God is relational? If this song is true, this he is wildly relational, and all we have to do is take some time and go to him. This world is going to drag us down. Satan will tempt and torment us without ceasing. We will never reach perfection on this earth. But our reward is truly great when we fight the good Christian fight - our reward is God after all!

Related Scripture: Psalm 35:8-10, Psalm 57:1-3, Exodus 34:29

Favorite line: "But when Satan comes to tempt me, to that secret place I go." This line often hits me where it hurts. Did I go to that secret place last time I was tempted? That's the question I'm forced to ask myself when I hear this line of the song. And if the answer is 'no,' then why not? Where better to go that to the shelter of God when temptation strikes? Should I try to fight it on my own? No. Should I be weak and give in? No. Should I be so caught up in the moment that I forget to even notice that I'm being tempted? No. I've got to be on guard at all times, for the enemy is watching and seeks my soul to destroy. Jesus, you are my refuge. What a joy it is to be in your presence.

What Sandra says about this song: "This is the only one on the album that I didn’t write. I love Chris Miner’s version of this song from his album All Good Things Come From The Desert. It expresses such intimacy. This was the song that really lit a fire for me to make this album at long last. Many of these melodies I had written over years, but this song gave me a vision to actually finish this project. I wanted to make something that had this vulnerability and melancholy to it. I don’t think we have quite enough of that in modern church music. I think sometimes we think church music should be sunny or majestic, but for me, that’s not where I live most of the time. I live more in longing and hope, in both joy and sorrow. I want to make music that people can find themselves in, not as they think they should be."