• Madison County Record
    • Madison Living
    • Living 50 Plus
    • Explore
    • Classifieds
    • Public Notices
      • Public Notices
      • Alabama Public Notices
    • E-editions
    • Contact Us
    • Services
      • About Us
      • List of Locations
      • Subscribe
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Letter to the Editor
    • Madison County Record
    • Madison Living
    • Living 50 Plus
    • Explore
    • Classifieds
    • Public Notices
      • Public Notices
      • Alabama Public Notices
    • E-editions
    • Contact Us
    • Services
      • About Us
      • List of Locations
      • Subscribe
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Letter to the Editor

Hartselle Enquirer
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Obits
  • Opinion
  • Public Records
  • Madison County Record
  • Madison Living Magazine
  • Classifieds
  • Public Notices
  • Contact Us
  • Services
  • About Us
  • List of Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Policies
  • Terms of use
  • Submit a News Tip
  • Submit a Photo
  • Birth Announcement
  • Engagement Announcement
  • Wedding Announcement
  • Submit a Classified Ad
  • Letter to the Editor
    Hartselle Enquirer
      • Site logo
      • Home
      • News
      • Sports
      • Schools
      • Opinion
      • Events
      • Lifestyles
      • Business
      • Records
      • Special Sections
      • Site logo
      • Home
      • News
      • Sports
      • Schools
      • Opinion
      • Events
      • Lifestyles
      • Business
      • Records
      • Special Sections
    Lifestyles, Madison, Madison County Record, News, Z - News Main
     By  SPECIAL TO THE RECORD Published 
    9:46 am Friday, April 7, 2023

    Music of Holy Week: Hymns and worship songs navigate the emotional journey from Palm Sunday to Easter

    By Catherine Godbey, From The Decatur Daily

    From the jubilation of Palm Sunday to the despair of Maundy Thursday to the grief of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Sunday, music helps worshippers navigate the emotional journey of Holy Week.

    “Music is awesome. Music is a universal language. Music has a way of speaking to us and stirring up our spirit. That is why music is so important for Holy Week,” said Charles Owens II, associate pastor of worship at Shiloh Baptist Church in Somerville.

    Century after century, songwriters have tried to capture the emotion of Holy Week.

    In 1707, Isaac Watts wrote “Alas and Did My Savior Bleed.” In the late 1800s, Fanny Crosby, responsible for more than 8,000 hymns, penned the lines, “Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where thou hast died.” In 1899, “Were You There?,” an African-American spiritual believed to be composed by enslaved Blacks, was first printed. In 1968, the Edwin Hawkin Singers lent their soulful voices to “Oh Happy Day.” And in 2015, North Point Community Church’s InsideOut musical team in Alpharetta, Georgia, performed “Death was Arrested” — one of Owens’ favorite Holy Week songs.

    “I love that song,” Owens said of the tune that includes the lyrics “Your love made a way to let mercy come in. When death was arrested and my life began.”

    “Years ago, we put together a kids’ drama that had no words. The kids acted out the Easter story with music. One of the songs they used was this one. It was a very powerful moment in the production.”

    Throughout Holy Week, music illustrates the Easter story, from the betrayal of Jesus to the walk to the cross to the resurrection. Staple hymns evoking the emotional journey include “All Glory, Laud and Honor” for Palm Sunday, “Are You Washed in the Blood,” “Go to Dark, Gethsemane” and “The Old Rugged Cross” for Good Friday and “He Arose,” “Glorious Day” and “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” for Easter Sunday.

    “Music is able to portray a picture of the suffering that Jesus made for us in a way that sometimes words can’t. The songs provide a beautiful picture of Jesus’ sacrifice and then of his victory and resurrection,” said Cheyenne Sanchez, a member of Calvary Assembly’s worship team and the nationally-known signing group Maverick City Choir.

    Among Sanchez’s favorite Easter hymns is “Forever” by Kari Jobe. The song, which includes the lyrics, “The moon and stars, they wept. The morning sun was dead. The savior of the world was fallen. His body on the cross. His blood poured out for us. … The ground began to shake. The stone was rolled away. His perfect love would not be overcome,” tells the Easter story, from the crucifixion to the resurrection.

    In a video posted on Jobe’s YouTube channel, Jobe, who wrote the song with Brian Johnson, said, “We talked about a theme. The thing we kept saying was ‘forever,’ just talking about how forever Jesus will be lifted high and worshipped and glorified. And that his story of coming to Earth to die for our sins, we wanted to paint a picture of that.”

    Another song that connects with Owens is “I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin with the lyrics, “There’s a peace I’ve come to know though my heart and flesh may fail, there’s an anchor for my soul, I can say, ‘It is well.’ Jesus has overcome and the grave is overwhelmed, the victory is won, he is risen from the dead. And I will rise when he calls my name, no more sorrow, no more pain. I will rise on eagles’ wings, before my God fall on my knees.”

    “This song paints a picture of how we will rise one day to be with Christ because of the sacrifice Jesus made. It is a hopeful song,” Owens said. “Music can bring out sadness. Music can bring out happiness. Music has a way of resonating with all of the emotions we experience during Holy Week.”

    Also on The Madison Record
    Madison girls planning annual Lemonade for St. Jude on July 12
    A: Main, Events, Lifestyles, ...
    Lemonade Stand for St. Jude
    Madison girls planning annual Lemonade for St. Jude on July 12
    KADIE VICK kadie@themadisonrecord.com 
    July 10, 2025
    MADISON - Two local girls in fifth and sixth grade are selflessly using time during their summer break to raise money for a great cause. Landri Kruse ...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    Bob Labbe 
    July 9, 2025
    HARVEST - With his sights set on attending college within weeks, Joe Quez Keith has a major event he has prepped for that has occupied his entire summ...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Little Booths Market Day will debut at The Grove Church July 12
    A: Main, Events, Lifestyles, ...
    Little Booths Market Day will debut at The Grove Church July 12
    Gregg Parker 
    July 9, 2025
    MADISON – A special event for young, aspiring entrepreneurs and vendors will debut this Saturday in Madison with Little Booths Market Day. Little Boot...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Discovery recognizes Quamae Jackson as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
    Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
    Discovery recognizes Quamae Jackson as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
    Gregg Parker 
    July 9, 2025
    MADISON – Quamae Jackson’s job carries personal importance in his life. Teachers and staff at Discovery Middle School selected Jackson as “Staff Membe...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Mill Creek archers qualify for World Archery Tournament
    Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
    Mill Creek archers qualify for World Archery Tournament
    Gregg Parker 
    July 9, 2025
    MADISON – Mill Creek Elementary School is home to numerous toxophilites . . . but there’s no cause for alarm. In fact, the campus is fortunate to have...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Madison City Chess League youth augment skills at summer meets
    Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
    Madison City Chess League youth augment skills at summer meets
    Gregg Parker 
    July 9, 2025
    MADISON – Chess players can avoid the ‘summer slide’ and keep their skills sharpened with numerous tournaments across Alabama and in other states. “Ar...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Shakespeare in the Garden returns to Huntsville Botanical Garden
    Events, Lifestyles, Madison County Record, ...
    Shakespeare in the Garden returns to Huntsville Botanical Garden
    Annual tradition making Shakespeare’s plays accessible
    Maria Rakoczy 
    July 9, 2025
    HUNTSVILLE - A midsummer night’s dream becomes reality with Huntsville Shakespeare. Set to a backdrop of golden hour at the amphitheater at the Huntsv...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}
    Hallman, Auffenorde, Bartley and therapeutic art set for Blue Apple Books in July
    Events, Madison County Record, News, ...
    Hallman, Auffenorde, Bartley and therapeutic art set for Blue Apple Books in July
    Gregg Parker 
    July 9, 2025
    MADISON – Nail-biting literary drama, self-help and healthy relaxation are on the July schedule at Blue Apple Books. Alabama author Jennifer Hallman o...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism", "madison-record":"Madison Record"}{"madison-record":"Madison Record"}

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    ❮ ❯
    Get Legals or Public Notices Published
    Latest Local News
    Madison girls planning annual Lemonade for St. Jude on July 12
    Madison girls planning annual Lemonade for St. Jude on July 12
    MADISON - Two local girls in fifth and sixth grade are selflessly using time during their summer break to raise money for a great cause. Landri Kruse ...
    July 10, 2025
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    HARVEST - With his sights set on attending college within weeks, Joe Quez Keith has a major event he has prepped for that has occupied his entire summ...
    July 9, 2025
    Little Booths Market Day will debut at The Grove Church July 12
    Little Booths Market Day will debut at The Grove Church July 12
    MADISON – A special event for young, aspiring entrepreneurs and vendors will debut this Saturday in Madison with Little Booths Market Day. Little Boot...
    July 9, 2025
    Discovery recognizes Quamae Jackson as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
    Discovery recognizes Quamae Jackson as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
    MADISON – Quamae Jackson’s job carries personal importance in his life. Teachers and staff at Discovery Middle School selected Jackson as “Staff Membe...
    July 9, 2025
    Mill Creek archers qualify for World Archery Tournament
    Mill Creek archers qualify for World Archery Tournament
    MADISON – Mill Creek Elementary School is home to numerous toxophilites . . . but there’s no cause for alarm. In fact, the campus is fortunate to have...
    July 9, 2025

    More Local News

    Our Latest E-edition
    Read the most recent edition
    Latest Stories
    Flow&Grow hosts second Flow Jam on July 26
    Flow&Grow hosts second Flow Jam on July 26
    HUNTSVILLE - Huntsville Flow&Grow provides a community for locals who practice flow arts with weekly meetings and an upcoming Flow Jam. “I was rea...
    July 9, 2025
    USTA U16 Girls Clay Court Nationals set for Huntsville
    USTA U16 Girls Clay Court Nationals set for Huntsville
    HUNTSVILLE - For eight consecutive days, the top under 16 girls tennis players in the United States will spring to action at the Athletic Club of Alab...
    July 9, 2025
    Declining gas prices buck annual trend and earlier expectations
    Declining gas prices buck annual trend and earlier expectations
    MADISON - Bucking earlier expectations for mid-summer, gas prices have continued to decline. Even though the cost for gas locally has risen some since...
    July 8, 2025
    Limestone Co. Sheriff’s Office: Violent felon arrested with weapon, stolen identities in multi-state fraud case
    Limestone Co. Sheriff’s Office: Violent felon arrested with weapon, stolen identities in multi-state fraud case
    LIMESTONE COUNTY - According to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, a Birmingham man with a violent criminal history was arrested after detectives ...
    July 8, 2025
    Exclusive: Movie planned on life of baseball’s Jose Canseco
    Exclusive: Movie planned on life of baseball’s Jose Canseco
    Editor’s note: Former Major League Baseball superstar Jose Canseco spoke exclusively with Bob Labbe of the Madison Record about the former All-Star’s ...
    July 2, 2025
    poll
    Latest Sports
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    Sparkman track star qualifies for AAU Junior Olympic Games
    HARVEST - With his sights set on attending college within weeks, Joe Quez Keith has a major event he has prepped for that has occupied his entire summ...
    July 9, 2025
    USTA U16 Girls Clay Court Nationals set for Huntsville
    USTA U16 Girls Clay Court Nationals set for Huntsville
    HUNTSVILLE - For eight consecutive days, the top under 16 girls tennis players in the United States will spring to action at the Athletic Club of Alab...
    July 9, 2025
    Exclusive: Movie planned on life of baseball’s Jose Canseco
    Exclusive: Movie planned on life of baseball’s Jose Canseco
    Editor’s note: Former Major League Baseball superstar Jose Canseco spoke exclusively with Bob Labbe of the Madison Record about the former All-Star’s ...
    July 2, 2025
    Mitch Daly on the move: Former Bob Jones standout moving from Trash Pandas to 66ers
    Mitch Daly on the move: Former Bob Jones standout moving from Trash Pandas to 66ers
    MADISON- The Rocket City Trash Pandas has made a series of player moves including Mitch Daly. The Bob Jones High graduate and only local player to sui...
    June 18, 2025
    Daly returns home to play for Trash Pandas
    Daly returns home to play for Trash Pandas
    MADISON - Since birth, Mitch Daly has always been on the move as his father, Ed, is a four-star general in the U.S. Army causing him to pack up his wi...
    May 26, 2025

    More Sports Stories

    x

    Sections

    • Home
    • News
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Lifestyles
    • Obits
    • Business
    • Sponsored Content
      • Home
      • News
      • Sports
      • Opinion
      • Lifestyles
      • Obits
      • Business
      • Sponsored Content

    Other Publications

    Madison Living Logo Living 50 Plus Logo

    Services

    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise With Us
    • Policies
    • Terms of use
    • Submit a news tip
    • Submit a photo
    • Birth announcement
    • Birthday announcement
    • Engagement announcement
    • Wedding announcement
    • Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter
      • About Us
      • Subscribe
      • Advertise With Us
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Birthday announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter

    Follow Us

    Copyright

    © , The Madison Record