A couple of years ago a dear friend offered the use of a beach condo to me and my wife. We gladly accepted the offer! Situated directly on the oceanfront, we were awakened every morning by a glorious sunrise. After a morning beach walk and a surfing session, I would return to the room where my keyboard was set up by the window, overlooking the beach and the sea. That unobstructed vista and the unrelenting sound of the sea spoke of the beauty and glory of Creator God. This is where I received the inspiration to write several sacred choral works.
During this time of respite I was stirred to compose the following choral pieces, I Am God and God Alone, We Have Come to See Jesus, Doxology l and Doxology ll, and Glory Be to God l and Glory Be to God ll.
Our church, where I serve as Director of Music, was going through a sermon series on the Book of Deuteronomy. I was reminded that as Christians, we are instructed to observe the commandments of Jesus in the New Testament, but Jesus also teaches us to follow the Ten Commandments, given to Moses in the Old Testament as recorded in Deuteronomy. Interested in finding a composition that incorporated the Ten Commandments in a singable form appropriate for choral groups or congregational singing, I had begun a search for such a piece before my time at the ocean. I took advantage of this occasion of rest and meditation and being undisturbed at the beach by concluding my search in writing an original composition. It was my goal to create a lyrical thread that would tie all the commandments together, a statement that would encompass all Ten Commandments emphasizing the unique transcendent nature of God. So, instead of titling the song, “The Ten Commandments,” I decided on the title, “I Am God and God Alone,” which is the overarching theme of the work and reiterated several times in the body of the composition. This song is written as a four-part anthem with piano accompaniment. It is also sung by the congregation in unison.
During that time at the beach, I also composed an orchestral underscore for the narration of Psalm 93. From time to time in our church’s worship I incorporate a spoken narration of Biblical text with original music played by our church musicians. The music emphasizes the spoken text, reflecting the scriptural message. Over the years I had written several of these underscores, based on Psalm 23, 42, 91; Isaiah 40: 21-31; Matthew 6: 19-32; and The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5, but I had never underscored Psalm 93 which states the truth that God’s mighty power and strength is more powerful than the sea. Waking up early one morning and making my way down to the beach, I heard and felt the thunder of the waves pounding the sand. A new swell from a nor’easter had arrived and the sea was demonstrating its power and might, but I knew that God was reigning supreme over the sea. This is the event that inspired me to set Psalm 93 to music.
The seas have lifted up, O Lord,
the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea –
the Lord on high is mighty.
Psalm 93: 3, 4
