Covenant Presbyterian Church choir this morning sang a beautiful rendition of the Majesty and Glory of Your Name, an outstanding religious anthem based on Psalm 8.
The choir is led by Stephen and Carolyn Sachs, who were long time affiliated with Belhaven University's music program.
The Northside is blessed to have hundreds of outstanding choirs led by thousands of individuals who dedicate their time and effort to spiritually uplift others. The Covenant choir is such a gift.
Covenant Presbyterian Church is located on the east side of Ridgewood Road just north of Lakeland Drive.
Here's an Gemini AI summary about anthem.
The anthem "The Majesty and Glory of Your Name" is widely considered one of the most significant and frequently performed choral works in modern church music. Since its publication in 1979, it has consistently topped surveys of favorite anthems among music ministers.
Here is the history behind its creation:
1. The Collaborative Spark (1978)
The anthem was a collaboration between composer Tom Fettke and lyricist Linda Lee Johnson. At the time, Fettke was the Minister of Music at a church where Johnson was a member of the choir.
Fettke had long wanted to set Psalm 8 to music, but he struggled to find a "singable" version of the text that captured the balance between God’s celestial power and His intimate care for humanity. Recognizing Johnson’s talent through a Sunday School program she had developed, Fettke challenged her to adapt the Psalm into lyrics.
2. A "Late Night" Composition
Despite her initial hesitation and lack of professional experience as a lyricist, Johnson delivered a text that Fettke found nearly perfect. However, Fettke himself hit a "composer’s block" while trying to write the music.
The breakthrough came late one night in 1978 at a music store where Fettke worked. Sitting at a 9-foot Baldwin grand piano, the melody and arrangement finally clicked. Fettke later described the experience as deeply spiritual, stating that he felt like a "tool in the hands of God" and that the music was "given" to him in that moment.
3. Musical Influence
Fettke has noted that he drew some stylistic inspiration from the contemporary piece "Moses" by Ken Medema. This influence helped him create the song’s signature dynamic shifts—moving from the hushed, awe-filled contemplation of the night sky to the "bold and majestic" crescendos of the Alleluia section.
4. Legacy and Impact
- Initial Release: The anthem was officially released on September 15, 1979, by Word Music.
- Popularity: For decades, it has been the only anthem to appear every single year at the top of The Church Music Report’s "All-time Favorite Anthems" list.
- The Message: The song is beloved for how it handles the central question of Psalm 8: "What is man that You are mindful of him?" It concludes with a powerful contrast—that while God created the vast universe, He is still praised perfectly by the voices of little children.
