God of grace, I turn my face to you

Authors:
Themes:
Scriptures:
  • Genesis 3:8-11
  • Job 29:14
  • Psalms 132:9
  • Psalms 149:4
  • Isaiah 61:10
  • Isaiah 64:6
  • Zechariah 3:3-5
  • Romans 13:14
  • Ephesians 2:8-9
  • Ephesians 4:24
  • Colossians 2:10
  • Colossians 3:10
  • Colossians 4:12
  • 2 Timothy 3:17
  • Hebrews 4:13
  • 1 Peter 5:10
  • Revelation 16:15
  • Revelation 3:17-18
Book Number:
  • 269

God of grace, I turn my face to you,
I cannot hide;
my nakedness, my shame, my guilt,
are all before your eyes.

Strivings and all anguished dreams in rags
lie at my feet,
and only grace provides the way
for me to stand complete.

And your grace clothes me in righteousness
and your mercy covers me in love.
Your life adorns and beautifies,
I stand complete in you.

© Sovereign Lifestyle Music
Chris Bowater

The Father - His Love

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Tune

The story behind the hymn

This song was another which became known through Spring Harvest, this time arriving in 1990 when Chris Bowater’s input was at its height. It was then taken up by Let’s Praise 2 and MP; here it is the second of his 4 texts in the present book. The concept of our naked shame or useless rags being clothed by the righteousness of God is foreshadowed in the OT and (though his person and work are understood rather than named here) fulfilled in Christ. The author/composer’s tune is simply GOD OF GRACE, I TURN MY FACE.

A look at the author

Bowater, Chris

b Birmingham 1947. Waverley Grammar Sch, Birmingham and RCM, London (BMus 1968, GRSM, LRAM, ARCM, DipEd, PGCE 1969). He became a Christian through ‘Youth for Christ’ in Birmingham, 1955, and subsequently taught in Birmingham, Solihull and Lincoln, where he now lives. A member of the New Life Christian Fellowship, he describes his occupation as ‘worship leader, songwriter, teacher, author and recording artist’. This has involved extensive travel. Among other writings he has published Creative Worship and (in 6 languages incl Romanian and Korean) a Believers’ Guide to Worship. His work frequently appeared in the annual Spring Harvest collections, including some 16 contributions to the 1990 book; he has 7 items in Let’s Praise (1988) and 17 in the 1997 edn of MP. Among several recorded albums are Do something new, Lord, Better than Sacrifice and Time for Tears (2005). His family of 5 adult children includes triplets. Nos.252, 269, 299*, 305, 766.