A House of Righteousness (New Song)

Michael E. Wood

May 12-17, 2016

“The house of the righteous shall stand”   Proverbs 12:7b

There is a story behind every song and a context for its setting. This one is no different and would take much longer to divulge than I will take in this brief introduction.

Michael Burke, a friend of mine, moved with his wife from California to Missouri. He is a follower of Christ and also happens to be a singer/ songwriter, and musician who enjoys all kinds of music. Last week he posted a link to a video showing the “Animals” performing a song they became famous for originally recorded on May 18, 1964. The music to “House of the Rising Sun” is very catchy and can linger in the mind for a while. The next day while reading Proverbs chapter 12, the last portion of verse 7 caught my attention, ‘the house of the righteous shall stand.” The phrase stuck with me as I thought of the contrast between the secular song and the reality of the promise of God declared from that passage.

While driving to a discipleship appointment, thoughts on the promise mixed with the music brought enjoyment to the ride with the words coming so fast I didn’t think I would be able to remember them. My mind was so caught up in the moment that I arrived at my exit and wondered how I had gotten there. Upon arrival at my destination, the gentleman with whom I was to meet was running late, so I sat down to write what I could remember and three verses were written rather hurriedly. After our meeting I headed home still thinking of the song and new verses came while driving again and I found my self actually looking forward to having to wait through stop lights near home to write what came to mind. The third verse originally came out almost verbatim to the second verse of Amazing Grace by John Newton. While continuing to think on these things I ran some different lines by Dianna of which she liked and thus the final version was ready to post. Quite a few of our older hymns were written to secular music bringing the message of Christ to those familiar with the tune. How appropriate that we would be celebrating our 6^th anniversary with a new song Dianna helped me to finalize the day before, showing forth God’s faithfulness to use us as one for His infinite glory expressing the fact that He makes all things new in those whom He has redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

There is a house of righteousness,

It’s called the house of God.

And few there be that’s shown the way,

Thank God, I know I’m one.

My father was an absentee,

My mom did what she could.

But not until God’s Spirit came,

That I then understood.

His grace then taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved.

His Spirit turned my heart toward Christ

And caused me to believe.

For Jesus went to Calvary

And bore God’s wrath for sin

And through His blood I am made clean,

Reborn to enter in –

The new creation He decreed

Before He wrought in time,

Revealed to eyes He made to see,

Which once before were blind.

And in His presence we shall live

For all eternity

And praise Him in the house He built

That day on Calvary.