“THERE IS A REDEEMER”
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son.
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Jesus my Redeemer,
Name above all names
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Oh, for sinners’ slain.
Thank you, oh my Father
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done.
When I stand in glory
I will see His face
And there I’ll serve my King forever
In that holy place.
Thank you, oh my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done.
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son.
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Thank you, oh my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done.
And leaving Your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done.
Story Behind:
“THERE is a REDEEMER”
This story involves a collaborative family effort, tragedy, and a lasting legacy.
The Inspiration: Melody Green wrote the initial lyrics and melody in 1977 while driving in a car. Growing up in a Jewish family that fled persecution in Russia, she developed a deep appreciation for the concepts of deliverance and redemption.
The Final Verse: The song was shelved for several years until Keith Green decided to record it. While working on the arrangement in 1982, Keith wrote the song’s final verse: “When I stand in glory, I will see His face…”
The Tragic Release: The song was first released on Keith’s 1982 album, Songs for the Shepherd. Tragically, just months after the album’s release, Keith and two of his children were killed in a plane crash. Keith was 28 when he went to his heavenly home, and is now “…standing in glory and seeing the face of his Savior, Jesus Christ”.
The Tragedy: Keith Green died on July 28, 1982, in a small plane crash, that also claimed the lives of two of his children: Josiah (3 years old) and Bethany (2 years old). The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from the private airstrip at their Last Days Ministries ranch in Garden Valley, Texas. The tragic accident took the lives of 12 people in total, including the pilot and the entire Smalley family of eight (six were children), who were visiting the “Last Days Ministry”. Keith’s wife, Melody Green, and their youngest daughter, Rebekah Joy (who was an infant at the time), were not on the flight, and Melody was pregnant with their fourth child, Rachel Hope, when the crash happened.
The Legacy: Following this awful loss, the song became a poignant anthem of hope and comfort, taking on a deeper meaning for Melody and their listeners worldwide.
-Debra
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