Song Highlight: See The Destined Day Arise
This week’s hymn highlight is See The Destined Day Arise by several authors. This hymn was originally written by the early church bishop & poet Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (what a name!) in the 6th Century. It was translated from Latin into English in 1837 by Richard Mant and was put to music in 2014 by Matt Merker, who also wrote some additional lyrics. This hymn is a reflection on Christ's sacrifice on behalf of sinners in order to reconcile us to God. Verse 1 looks to Christ hanging upon the shameful cross bearing the just punishment for our sins. Here the glorious and majestic King was humbled to the point of death on a tree in our place so we could be given new life. Verse 2 reminds us of the great cup of wrath that Christ drank for His elect as seen through the breaking of His body, the spilling of His blood, and the piercing of His hands, side, and feet. In light of the finished sacrifice of Christ on our behalf, verse 3 is a prayer asking that we would thus live in a manner that is honoring to Him. The chorus resounds with a powerful “Hallelujah, lamb of God for sinners slain!” Now it may seem strange that we would praise God for the sacrifice of His Son, but without that sacrifice, we have no hope of Salvation. So at the cross, we ought to be deeply moved by the wrath and suffering Christ endured and yet we rejoice knowing that His death has set us free from our sin and given us forgiveness and new life forever.
Musically this is a really neat piece. The hymn starts in a minor key with a somber tone. People have often asked why we sing hymns like that in church as opposed to upbeat and happy sounding hymns. While we want those too, we always want the musical accompaniment to match the words of the hymn. So each verse, reflecting on Christ’s great sacrifice, is set in a minor key allowing us to reflect on the suffering He endured for sinners. Yet this hymn does not stay in the darkness of a minor key but brightly resolves to major in the chorus as we sing in triumph of the finished work of Christ and the glory He rightly deserves. It is my hope that as we sing this hymn, we will reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, rejoice in our deliverance, and live every day in the power of the cross.
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