Faithful and True [Storytellers]

“Faithful and True” was the next to last song written for “The Word” project.  It focuses on the Book of Revelation and the longing for Christ’s return.

“The Word” is a project by North Side Worship telling the grand narrative of the Bible.  It is available at North Side (May 3, 2015) and iTunes (May 5, 2015).

I was most hesitant about starting this song (the other two I was nervous to begin were Creation and Passion songs).  To try to portray the glories described in the Book of Revelation and end musically after this entire project was an overwhelming task.

While I thought about the song for a long time, I did not begin to write it until the morning of our team’s sing through the entire album.  I don’t like to procrastinate, but I was that hesitant about tacking this one.

That night, the band was coming to my house to sing through all the songs just on acoustics, and this song had not been written yet.  For all the hesitancy leading up to it, the song came together within the span of a couple of hours and turned out to be one of my favorites (if not my favorite).

Song Info

  1. The chording on the verses are intentionally stepping up with each change.  Ascension…get it?
  2. The verses are all standard stepwise changes except for a minor 4th through each progression at a moment of tension lyrically.  This accidental provides a different edgy feel for the progression.  We are moving upwards.  There’s gonna be some difficult moments, but we are still progressing.
  3. It begins with the thought of the Apostle John seeing this revelation: “I can see…”
  4. The rest of the song includes pivotal teaching through the Book of Revelation (return, recreation, anticipation, wiping tears away, heaven is home, needs met, no more death, throne of God, the Lamb being the lamp of the whole world, all creation will know when he returns, all things new, Alpha and Omega, every tribe and nation in heaven, God dwelling with people, rejoicing in heaven, authority of the Christ, cast down Satan, the Devil’s lying ways, blood of Christ victorious, the worthy Lamb, etc.).
  5. The chorus comes from the description of Jesus in Revelation 19 and Revelation 21.
  6. I had finished the verses and chorus that morning, but I had not finished the bridge.  I wrote the bridge on the ride home from work (about a 2-minute drive).  It surprisingly came very easily.
  7. As I introduced that song that night, I was having to remember how to sing it because it was so new :\.
  8. Tracey Sutley did a fantastic job singing with precision, passion, and power.  The song’s momentum shifts so much and her voice covers every section great!
  9. We ended the song on the recording with the band departing the stage while singing the chorus one more time.  We only left David Hjalmer on the drums to keep our singers and congregation together.  We wanted the celebration at the end of the project to be directed towards Jesus and no one else.
  10. While listening to the project this week, my son Eli remembered that part while listening.  “Dad, is this where you guys walked off the stage?  Why did you do that?” We had a great conversation about Psalm 115:1.  Glad it stuck with him just by hearing it!

In days like these, I find myself saying more often to Jesus, “Come, and come quickly, amen!”

Chord Chart: Faithful And True – G

Lyrics

VERSE 1
I can see a wondrous day coming when You return in glory come to restore
Don’t delay, we eagerly anticipate, when You will wipe our tears away, and take us home
I believe that You will meet our every need, the pow’r of death will fin’lly cease around Your throne
Shine Your light, invade the dark and end the night, come to make all things right, make Yourself known

CHORUS
Faithful and True, Jesus, You are making all things new
Alpha, Omega, You’re the beginning and the end
Come start anew, gather every nation back to You
Come dwell among us, come and come quickly, amen

VERSE 2
Holy is the Lord God Almighty, all of heaven is rejoicing our God has won
In Your authority, come to cast down the enemy, make his lies to fin’lly cease, conquered by Your blood

BRIDGE
Worthy to the Word of God who came
Worthy the perfect Lamb of God was slain
Worthy, worthy are You, Lord
Worthy, the coming King forever reign
Worthy, the name above all other names
Worthy, worthy are You, Lord

16 - BOX

Track Listing

  1. Let There Be (Creation)
  2. How We’ve Fallen (The Fall)
  3. No One Like Our God (Exodus)
  4. The Ten Commandments (Law)
  5. Our God Is With Us (Covenant)
  6. Enter His Gates (Psalms)
  7. Return to Me (Prophets)
  8. How Long O LORD (Exile)
  9. Fear Not (Incarnation)
  10. Amazed (Jesus’ Ministry)
  11. What a Savior (Passion Week)
  12. Come Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
  13. Day By Day (Church)
  14. You Alone Are God (Trinity)
  15. Your Word (Epistles)
  16. Faithful and True (Revelation)

“The Word” is a project by North Side Worship telling the grand narrative of the Bible.  It is available at North Side (May 3, 2015) and iTunes (May 5, 2015).