A Comforting Hymn

Dannah Gresh: Keith Getty is a songwriter and a dad. He says singing is an important part of discipling the next generation.

Keith Getty: What we actually need to be doing is building deep believers more and more. And part of that is in the hymns we sing. Whether we’re parents or grandparents or teachers or pastors, all our children are going to be significantly influenced, first of all, by the songs they sing. . . 

Song: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” 

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died. 

Dannah: This is the Revive Our Hearts podcast with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, author of Holiness: The Heart God Purifies, for August 26, 2022. I’m Dannah Gresh. 

Song:

My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride.¹

Dannah: Anytime you do a project around the house you use tools. Think about the tools you have in your kitchen alone. I’m not talking about tools like hammers and screwdrivers. Your kitchen has, I don’t know, pots, pans, knives, dishes, utensils, appliances. They’re all tools, tools that help you do whatever you need to do well.

When it comes to the project of spiritual instruction, this week Nancy has been helping us see another tool we can use: the Heidelberg Catechism. Whether you’re wanting to grow personally or you’re investing spiritually in your children or friends, I think this catechism can be an important utensil in your “discipleship drawer.” 

When we combine the principles we find in a solid catechism with well-composed music, the results can be so powerful! That’s something our friend Bob Lepine discussed with Keith Getty some weeks ago.

Bob is a veteran of Christian radio and a longtime member of the Revive Our Hearts advisory board. Keith Getty is a well-known writer of modern hymns. He and his wife Kristyn will be leading the worship at our upcoming conference, True Woman ’22.

Let’s listen to this conversation between Bob Lepine and Keith Getty, and we'll also mix in some highlights from earlier in this series, “Christ Our Comfort in Life and Death.” Here’s Bob to kick things off.

Bob Lepine: We have been listening this week as Nancy has been taking us through the first question and answer in the Heidelberg Catechism, the sixteenth century document that helped clarify the recovery of the gospel in the Reformation period. That first question and answer is so rich!

Nancy asks the first question to ladies in the studio audience: “What is your only comfort in life and in death?”

Audience: 

That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. 

He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.”

He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. 

Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.

That is our only comfort in life and in death.

Bob: In fact, it is that first question and answer that inspired a hymn that many of us have begun singing in our churches around the country, the hymn “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death”—a hymn written by Keith Getty and a team of songwriters at Getty Music.

Keith is with us today from Ireland. Keith, welcome to Revive Our Hearts!

Keith: Oh, it’s good to see you, Bob! And actually, the funniest thing about it is, I’m actually sitting in our home in Ireland where the four writers—Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, Matt Merker, and Jordan Kauflin—were actually sitting. It had almost become like the British Parliament. There were two sides of the room.

One side of the room wanted to write a hymn called “Christ Your Hope in Life and Death,” and the tune was closer to death than it was to life. (That’s just being nice about the tune they had.) And the other side of the room had this tune, this song they wanted to sing, “Christ is ours and we are His,” or something. It was truthful, but it wasn’t the kind of thing you wanted to sing. I said, “Hang on, wouldn’t that lyric go better with that one?”

It was actually twenty yards from here, the whole thing finally opened up!

Oh, sing hallelujah!
Our hope it stands eternal.
Oh sing hallelujah!
Now and ever we can say,
Christ our hope in life and death!

And it’s not just because it’s historic liturgy or there’s so much to learn from those things, but it’s the fact that historic liturgies were written by the finest believers and the finest poets who understood the heart of life.

So the Heidelberg Catechism, for example, was dear to Bonhoeffer, who ended up being one of the few Christians who truly had the courage to stand up to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. But it also, for Matt Boswell as a dad who’s a pastor . . .

Matt Boswell: One of my sons was having a really difficult time thinking about death. Of course, as a child, that topic can be terrifying; as an adult, that topic can be terrifying. The hymn idea for “Christ Your Hope in Life and Death”was, I wanted to give something to my oldest son that he could sing when thinking about death.

So, I’ve been singing this around the house, I’ve been playing it on the piano; he is walking around singing it.

Dannah: Another cowriter, Jordan Kauflin, has also found encouragement in the words of the song he helped to pen.

Jordan Kauflin: My wife and I for the past eight months have been dealing with our own trials in our lives. One of our sons is twelve years old; his name is Jack. He recently found out that his leukemia (which he had had when he was two-and-a-half and had successfully completed treatment for) had come back. So he’s now dealing with it for a second time.

As my wife and I have gone through the stormy trials that we’re experiencing right now, to be able to sing, “Hallelujah, our hope springs eternal. Now and ever we confess Christ alone in life and death” has been a comfort to our family as we are walking through this.

Dannah: Again, the song is based on the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism, written in 1563. Here’s Keith Getty again.

Keith: So it is a historic liturgy, it is an important thing, but as Nancy has clearly pointed out this week . . . 

Nancy (from teaching series): This is ancient but timeless truth that’s rooted in the Word of God. A catechism like this is a way of discipling and training young believers in the faith, discipling and training children. It was written with the hope of even training children and young people.

Keith: It applies for somebody who is in the midst of persecution in Ukraine or Afghanistan, or in leadership. But also for all of us who are praying for our kids and our grandkids, and waking up in the middle of the night wondering what more we could do or could have done. It speaks to that so clearly as well.

Dannah: A listener named Corrie was in our studio audience as Nancy recorded this week’s series.

Corrie: My husband and I studied the Heidelberg Catechism in the nineties. We studied it for several years. Then we moved away, we had a couple babies, and then he died in 2004. In the years to come, I received comfort from these two verses: I am not my own, I was bought with a price (see 1 Cor. 6:19–20).

And, God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (see Rom. 8:28). Those are the two truths in question and answer number one. It was truly comforting . . . and still is.

Bob: Any of us who have used catechisms either in our own lives or in instructing our children, there’s rich truth in these catechisms. But there is something very pastoral about this first question and answer in the Heidelberg Catechism that I think makes it unique among the Westminster or the other catechisms that we’re familiar with. 

It’s something that really touches at the heart of what we’re all struggling with: what is our only comfort in life and death? It’s that we’re not our own. There’s a richness to that.

Keith: Well, the two things that catechisms are less known for are . . . I always find the use of English elegant, but it’s not always warm. But this is warm and, secondly, it helps our minds in a lofty way look towards God. 

They can almost, for a kid . . . I did the catechism going through Boy’s Brigade, and it seemed a little bit impersonal. But I think the Heidelberg is unique in that it brings us to the heart of the Christian life so quickly.

Nancy (from teaching series): There is a desperate need today—it wasn’t just back in the days of the Reformation—for solid biblical teaching in our churches. So many people, even in the church today, do not know the Scriptures! 

They don’t know the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, and as a result there’s a lot of confusion; there’s a lot of error being taught. We have weak, anemic, confused, misguided believers and entire churches.

Barb Anderson: My name is Barb Anderson. I have gone to church for a long time, and I studied the Bible a lot and I’ve learned a lot of truth. I was saved in seventh grade—girls, that was a long time ago. Thank you, Nancy, this catechism lays it out in such a beautiful way!

Yesterday, when I got the email that said what we were going to do today, I looked up the references, and I was so blessed! And for some of them, I said, “Oh, I know this verse!” But it was put there in this lovely order, and it pulls the pieces together of the things that we have been taught. So, thank you! It was a blessing. It is a blessing!

Bob: Most of our American children, probably most European children these days, are unfamiliar with catechetical training or with any kind of a catechism. Are you doing this with your kids, with your girls, at all? Are you using a catechism?

Keith: No, we’ve done a little bit to it around “Christ Your Hope in Life and Death.” 

Dannah: In fact, here’s a snippet of the Getty family singing together, including Keith’s wife Kristyn and three of their daughters. 

Song: 

“What will keep us to the end?
The love of Christ.
Oh sing hallelujah, our hope springs eternal,
Now and ever we confess,
Christ our hope in life and death.

Keith: My wife and I have kind of decided it’s going to be our next project when we go back, for the next year. We’ve done kind of big-picture Bible study, we’ve talked them through the hymns and done stuff like that. 

We’ve actually become more and more convinced because in our generation people often think we need to make our kids feel more and more a part of things and all that kind of stuff. Those things are all important, and obviously, you’re a family counselor and pastor, and so you know this better than I do.

But as we watch our children interact with the conversations at school, the academies, with the conversations online on their ipads, with the conversations they see in education and all these different places, we’ve realized what we actually need to be doing is building deep believers more and more.

Nancy (from teaching series): And if you don’t teach them what the Word of God says is true, the world will teach them its version. We especially need to be teaching the faith to our children!

Keith: And part of that is in the hymns that we sing. Whether we’re parents or grandparents or teachers or pastors, all our children are going to be significantly influenced, first of all, by the songs they sing.

That’s why one of the contemporaries of Plato, as well as many others since, said, “I don’t wish to write the laws of my country if I can write its songs.” 

Because the songs . . . out of the heart the mouth speaks. And what is said in the heart in one generation becomes law a generation later. So I think singing songs that are deep is crucial. But I think beyond that, catechism helps us build clearer systematic blocks. It helps us have better conversations.

I’ve heard people say it’s a bit rigid, and it can be. But I still think the pluses far outweigh the minuses. So, it’s actually funny you should ask . . . That’s one of our goals. We’ve been chit-chatting with the likes of Johnny Gibbs who wrote a devotional, and others as well. So we’re excited about that, and excited to see how Nancy talks to women and mothers and grandmothers about that, too.

Nancy (from teaching series): You’re not your own, you belong to another. So God says when you walk through these tough life circumstance—cancer and covid, and you add to the list, craziness (that’s the third “c”—in our world today, you don’t go through that alone. God has created you. If you are His child, He has redeemed you, and He is with you. He is caring for you, because you do not belong to yourself; you belong to Him.

Bob: I remember hearing a story that D. L. Moody was teaching a group of second graders in Scotland one time. In his teaching he asked them rhetorically, “And so children, what exactly is sin?” And he paused for a minute, and all of the Scottish children in unison began to give the catechism answer: “Sin is a transgression against the law of God . . .” They began to chant it in unison. 

It took Moody aback, because it didn’t happen like that in America when he taught children. And he paused and he said, “Children, you should thank God every day that you were born in Scotland!”

Now, this was 150 years ago. But there was a time when kids were brought up with a catechism in the same way that we teach our kids the Pledge of Allegiance or maybe the Lord’s Prayer. And it’s so foundational because it stays planted in the heart of a child, these truths of God’s Word.

I’ll tell you one other quick story: We were attempting this with our children one time. One day I was driving along with my six-year-old son. He turned to me and said, “Hey, Dad, I know who the chief Indian man is.” 

I said, “What do you mean, the chief Indian man?”

He said, “The chief Indian man . . . it’s to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!” [The son was “quoting” as he understood it from the Westminster Shorter catechism: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”] And I thought, I don’t think my catechism training is working with my son here! 

Keith: And Bob, liturgy—whether it be sung liturgy or whether it be said liturgy or whether it be practiced liturgy—from catechisms is so crucial. We tell a story about a pastor who goes to a potluck event at his church.

One of the rather obnoxious kids who is like eight years old (who is probably a lot like I was when I was eight years old) goes straight up to the pastor and says, “Pastor!” in front of his friends. He’s trying to be smart and probably a little bit rude and disrespectful.

He goes, “Why is it you always say every Sunday, ‘The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.” 

And the pastor pauses and goes, “That’s why.” 

Bob: Ah! (chuckles.) 

Keith: We don’t actually learn life through sensations and the spectacular and through emotional peaks. Those kinds of things that so much of modern Christianity does. All they do is flatter to deceive for a moment. The actual rhythm and disciplines of life are what actually inform our minds in things that we don’t forget.

Nancy (from teaching series): “. . . and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.” Amen? 

Women: Amen!

Nancy (from teaching series): You said it like you believe it! We need to keep telling ourselves the gospel; that gives us comfort, that gives us strength.

I often recite these words when I’m doing different things throughout my day. One of the times I often do it is when I’m drying my hair. I have one of those big, large roller brushes that’s also a dryer. I’m trying to straighten my out-of-control hair.

And always that brush gets full; I’ve got hair falling out! I see it. It’s on the floor; it’s on the counter; it’s on my brush. I kind of laugh while I’m reciting this: “He watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven.”

Now, I’m okay really with losing some hair—I’d prefer not to lose it all, but you know, that happens. But there are harder losses. So it’s just touching here that even in the littlest things in life, God watches over me. He knows the most minute details of my life!

Bob: Again, this first question does stand out, because I think all of us deal with anxiety. Mary Ann and I were talking about this this week, just about how the events of our day and our personal lives can lead to anxiety, how the events of our world can be a source of anxiety.

She was saying that sometimes as she lays down at night, she’s tired and she’s exhausted, and yet all of a sudden thoughts come to mind that cause her not to be able to go to sleep easily because of all that’s going on in our lives.

Martin Lloyd-Jones is the one that says that when that happens, instead of listening to ourselves we need to be speaking to ourselves. And that’s what the first question and answer in the Heidelberg Catechism does for us. It gives us words to speak to ourselves, to remind us that there is comfort in life and in death!

Keith: Yeah, that’s right. And talking to ourselves, you see it in the psalms, you see it in Job. You know, it’s almost a practice we’re supposed to have. So, in the same way, when we’re feeling these times of anxiety, instead of getting angry with people or trying to find someone to talk to or yell at or whatever . . . So much of it can actually be either the practice of singing or the practice of asking the questions: “What do I know about God? What do I know about this world?” 

Bob: And that’s a discipline, that’s not something that comes naturally to us. But again, we have to learn to do what David did and counsel our own soul. When David said, “Why are you so downcast my soul? Put your hope in God.” (see Ps. 42:5) We have to tell our soul how to think and how to act. 

Keith: Right. Well, but I assure you that if you ask my wife, she will confirm that I do not always do that! 

Bob: My wife would say the same thing! And yet, that’s the walk of faith—to stay on that path and to keep counseling our own soul.

I think we’re all feeling some of this low-grade anxiety. These are hard, crazy days. As never before, we need—people need, everyone needs—a life preserver for our minds, for our emotions. 

I’m here to tell you today what you already know, and that is that life preserver is the truth—it’s the gospel. That’s what keeps us from going under. That’s what gives us hope. That’s what gives us perseverance. That’s what gives us perspective in this crazy world.

Over the past several months, I’ve found just such a life preserver in an excerpt from a document that was written 460 years ago. It’s called the Heidelberg Catechism. I’ve been reciting these ancient words, just a portion of this text, I’ve been reciting them frequently day and night—as I pillow my head at night, when I waken during the night, before my feet hit the ground in the morning. Sometimes while I’m preparing dinner or while I’m out driving to run an errand. 

These words have become woven into the fabric of my heart. They’ve brought me such encouragement and peace! They’ve infused me with courage and strength!

Song:

What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.
Where is His grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer's blood.
Who holds our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh 
Unto the shore? 
The rock of Christ.²

Bob: This hymn is the theme of the conference that you’re going to be hosting in Nashville, the Sing! conference—your annual conference. Why did you decide on this theme and this hymn? Is it related to the events of the world that we’re experiencing today?

Keith: Yeah, Bob, thanks for asking. There are probably three main reasons for it. One is, at the heart, our organization is about hymns for the church. We do feel that this hymn—like the catechism—is a vital thing that all Christians should know.

So we felt if we did one thing out of this and introduced this hymn to people, or even this part of the Heidelberg catechism to people, then that was worthwhile doing. 

The second thing was, we decided to use this year to look at the great prayers and liturgies of the church, of which this is one of the finest. 

As a Christian, all of us really in one sense, our simple role in life is to stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, to humbly learn from them and carry the baton along, long enough to pass it to the next generation.

I think if every worship leader and pastor and parent in America had a greater respect and just knowledge of the historic liturgies, the historic catechisms, the historic prayers, I think all of us would have a richer devotional life, all of us would have a richer worship life in our church. And so that’s the second thing.

And then the third thing, as you rightly point out, between the COVID scare, to Putin, and all these things, life and death never leave us; they’re with all of us. But there is an immediacy to some of these challenges of the minute that, perhaps, even five years ago was not immediate.

We as a culture prefer not to talk about death or what happens after. It’s not cool; it doesn't get media advertising, and certainly it’s not going to win votes for politicians. And sadly, many of our churches have copied that. They’ve taken death and God’s judgment out of their preaching.

I think if there’s one thing this does is make all of us think about that a little bit more, then that’s a good thing. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” is the song of God’s people. It’s the song of eternity. It should be the center of our songs.

The reason is because primarily it’s not about self-actualization or making ourselves get a quiver in our liver, but it’s actually about life and death and eternity and the things that are actually important.

Dannah: Well, the Sing! conference takes place next weekend at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. And even if you can’t be there in person, you can get tickets to participate online. And, Bob, all the information is at the link you’ll find in the transcript of this program at ReviveOurHearts.com.

Bob: It’s always a great event, it’s something I look forward to every year. I meet people throughout the year who have been to Sing! and who tell us just what a rich experience it is! And of course, you [Keith] and Kristyn are going to be joining us at the True Woman ’22 event which is coming up a few weeks after that in Indianapolis, and you’ll be leading worship throughout that event as well.

Keith: Well, you know it’s a funny thing to be able to do that, because Nancy called before she started that movement and said, “Will you be the worship leader?” 

I said, “Well, I think if my wife leads it primarily, it could work.”

I said, “I feel a bit nervous just because I’m a guy’s guy. I like sport.I don’t like things surrounded by women. And of course, since True Woman started, I’ve ended up with four daughters. So, you know what, they’re all going to be there surrounding me at every moment they could possibly be. 

Dannah: Of course, you’ll find information about True Woman ’22 at the link in the transcript of this program, as well as at ReviveOurHearts.com. True Woman ’22 is the international conference for women that we’re holding in Indianapolis on September 22–24.

While you’re visiting our website, remember, for a donation of any amount, we’ll send you a pack of cards that have this first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism printed on them. You can spread them around your home, around the workplace, to remind you of the truth that, “I am not my own but belong body and soul to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”

When you make your donation you’ll be able to indicate your desire to receive these beautifully designed cards. Again, it’s ReviveOurHearts.com, or call us with your donation at 1-800-569-5959 and ask about those catechism cards.

On Monday, we’ll hear the touching story of a woman who has been supported in her time of grief by the comfort of Christ in life and in the death of her husband. I hope you’ll join us for that here on Revive Our Hearts.

Now, in its entirety, here’s the beautiful Evensong edition of “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.” It’s composed by Matt Merker, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Keith Getty, and sung by Kristyn Getty.

Song: 

What is our hope in life and death?
Christ alone, Christ alone.

What is our only confidence?
That our souls to Him belong.
Who holds our days within His hand?

What comes, apart from His command?
And what will keep us ’til the end?
The love of Christ, in which we stand.

O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.
Where is His grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer's blood.
Who holds our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh
Unto the shore, the rock of Christ?

O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

Unto the grave, what shall we sing?
Christ, He lives; Christ, He lives!

And what reward will heaven bring?
Everlasting life with Him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord,

Then sin and death will be destroyed,
And we will feast in endless joy
When Christ is ours forevermore.

O sing hallelujah! Our hope springs eternal.
O sing hallelujah! Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.³

Revive Our Hearts with Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is calling you to the freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness found in the comfort of Christ alone! 

¹ “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” The Wonder Kids, 100 Hymns and Praise Songs, ℗ 2009 Wonder Workshop.

² Keith and Kristyn Getty,  Matt Papa, "Christ Our Hope in Life and Death," Single ℗ 2020 Getty Music Label, LLC.

3 Keith and Kristyn Getty, "Christ Our Hope in Life And Death," Evensong (Deluxe / An Evening At Hidden Trace Farm), ℗ 2021 Getty Music Label, LLC.

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