Contemporary Tradition

I've heard and read many debates & discussions about styles of worship music. Some favor more "traditional" music - which stereotypically includes hymns and a piano and/or organ. Others favor more "contemporary" music - with a faster beat, accompanied by guitars and drums. I really can hardly believe that this debate even exists. Yes, we all have musical preferences, but shouldn't the lyrics and the attitude of our heart mean more than whether we "enjoy" the music? Last month, Justin Taylor interviewed Christian rapper Voice, whose recent release Progression could be called "Reformation Rap" with lyrics contemplating God's Sovereignty and struggles of the Christian life.

Anyway, I bring this up only to introduce this next set of lyrics. I love hearing the stories behind songs. And with the traditional/contemporary debate in mind, I had to laugh when I heard the story behind Aaron Shust's song, My Savior My God. He was reading through a "One Year Book of Hymns" and came across some lyrics that "blew [him] away." Little did Dorothy Greenwell know that when she wrote the lyrics to I Am Not Skilled To Understand in 1873, that it would be a "Contemporary Christan Music" hit more than 130 years later. (Althought that may be because radio had either not been invented yet, or was in its infancy, depending on who you ask.)

Without further ado, here are the lyrics to Aaron Shust's hit, My Savior My God, over one hundred years in the making:

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands One who is my Savior

I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior’s always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He is
My God is always gonna be

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

UPDATE: I completely forgot to give a link to this song. You can actually listen to the entire song, along with two others, here.