O Worship the King: Hymns of Assurance and Praise to Encourage Your Heart [With CD]

This wonderful package is two products in one - a wonderful book, and a great CD! In the book, three great authors look at twelve classic hymns of the faith, telling about the scripture behind the hymns and the history that accompanied them. The three authors are the beloved Joni Eareckson Tada, the respected Dr. John MacArthur, and talented Bobbie Wolgemuth. Overall, I found this to be a great book and CD. I loved listening to the wonderfully moving hymns, and I loved reading about them. I think that this is a great resource, one that is sure to be treasured by any Christian. I give it my highest recommendations!

When I first became a Christian about 8 years ago, I somehow got the idea that praise and worship music was the truly "spiritual music" - hymns were old-fashioned, and people who enjoyed them did so because they were hide-bound by tradition. If you're thinking this now, please listen to me.A year or so ago I heard about well-known and respected Christians like John MacArthur and Joni Eareckson Tada talk about how the old hymns were so meaningful to them and really strengthened their faith. That got me thinking: so it's not just stodgy old 80-year olds who love those old hymns. Maybe there's something to them after all.So I got this book. And I have been so blessed by it. God has shown me that true worship is so much more than just a feeling. He wants all parts of me - my body, my soul, and my spirit - to be involved in worship. So many in churches today are satisfied with getting only their spirits involved; some want their body involved too (lifting hands, etc.); but the truly mature (I am coming to believe) also get their souls (or minds) involved. Your mind doesn't get involved when you just repeat "Isn't He" fifty times; it does when you sing (and really think about) the wonderful words to songs like "O, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus" or "I Know Whom I Have Believed."These two songs and eight others are covered in this book. The four authors together make a very effective team, and generally write passages that use their own strong points. MacArthur (always the theologian) writes excellent Biblical exegeses behind the hymns. Joni writes messages full of feeling, often bringing in how she has felt as a quadroplegic and how God has taken her through the rough parts by showing her more and more of His grace. Robert Wolgemuth generally writes the histories, book publisher that he is. Finally, his wife Bobbie writes heartfelt reflections around the historical features and treats musical aspects from her point of view as a professional singer.So, get it, sing the songs, think about what Christ has done for you, think about the circumstances of their writing. And take your worship to another level.

I was driving to the airport at 4:30am in a heavy rain storm. I didn't see the flatbed truck when I enterred the freeway. He skidded and jacknifed and I saw the back-right corner of his truck coming straight for my side window. My whole life did NOT flash before me but I thought about the police notifying my wife of my death and about all that would follow. The tons of metal and steel stopped just short of my window but close enough to hit my rearview mirror.As I calmed down, or tried to calm down, I turned on the radio. Rather than the usual popular music, the station was playing religious music in the wee hours. The most beautiful sound I've ever heard came through the speakers. It was just a lone woman's voice singing without accompanyment. I was ready to go straight to the radio station to determine what it was but the announcer saved me a trip. It was Bobbie Wolgemuth singing "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" from the "O Worship the King" disk of hymns. Most of us grew up learning this tune as "Because All Men Are Brothers" by Peter, Paul & Mary. I believe it originally came from "Saint Matthew's Passion," an 18th Century choral work.Ms. Wolgemuth's song stilled my beating heart and gave me a sense of peace I've never experienced. I am not a religious man but the beauty of this music convinced me that there must be a living God somewhere.

This book and accompanying CD of 12 hymns is awesome. I truly feel in the presence of the Lord when listening to the worship songs and I am enjoying the background information surrounding each hymn. These original hymns date back to the 1800's. I enjoy contemporary worship songs, but am now a fan of original hymns from the early days. I am going to purchase several copies of this book as Christmas gifts this year!

Many of us have sung popular hymns like O Worship the King and A Mighty Fortress is Our God, but few know the stories behind them. Now popular authors like Joni Eareckson Tada, John MacArthur and Robert and Bobbie Wolgemuth bring to us a beautifully bound book along with CD full of hymns. While you read the book, listen to the music. You'll be shocked to discover that many of the hymns were born out of persecution, fear, betrayal and sorrow.