I bring my praise to you, my God, my Maker

Authors:
Themes:
Book Number:
  • 1111

I bring my praise to you, my God, my maker,
whose loving purpose guides me all my days:
I am astounded by the recognition
that all I am lies open to your gaze;
and you designed me to reflect your image—
for your enfolding care I bring my praise.

2 To you I turn when trouble overwhelms me
and makes your purpose harder to discern;
did you intend that I should face such anguish,
or do you watch my plight with unconcern?
Yet I have no one else I can rely on:
my God, my lifelong Hope, to you I turn.

3 Lord, it is you who made me for a reason,
a greater purpose than I ever knew,
and through it all, the good times and the bad times,
you always keep that final goal in view:
yes, from my mother’s womb, and even earlier,
one God has called my name: Lord, it is you.

BASED ON PSALMS 139:3, 13-16; 22:9-11

MARTIN LECKEBUSCH © 2010 KEVIN MAYHEW LTD
Martin Leckebusch

The Father - His Providence

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Tune

  • Lifelong Hope
    Metre:
    • 11 10 11 10 11 10
    Composer:
    • Berry, Gillian Patricia

A look at the author

Leckebusch, Martin Ernest

b Leicester 1962. King Edward VII Coll, Coalville, Leics; Oriel Coll Oxford; BA/MA (Maths) 1983; Brunel Univ Middx, MSc (Numerical Analysis) 1984. He worked for 16 yrs as a Computer Systems Programmer, followed by 5 as Support Specialist. In 2006 he was redirected to the role of Technical Design Authority for the IBM mainframe platform within Lloyds TSB. He has belonged to various CofE and Free Churches, including 6 yrs as a Methodist Local Preacher (1992–1998); currently a member of Kendal Rd Baptist Ch, Longlevens, Gloucester since 2001. His hymn-writing began in 1987; 144 hymn texts were collected in More than Words, 2000, some of which had appeared in earlier books including NewStart (1999, 6 hymns in a total of 71), Sing Glory (14 hymns), and Praise! A collection of 150 texts based on the Psalms, for singing to well-known tunes, appeared in 2006, giving a total of 275 texts by then in print. 6 of these are in Carol Praise (2006). In that year he also joined the Text Advisory Group (TAG) of Jubilate Hymns which he later chaired, and he also consults regularly with representatives of the more informal songwriters; he is active in the Hymn Soc, and lives with his family in Gloucester. In the 2005 edn of A Panorama of Christian Hymnody, which features 2 of his texts, Paul A Richardson notes their ‘conservative theology, biblical imagery and structural ingenuity’, adding that ML ‘advocates a restoration of hymnody in traditional forms to those who, like him, are in the charismatic wing of the church’. He is also keen to explore some issues often neglected by contemporary writers. By 2010, which saw the publication of a further collection Never Let the Songs End, the total number of his hymns had exceeded 400. Nos.270, 278, 285, 322, 381, 586, 604, 665, 756, 770, 771, 841, 856, 882, 892, 926, 936, 942, 1023, 1029, 1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1123, 1124, 1125, 1139, 1140, 1141, 1142, 1167, 1168, 1170, 1171, 1173, 1176, 1177, 1182, 1194, 1196, 1197, 1202, 1206, 1207, 1208, 1217, 1240, 1243.