"No More the Grave" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

The stone rolled clear, a grave so bare
The women filled with fear
The Lord of life, an empty tomb
No Savior lying there

Refrain

No more the grave can yield its sting
No more is death our foe
Our souls can now with gladness sing
Now gone all curse and woe

The mortal parts, immortal comes
Corruption flees our hearts
Our death is His, His life is ours
Eternal life to start

Refrain

He once was dead but now He lives
A groom now fit to wed
The Alpha and Omega reigns
Beginning to the end

Refrain

No More the Grave

"Variant on Benedictus" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

Chosen first among the priests
To serve within the temple walls
Zacharias stood in awe
As he heard the angel call

Refrain

Benedictus
Benedictus
Blessed is the Lord
Benedictus
Benedictus
God’s incarnate Word

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God
Will come to raise salvation’s horn
God Incarnate, Word made flesh
To a virgin shall be born

Refrain

Christ brings light to sin’s dark night
Our Dayspring, Jesus, from on high
Saints and angels sing God’s praise
All the earth and heav’ns reply

Refrain

God’s incarnate Word
Benedictus
Benedictus

Variant on Benedictus

"Highland Hymn" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

Above the mists of Highland hills
E’en far above the clear blue skies
The end of pain and earthly ills
When we shall see His eyes

Refrain

Lutes will sing
Pipers play
When we see Him face to face
On that day

His face now hidden from our sight
Concealed from ev’ry hidden gaze
In hearts made pure from sinful f light
Is the bliss that will amaze

Refrain

We know not yet what we will be
In heaven’s final blessed state
But know we now that we shall see
Our Lord at heaven’s gate

The beatific glory view
That now our souls still long to see
Will make us all at once anew
And like Him forever be

Refrain

Highland Hymn

"1517" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

One hammer in the hand of an obscure Augustinian monk changed the world forever. Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany calling his fellow professors to examine issues of supreme theological importance. Thus began the Reformation through which the light of God’s Word was brought out of the darkness to shine with clarity once more.

One of the central cries of the protestant Reformation was this: “The just shall live by faith.” Luther’s development of the doctrine of justification by faith alone recovered the gospel that had been hidden during the Middle Ages. And at the center of that gospel is the affirmation that the righteousness by which we are declared just before a holy God is not our own.

It’s a foreign righteousness, an alien righteousness, a righteousness that Luther said is extra nos—apart from us. Namely, it’s the righteousness of Jesus Christ—that righteousness that’s imputed or counted for all who put their trust in Him.

Because of that affirmation luther was involved in serious controversies—controversies that culminated in his being brought to trial before the princes of the church and even before the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles the V.

And there at the Diet of Worms, summoned in Germany, Luther was called upon to recant his views. He answered his interlocutors by saying, “Revoco? You want me to say revoco? That I recant? I will not recant unless I am convinced by sacred Scripture or by evident reason. I cannot recant for my conscience is held captive by the Word of God.

And to act against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.”

In every generation the gospel must be published anew with the same boldness, and the same clarity, and the same urgency that came forth in the 16th century Reformation.

The church has always done this in both the spoken word and in song—producing hymns that tell us of the great salvation that has been wrought by God alone through Christ alone.

These hymns that you hear today are sacred music for the church giving glory to the Holy One.

1517

"Amen" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

Amen, amen
We come to You, amen
Thy Word is true, amen
Amen, amen

Amen, amen
We kneel to You, amen
Our lives we yield, amen
Amen, amen

Amen

Amen

"Worthy Is the Lamb" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

The veil of heaven opened wide
The scene was clearly set
John saw a scroll writ either side
Where seven seals were met
With booming voice the angel said
To now unseal the scroll
But none was found to meet the task
Not even one lone soul

Refrain

Worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb
Worthy, worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Convulsed with tears and broken heart
John’s hope was now assailed
“Weep not,” the elder counseled him,
“A Lion has prevailed!”
No lion came to take his claim
No beast of royal reign
Instead there stood a bloodied Lamb
Like one who had been slain

Refrain

Ten thousand times, ten thousand more
The host of heaven cried
All blessing, honor, glory, and pow’r
To Christ, the Lamb that died

Refrain
Christ the Lamb, who was slain

Worthy Is the Lamb

"Come, Thou Savior, Spread Thy Table" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

Come, Thou Savior, spread Thy table
Feed Thy helpless, starving sheep
Give Thy grace to saints unable
To drink Thy cup so deep

For Thy bride is weak in spirit
As her Groom will soon appear
With her spotted soul and wrinkled gown
She trembles to draw near

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee
Gift of heaven’s Bread
Jesus, Jesus, we adore Thee
Keep our spirits fed

Keep the feast of Paschal Lamb
His presence sure and real
His own death for us we now recall
With sacred sign and seal

We taste Thee now as death doth
Wait to bring us to Your side
We now long to enter heaven’s gate
And e’er with You abide

Refrain

To heaven’s gate our souls fly
To sup with You anew
Now with all saints from our labors rest
To find our peace with You

Refrain

Come, Thou Savior, Spread Thy Table

"Clothed in Righteousness" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

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Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

Fallen race in Eden fair
Exposed and full of shame
Fled we naked from Thy sight 
Far from Thy holy Name

Refrain

Clothe us in Your righteousness
Hide filthy rags of sin
Dress us in Your perfect garb
Both outside and within

Sent from the garden in the east
outside of Eden’s gate
Banished there from Thy pure light
Were Adam and his mate

Scarlet souls are now like snow
By Thy atoning grace
Crimson hearts become like wool
For Adam’s fallen race

Refrain

No work of ours is good enough
For evil to atone
Your merit, lord, is all we have
It saves, and it alone

Refrain

Clothed in Righteousness

"These Great Things" from Dr. R.C. Sproul’s new sacred music project, Glory to the Holy One.

Visit GlorytotheHolyOne.com.

Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul.

Lyrics

How can it be, this truth divine,
Declared by God above
That all things by His grand design
Work good for us by love

Called by our Lord in purposed ends
No tragedy shall win
No curse for those He calls His friends
He saved us from our sins

Refrain

What shall we say to these great things?
Of mystery sublime
That if He is for us we can sing
Now and for all time

Foreknown by Him with
Hearts made new
To His Son we conform
No pow’r on earth can this undo
For those He’s made reborn

Refrain

First He did choose, and called He then
To surely justify
For those of the faith beyond our ken
He soon will glorify

Refrain

Glory to the Holy One

These Great Things

The European Continent spiraled into darkness after the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. The following millennium witnessed the descent of society, the church, and civilization into an age of corruption. Monophonic melodies or plainchant defined music during this age, and organum—a monophonic melody with another line sung at a fixed pitch, notably a perfect fourth or fifth—became the leading trend in music as the Renaissance approached.

The piece begins with a church chime defining the rule and power of the church during the Middle Ages. The first melody is heard in the bassoon and cello. It carries the form and feel of plainchant that would be heard in a monastery during that time. The melody then transfers to the period-correct recorder with the bassoons following in organum fashion. Chimes are ever present, as the church that watches and lords over all. The movement exhibits a small sense of hope in the woodwinds, but they are overtaken by the swirling chord progression as the church spins down into the depths of corruption and evil. The recapitulation of the melody and the final church bell remind us that darkness continues to cover Christendom.

Composed & Conducted by Jeff Lippencott
Concert Master: Joni Hanze
Instrumental Contractors: Chris Erickson and Sandra del Cid-Davies

Copyright 2017 Maestro Works ASCAP
All Right Reserved. International Copyright Reserved.

Post Tenebras Lux: A Symphonic Celebration of the Protestant Reformation

Movement I

From the outset, the church bell is dominant as it was in the culture of medieval times. The strings are brooding, and then they accelerate and transfer the building tension to the brass. Now we hear the entrance of God’s man, Martin Luther, represented by the oboe taking its turn in the organum style. The tension begins to build in Luther’s life as he searches the Scriptures and struggles with the challenges they pose to his beliefs. The brass punctuates his proclamations against the Roman Catholic Church and its practices, while chimes enter again as the voice of the church opposing his Ninety-Five Theses. At the Diet of Worms (a choral-like cacophony of brass and chimes), Luther’s oboe answers Rome’s charge of heresy with the truth of the gospel and his final declaration of conscience. The movement ends with a rich string resolution—the truth has come to light. Through Martin Luther, God’s gospel of grace through Christ alone will be proclaimed to the whole world. This section ends with the last chord ascending from a minor feel to a major chord in anticipation of what is to come.

Composed & Conducted by Jeff Lippencott
Concert Master: Joni Hanze
Instrumental Contractors: Chris Erickson and Sandra del Cid-Davies

Copyright 2017 Maestro Works ASCAP
All Right Reserved. International Copyright Reserved.

Movement II

The first melodic statement is a derivative nod to Luther’s most famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” This melody forms most of what is the third movement. In its heroic statement, we set the stage for the fires of the Reformation to be ignited. The gospel begins to spread anew and Luther’s oboe returns, but now it sings in concert with the voices of Calvin (flute) and Zwingli (clarinet). From there, the strings carry the thematic content of the good news through the rolling countrysides and villages of Europe, while the brass takes it to the ends of the earth. Finally, in moving to a halftime tempo, the theme carries both the sweetness and power of the gospel of grace, without forgetting the darkness out of which it came. The melody returns low then builds to the climax of the theme in halftime once again. Luther’s effect on the church and his commitment to the Word of God will be etched in the annals of history. The gospel of Jesus Christ is victorious. His kingdom is forever.

Composed & Conducted by Jeff Lippencott
Concert Master: Joni Hanze
Instrumental Contractors: Chris Erickson and Sandra del Cid-Davies

Copyright 2017 Maestro Works ASCAP
All Right Reserved. International Copyright Reserved.

Movement III

Drawn from years of theological reflection and application, R.C. Sproul and Jeff Lippencott offer biblical truth through beautiful choral and orchestral arrangements. Suitable for congregational singing as well as private devotion, these hymns are meant to encourage and equip the saints of God for greater and fuller worship. 

Music by Jeff Lippencott. Words by R.C. Sproul

Lyrics: 

No place is there for troubled hearts
Believe in God, also in Him.
All fear of death from us departs
Doubts removed remain so dim.

The Father’s house has ample room
He’d tell us if it were not true.
His bride hears from her sacred groom
Truth that stands for me and you.

Where He is now, we will be
Called away from earthly strife.
His glory we shall surely see
Through His gift, eternal life.

Gone away to prepare a place
Our spirits still in silence groan.
The promise certain by His grace
Soon we’ll see our heav’nly home.

Where He is now, we will be
Called away from earthly strife.
His glory we shall surely see
Through His gift, eternal life.

His legacy is one of peace
Salvation is the final gift.
All troubled hearts will surely cease
Souls at once will soon uplift.

Where He is now, we will be
Called away from earthly strife.

Where He is now, we will be
Called away from earthly strife.
His glory we shall surely see
Through His gift, eternal life!

Saints of Zion

Where He is Now

The official SoundCloud account of Ligonier Ministries, founded by theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul in 1971 to help Christians know what they believe, why the believe it, how to live it, and how to share it.

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