Revive Us Again
In the past few weeks, the church as a whole has been talking about revival. As many of you know, this was sparked by the continuous chapel service held at Asbury Seminary in Kentucky. Participants spent twelve days in prayer and worship. The events surrounding Asbury and the services brought questions and a desire for revival among the people of God.
It reminded me of a favorite hymn of the church, Revive Us Again.
The words were penned by William P. Mackay, a Presbyterian minister. The tune is thought to be the work of John J. Husband, although Mackay may have contributed his own tune.
God Himself is the One who will bring revival to the church.
When reading the lyrics, there is a Trinitarian construction in the hymn. God the Father is praised for sending the Son. God the Father is again praised for giving the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the Savior. In the third verse, a clear explanation of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is given. Jesus, it says, was slain and bore our sins. Therefore, we are cleansed from sin by His death. Finally, there is a call for God to revive the church with a new fervor for God and discipleship, which would be the work of the Holy Spirit. A simple chorus punctuates each verse giving praise to God and a final phrase repeating the prayer for God to revive the church.
In a three or four-hymn song service, Revive Us Again can take the third or fourth position as a call to action or confession for the congregation. The lyrics transition between worship and church commitment as it realizes that God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, is the One who will bring revival and renewal to the church.
This link will take you to a video presentation of a congregation singing Revive Us Again.
Mark Riser - Apologist 