SoD: “Valley of Vision”

Today’s “song of the day” post is a follow up to my original note on the Puritan prayer book, The Valley of Vision, and the musical CD based on it, produced by Sovereign Grace Ministries. In the comments to that earlier post, I mentioned it would be interesting to post both an original prayer and the song lyrics that were created from it, to see how a contemporary interpretation of a 400+ year old prayer looked.

First the prayer, then the song:

The Valley of Vision
Edited by Arthur G. Bennett
© 1975 The Banner of Truth Trust

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.

Valley of Vision
Words and music by Bob Kauflin
© 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn’t be my decision
It’s here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley’s where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You’re near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley’s where Your power is revealed