Many of us will know the value of listening to Christian music throughout our days (and nights!)  I am a big fan of listening to Christian music that fills my mind with gospel truth and keeps my eyes on Jesus when all around me is distracting me from what is important!  I so appreciate Christian songs, as they have an ability to lift my mood, soothe my soul, express feelings of joy or sorrow, or just fill a gap when I’m not sure what else to think about!

Here are some of the songs I am listening to at the moment that I hope might be a blessing to you too!

Joyful Noise – Album “Come People of God”, Single “Gentle and Lowly”

Joyful Noise claim to be a fresh collaboration that has come together around a passion for Jesus, music and God’s family, the church.  Their vision is to equip congregations with biblical and expressive songs so that God’s people might “come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him” (Psalm 95 KJV)

They released an album last year called “Come People of God” which has some fantastic songs on it, including “No greater hope” that we have recently learnt in church, and “Come People of God” which may be introduced at some point in the near future.

They have also released a couple of singles this year, which are fantastic.  A particular favourite of mine is “Gentle and Lowly”.  This song has been inspired by the book written by Dane Ortland of the same name (which if you haven’t read I can highly recommend!).  It is a lovely meditation and celebration of the heart of Christ for sinners and sufferers like us. Here are the lyrics from verse 2: 

“Seeing my suffering, knowing my fear,
mercy compels you in love to draw near. 
Joy without measure flows through your soul,
taking my burdens and bearing them all! 
Seeing my suffering, knowing my fear,
mercy compels you in love to draw near!” 

 
What a beautiful reminder of Jesus’ willingness to draw near to us!  I’m sure that listening to this great new band will do you lots of good!

Almost Home – Album “The Hymns of Matt Bosell and Matt Papa (Vol. 2)”

God seems to be particularly blessing the song writing of people called Matt at the moment and here are two of them!  This is a great album.  You will recognise some of the songs on this album, as we sing at least four of them at ETCC.  Several of the songs on this album have been written with a collaboration of other songwriters, in particular the Gettys.  However, I think this album has a less of a Getty feel which I have found quite refreshing.  If you are looking for familiar songs, with a slightly different feel, then this album may be for you!  I love the orchestral feel and find myself returning to this album over and over again, not least because it opens with one of my favourite songs of the moment “Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord)”. If I need my eyes to be lifted back to the Lord at any point during any day, then this song does it wonderfully with the call to: “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, sing His greatness all creation.  Praise the Lord, raise your voice! You heights and all you depths, from furthest east to west.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

City Alight / Colin Buchanan – The Night Song

Many of you will have appreciated the beauty of the song “Jesus, Strong and Kind” released at the end of 2019.  City Alight and Colin Buchanan have released another lovely song, which I have no doubt will be precious to many. 

The Night Song is written as an end of day song.  It is a reminder that God has been with us all day and will remain by our sides throughout the night.  Those who struggle with sleep in the night, or are feeling the weight of the burdens of the day, will find this song helps them to thank God for His goodness to us, and express our trust that He will be with us through the night. 

The song climaxes with these words:

“So I find my rest in Jesus
He who came to rescue me
Jesus saved me from the darkness
I will rise to life with him.”

These words lift us beyond the worries of the night and remind us that one day these worries will be over, as we rise to eternal life with Jesus. 

Emu Music – Album “Always Good”

This is an album that Emu music have spent a long time planning and writing.  They wanted to write a collection of songs that gave God’s people the words to call to him in sorrow and cry out in praise.  The songs follow the path of many of the Psalms, as they move from distress to delight, from pleading to praising. 
This is a lovely album worth listening to, whether you would say you are in a time of sorrow, or a time of rejoicing. 
 
I hope like me you will enjoy listening to some of these Christian songs and will pray that they do your heart and soul good. 

- Emma Howard