Songbook

Album 23 : Abundant Grace

2008-03-31T03:15:00.001-07:00

© Dave Bish, 2003 Music: Dave Bish & Rich Clements, 2003
1. Jesus, King of all the nations! (Matt 1,5,13,28)

Jesus, King of all the nations!
We hear your word,
And by your grace,
We turn to follow you

Emmanuel, God born to be with us
Come to live and to die,
Bringing us to know God

Emmanuel, God of all authority
True teacher of the world,
Calling all to trust in him

Emmanuel, God who reigns
Who was crowned on the Cross,
To save us from our sin

Emmanuel, God with us always
As we go out into this land,
Making disciples of men

© Dave Bish, 2003
2. In Abundant Grace (John 6)

In abundant grace I come, Not because I have deserved
But in the full admission, That I’m guilty as charged
And as we share bread and wine, I see God’s glory revealed
As these symbols declare, The hope of fallen men

His death proclaimed daily, We turn our eyes to his cross
Where the judgment we’ve earned, Fell on God’s most holy one.
This is the Jesus we declare, Heaven’s most high king
Who gave his life to save us, By his death that sets us free

His message is hard to swallow, Great news my heart declines
But for his sufficient grace, That enables me to hear!
Jesus the man from heaven, Speaking the words of life
Expressing the Father’s heart, To those who love the dark

Out of darkness into light, I know Jesus reigns and rules
And his call goes out to repent, As his judgment draws ever near
So leave behind fallen things, And embrace heavens high king
Who bore God’s curse himself, The substitute who gave us life

© Dave Bish, 2003
3. Praise heaven’s true King! (Mark 11-12)

Praise heaven’s true King of grace!
Though he comes to judge
He will give life and cleanse
All who build on this cornerstone

So tarnished by sin our guilt is shown,
And no hope can be found within
Only the power of God can redeem,
By the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord

What can we do but trust by faith,
And give what’s his back to him
Our life to the service of our king,
Proclaiming Jesus Christ, our Lord

© Dave Bish, 2003
4. O, the Father heart of God (Romans 5-8)

O the Father heart of God,
His love most manifest
In the death of Jesus Christ,
Our Saviour, God most high

What joy and precious hope,
To be made pure in his sight
Assured of life undeserved,
When he judges our sin

So we press on each day,
In hardships or great pain
For nothing can separate,
From God the man in Christ

© Dave Bish, 2003
5. Served by the King (Mark)

This is what I need from him,
To be served and receive
That which I cannot gain,
The salvation of my soul

For he came to serve us all,
Purchasing our lives for God
And giving life we cannot earn,
Dying as a ransom for our sin

Now any man can come to him,
For there are none too good
And none are ever too bad,
To welcome the servant king

Praise my soul, the king of heaven
To his feet your tribute bring
For I’ve been ransomed and healed
Restored and forgiven
Who like him your praise shall sing!

I’ll be served by the king; His praises I will sing!

© Dave Bish, 01.09.03
6. This is our salvation (2 Timothy 1)

This is our salvation:
Christ Jesus crucified!
The deposit we’ve been given,
that leaves us unashamed,
The gospel of his glory,
the life we proclaim.

By the coming of Christ Jesus
We’re saved to holy life
By God’s eternal purpose
His most amazing grace

Confident in his gospel
Knowing he will never fail
We guard his glorious message
His most amazing grace

His death for us sufficient
A substitute in our place
Good works cannot save us only
His most amazing grace

© Dave Bish 13.10.03
7. You are God, come to us with life (Ezk)

Enemies of God we sold our souls to sin yet
You washed us clean of our sins stains
Your spirit in us transforming our ways
You’re our God and we’re you’re people

You are God, come to us with life
Living to be your people,
Living to be with you
In the city called: The Lord is There!

Once like a valley of dead bones you breathed
And gave us a new heart and right desires
Called us home and came to live with us
Making us the dwelling place of God

You are God, come to us with life
Living to be your people,
Living to be with you
In the city called: The Lord is There!

Once cut off from each other and from God
You called us together under one King
Lord Jesus rules over those he’s cleansed
Living forever with us your people

© Dave Bish 17.10.03
8. Have mercy on me, a sinner (propitiation)

Have mercy on me, a sinner
I place my faith in Jesus blood
My only hope and my greatest joy

You are slow to anger, abounding in love
Lord how much have we have sinned
To deserve the wrath that Christ bore
Though it was we who roused it
You presented yourself on the cross
So that we might live and not be destroyed

Have mercy on me, a sinner
I place my faith in Jesus blood
My only hope and my greatest joy

You are all powerful, creator destroyer
Lord who could hope to survive
When you bring justice to the world
Against our stubborn hearts
Only by your gracious provision
To take our punishment upon yourself

© Dave Bish, 17.02.04
9. Perfect (Romans 2-3)
Your perfect love, perfect salvation
The guilty can be rescued
By the blood of Jesus
To glorify your name

Your perfect justice, perfect wrath
Sin does not go unpunished
Justice will be done,
To glorify your name

And everyone must answer,
for the life that he has lived
If our plea rested upon us,
we’d die under your wrath
But in your mercy, Jesus
has given us his righteousness

© Dave Bish 17.10.03
10. Life for anyone (John 3 & 4)

He said, you must be born again, let me cleanse your heart,
Let me give you my Spirit, and you’ll enter my kingdom
Believe in me and you’ll never perish

He opened wide the doors of heaven
So anyone can come if they believe
He came to do to bring life for anyone

He said, you must believe in me, hear my message from heaven
Believe in my when I’m lifted up and you’ll have eternal life
Believe in me and you’ll never perish

He said, I’ll give you living water, I know who you are
I know all your sins, believe in me and you’ll live
Believe in me and you’ll never perish

He said, hear my true word, don’t worship at the mountain
Or in the city Jerusalem, believe in me to know God
Believe in me and you’ll never perish

© Dave Bish 17.03.04
11. You gave yourself to save us (Mark 15)
Rejected by the authorities
Not the kind of king they’d expect
They mocked and pitied you

Rejected by the religious
Not the kind of messiah they’d expect
They laughed at your words

Rejected by the people
Not the kind of saviour they’d expect
They called you to save yourself

But, you gave yourself to save us
The true saviour of the world
The true king of the nations
In silence you did your work

© Dave Bish, 09.09.01 [music 14.09.01]
12. Give You My Life

Asus4 G C9 D
Only you are worthy of my praises
G C9 D
Blessing me in the heavenly realms
C Em G D
For you’re the Lord, slow to anger and abounding in love
C Em D
Faithful One, your love endures forever

G D C9
And I will give you my life
D
As a living sacrifice
Em7
I lay myself down
D
At the cross of Jesus Christ
C9 Asus4
Take my life, and take me as I am

You’re rescued me from my sin
Cleansed from within
Nothing I can repay
All you have done for me
I receive your grace, I receive your love

Lavished your grace upon me
Chose me in your love
Adopted as your child
To live a life that’s worthy
For you’re my Lord, and you are my King

Album 12 This Might Be Fatal

2008-03-31T03:07:00.000-07:00

01 [ IN VISION (LIVING IN DARKNESS) 10.04.01 ]

Are you still living in darkness
Are the pictures still showing in black and white
Time to change the screens and live life in full colour
The way things were meant to be

02 [ THIS IS ME 15.04.01 ]

Tonight I lay my soul bare and I’m not sure why
No-one’s listening I just have to say these things now
No-one knows my motives pure or impure
So are you listening, are you listening, this is me
Nobody talks to a stranger these days
We take every precaution to preserve our isolation
We will not be silent this is our voice
Singing loud and clear, its loud and clear, did you hear
This morning I stand and I wait
Ever notice how nobody seems to notice at all
Ever feel like you’re just watching the world
As it happens around you, happens around you, did you see

03 [ KING OF THE WORLD 10.04.01 ]

Climbed the highest mountain to meet my favourite god
Swam the widest oceans in search of my love
Ran a thousand miles to finish this race
But I don’t have a clue how to live life at all

And who cares while I’m still flying on the crest of this endless wave
I’m king of the world where nobody knows I’m dying
There’s no-one to worry since they left long ago
Won the national lottery and I lost all the money
Preached from the pulpit to world who can’t hear
Bowed down to the people who bought my soul
But I don’t have a clue how to live life at all

04 [ APART 15.04.01 ]

All these days that we’re apart I want to know what you’re thinking
We grew up in different worlds but really are we so different you and I
You make me see things from another perspective in another light
As I sit here alone and look back over the short time that I’ve know you
I see the ways that you’ve helped me so many ways that you’ve opened my eyes
Feel the pain all these days that we’re apart when will these vacant days end
It’s the simple things I miss from the days we spent together just last year
Eating meals together in your house those lonely walks home in the moonlight
The simple things are the important ones all the little things in the day to day
Nuances and behaviours and your smile and heartfelt honesty and pain

05 [ REAP WHAT WE SOW 14.05.01 ]

We reap what we sow, It’s you who makes the seed grow
The time has come to, Plant the seeds of the kingdom of God
To preach the news, Each word with boldness send forth
We believe the news, The people will listen to the salvation of God
Open up the doors, Welcome in those who will come and hear
I long to see , The day when many will come and bow
The name of Jesus, Will be lifted up high in this land

06 [ HARMONY (SHOW ME THE WAY) 11.05.01 ]

Silent faces singing their songs
And running along and along
Nobody knows where
If only I could get inside your mind
Would my life be made easier
I wonder what you’ve been thinking
Is there anyone who thinks
In the same way I do
Shares my perspective on life
Open my eyes, open our eyes
Lead us on to glory in harmony
Open my eyes, open our eyes
Tired of fighting, show me the way

07 [ WAY OF HOLINESS 11.05.01 ]

My feet keep on walking every moment in time
Never stop just keep on moving
Not quite sure where I’m going
I know the way I want to be travelling
On the way that goes against the mainstream
The road is tough not much room for me
About time I died and let my feet move rightly
Decided some time ago to walk the way of holiness
I see eternity beckoning from straight ahead
My companions pressing on up to heaven
Walking with everything to lose and more to be gained
It’s the way of holiness that I chose to follow

Album 11: Postcards: Memories + Loneliness

2006-11-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

01 [ NATURAL SELECTION 04.01 / 28.07.01 ] (TO MORAT AND THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND )

Of all the people in all the world that I could have mets
omehow it was you to whom I was introduced back then
I wonder why, I pause to contemplate
Too much reminiscing makes a man lonely
Yet he who never reflects never learns
Better to seek the counsel of men than to sit in the dark
Better meet a man than to always be alone
He who never looks behind him never grows
He who doesn’t look ahead runs into a wall.

02 [ THERES ALWAYS MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND 28.04.01] ( TO A CHILD I KNEW A FEW YEARS AGO, ALSO KNOWN AS ME )

Spent a lifetime of hours sat on the pitch at Wembley
Praising God as my heart came alive under the clouds of June
Gave my life again in the darkest hours though i barely understood
Prepared to be a fool to a repeating soundtrack as I began to meet the king
Things were so much simpler back in the summer of ninety seven
When all my dreams were my own and were yet to be made
After the early rain of June those days the sun always seem to shine
For the first time in my life i stood in life on my own
With the taste of lilt and dairy milk in the evenings
I read of adventure tales from someone’s world with delirious melody
Cycled to my hearts content into the sunsets of my childhood
Entered into the rat race world a child amidst grown men
Those days shed my childish mind and began to think
I'd tasted independence yet was deeply dependant
Waiting for the new world to dawn in my life
Carried along into my student days how things would change

03 [ CLEAR AND DENIED 28.04.01 ] ( AS DAWN BROKE AT WARSAW AIPORT 31ST JULY ’98, TO THE OLD BELARUSSIAN FROM WARSZAWA AIRPORT SAT OPPOSITE ME WHILST I READ FOURFOURTWO MAGAZINE )

Don’t know where you came from or where you have gone
We only met for a moment in the chilled dawn of Warszawa
I never knew your name just recall your single gold tooth
You said you were from Belarus a journalist by profession
Gathering coins from foreign lands you couldn’t go to
You spoke to me as I sat in unending silence American
I remember the coin that you asked of me that I didn’t give
The as sudden as you’d appeared you soon disappeared
Felt the chill of the dawn and glanced the clock that slowly moved on

06 [ THANK YOU (MAN WHO KNEW MY NAME) ]

Strange how rumours spread
A simple gesture spawns hysteria
Memories fade and then get revived
Last night I met a man who knew my name
The tune beats on and on
On different days in different ways
Another famous night
And I met a girl who new my name
At the heart of it all is another name
A face I’ve never met
Yet many worlds fed through space
One day I’ll meet one who’s name I know

[ WE SHARED THE SAME ADDRESS BUT I’M NOT SURE THAT WE EVER MET ]
[ BE MY VALENTINE (I BOUGHT THIS FOR YOU) ]
[ WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR (QUESTION OR ANSWER) ]
[ TOO MUCH REMINISCING MAKES A MAN LONELY - IT'S NOT TIME TO WRITE MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY ]
[ POSTSCRIPT IN FAVOUR OF ANTISENTIMENTALISM (I’M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS) ]

Album 10: Bit Part Superstar

2006-11-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

1. Introspection
2. With a certain degree of inevitability
3. Jim
4. Visual Make Believe
5. Voice Speaking Softly
6. Obstinate Toy Soldiers
7. Glass ceilings
8. On Video, be
9. Hope

10 On Video, be

2006-11-22T15:37:00.001-08:00

Big brother watching from the walls within which I hide

See me sleeping when the sun is high in the clear blue sky

Capture each moment whilst burning up the evidence

And if no-one saw us leaving does that mean we’re safe

Gripped by fear of someone uncovering my daily reality

I stand guilty of being me of this I have no denial defence

This is not the way I would have designed us to be

Make a person with my faults and choose to adopt him

Still I didn’t write the script I just play my part each day

Making my choices as I throw away each heart beat

Sunday morning I walk the streets in solemn silence

Enter in the doors of my safe haven and sing for joy

Walk out from that universe and by the time I’m home

Some kind of fear prevents me from speaking my song

I live a double standard that tolerates seeing you dying

20.03.01

10 Hope

2006-11-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

When I can’t see past tomorrow

How can I think of eternity

Place my hope in the glory

When dawn seems further than my reach

Base my hope on some solid truth

In solitude read the words

Know theres a way to see

A walk that’s not in the darkness

11.03.01

10 Glass ceilings

2006-11-22T15:34:00.000-08:00

What can you see what does it mean who made your sunlight
Does our philosophy always hit a glass ceiling
Think just yesterday I broke through the perspex
Not afraid to enquire about other people’s believing

Meet me in the morning theres so much more to do
Meet me in the morning theres so much more to you

Its not just about you and I looking out of your window
But I know that I met the one who defined meanings
These moments pass but the memory remains active
Admiring the city fireworks illuminating the evening

Meet me in the morning theres so much more to do
Meet me in the morning theres so much more to you

Can’t go back to the way that it was that autumn
Where are you today as I type out these thoughts
Lying on a beach on the other side of the world
Playing games with the people on the streets

20.03.01 & 02.04.01

10 Obstinate Toy Soldiers

2006-11-22T15:33:00.000-08:00

Are we just obstinate toy soldiers resisting our true destinies
Playing the game without any choices some divine sick joke
Exercising misplaced reluctance fighting against that which we cannot move
Moving backwards and forwards like goldfish in a glass bowl
Somebody watching us and not intervening to break our fall

11.03.01

10 Voice speaking softly

2006-11-22T15:32:00.000-08:00