Be Thou My Colossians Hymn

Photo by Hao Zhang. Unsplash.

Over the last few days I’ve been (somewhat unpopularly!) suggesting that we reappropriate the melodies of favourite hymns, and add new lyrics (actually, kind of old lyrics). Yesterday, I suggested that we slide the words of the Apostles’ Creed into the melody of Nettleton (aka Come Thou Fount). Shout out to Jeanette Chin who was inspired to spend some time revising the lyrics to Come Thou Fount.

Here’s my wild suggestion for today: we mash up the words of Colossians 1:15–23 into the tune Slane (aka Be Thou My Vision or That Song from Harry and Meghan’s Wedding).

Here goes:

He is the image of God, the unseen,
Creation's firstborn, the ruler supreme.
All things were made through him: both sky and ground;
Things seen and unseen; all rulers and powers.

Through him and unto him all things were made,
He's before all, in him all is sustained.
He is the head of the body, the church,
Firstborn from death and in all things placed first.

In him, God willed for his fullness to dwell,
and through him, reconciled all to himself,
all things on earth and in heaven above,
having made peace through the blood of the cross.

Once you were strangers and hostile in mind,
But through his death you have been reconciled.
He now presents you as holy and right,
Blameless, and beyond reproach in his sight.

Stay and continue in faith, strong and firm,
Sure not to stray from the gospel you heard,
Which was proclaimed unto all of the world,
Unto all creatures; this news we now serve.

Banger Christology.

Banger Bible passage.

Banger melody.

Depending on which arrangement you use, potentially banger music.

The translation sounds a little like it came from the fingertips of Yoda. But you could probably rework it to make it sound good.

Photo by Jonathan Cooper. Unsplash.