Sung as our opening hymn on September 22, 2024, by the Pender Sanctuary Choir and the congregation, "Because He Lives" celebrates the hope and joy we have through Christ.
Join us in worship as we raised our voices together in this beautiful hymn of faith.
UM Hymnal editor Carlton Young says this gospel hymn “is one of the five most requested... to be included in this hymnal.” Based on John 14:19c—“because I live, you also will live”—the hymn’s theme is effectively supported by a soaring melody in the refrain.
The words were written by two of the longest-lasting performing couples of Christian contemporary music, Gloria (b. 1942) and William J. (b. 1936) Gaither. “Because He Lives” was awarded the recognition of Gospel Song of the Year for 1974 by the Gospel Music Association and the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP).
The following background was provided to Carlton Young in preparation for the Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal (1993):
“‘Because he lives’ [1971] was written in the midst of social upheaval, threats of war, and betrayals of national and personal trust. It was into this world at such a time that we were bringing our third little baby. Assassinations, drug traffic, and war monopolized the headlines. It was in the midst of this kind of uncertainty that the assurance of the Lordship of the risen Christ blew across our troubled minds like a cooling breeze in the parched desert. Holding our tiny son in our arms we were able to write:
‘How sweet to hold our newborn baby,
And feel the pride, and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance,
this child can face uncertain day because He lives.’”
Stanza two, cited above, produced some confusion in the editing process.
It was not until Carlton Young researched the hymn for the Companion following The UM Hymnal’s publication that the context of stanza two was clarified. Dr. Young notes that “It appears that the asterisk [inserted for the first use of the pronoun in line 2], related to the footnote ‘Jesus,’ should be moved to ‘he’ [in the last line of the stanza].”
Adapted from https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-because-he-lives
