I originally wrote this song with a contemporary feel, but the band complained that the tune had too many triplets in it, and with another look, I realized it worked well in a more traditional setting using the tune “Bunessan” (LSB #789), best known as the tune to “Morning Has Broken.” So I offer the lyrics and both settings in multiple formats. It’s based on the creeds and works well as a credal song and possibly as a Sanctus or hymn for Christ the King Sunday (AKA The Last Sunday of the Church Year) or Trinity Sunday.

One thing to note: using Bunessan, the first 3 stanzas use the tune twice, so think of it as 8 total stanzas for the purpose of accompaniment.

I Believe the Mystery

1. One God Almighty, Maker of ages
Father of all, knit me in the dark
Spreading the cosmos, fueling the atom
Birthing the nova, watching the lark
Majesty, glory, pow’r without limit
Yet in His mercy, He calls me, “Son”
Crafted from clay Divine exhalation
Formed by the Master, Three Who are One

2. For my salvation from my rebellion
Womb of a virgin, sent forth His Son
Feet above heaven too weak to stand up
One became two so all may be one
Carried my weakness, suffered by Pilate
Nailed to a tree for us in our sin
Buried, descended, risen, ascended
Coming to claim us, merit through Him

3. Sevenfold Spirit binds us together
Sent to give life from Father and Son
Wiser than reason, greater than power
Pours out the gift that bonds us as one
Mystical Body, holy communion
Rising to life without sorrow or end
All by His grace, Divine mediation
Father yet Brother, King and yet Friend

B: Open our eyes, Lord, to those in blindness
Open our hearts, Lord, kindness to show
Open our hands, Lord, reaching in service
Open our mouths that Your world may know

C. Immortal Myst’ry, Maker of hist’ry
You have revealed to all through Your Word
Eternal gifted, penalty lifted
Freed us from bondage we’ve all incurred

©2012 Strength and Song Publishing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

I Believe the Mystery-Chord Sheet (docx: Contemporary, Chord Sheet)

I believe the mystery (pdf: Contemporary, Lead Sheet)

I Believe the Mystery (PowerPoint lyrics)

Contemporary tune:

LSBX file for Lutheran Service Builder

Here’s a credal song that I wrote that we use around here.

1

By the Word the Father spoke light into the darkness

By the Word all creatures came to be

By the Word the Father broke the land from formless waters

By the Word breathed life in you and me

2

By the Word the Son became the light into the darkness

By the Word born flesh in Bethlehem

By the Word Who’s crucified and raised to rule forever

And the Word will come to judge all men

C

He is the way, the truth and the life

Christ Jesus, God’s only Son

Lamb who was slain is the Lion forever

And in His blood we are one

3

By the Word the Spirit speaks light into our darkness

By the Word He sets the captives free

By the Word unites us in the everlasting kingdom

By the Word we live eternally

C

He is the way, the truth and the life

Christ Jesus, God’s only Son

Lamb who was slain is the Lion forever

And in His blood we are one

As You are, Lord, make us one

©2013 Strength and Song Publishing

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

 

Sheet music (PDF)

PowerPoint file for worship

LSBX File for Lutheran Service Builder