“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21
“Blessed Be Your Name” was written by songwriter Matt Redman and his wife, Beth at a really painful time in their lives. They’s had a series of a series of miscarriages and then they landed in America for a much needed break … and got there just after 9/11. Matt writes:
"On September 15, 2001, we flew into L.A. for the start of a sabbatical break in California. Four days earlier we'd watched with the rest of the world, gripped by those terrible, nation-shaking events of 9/11. Over the new few days and weeks in the U.S, as we watched the news, talked with neighbours and visited many different churches, the full effect of the terrorist attacks began to unfold before us. Brokenness was everywhere, and many people sought some kind of comfort in the church.
Our landlady, who just weeks before had relocated to Manhattan, set foot inside a church building for the first time since her childhood.
For the few weeks following those attacks, church attendance all over America went up dramatically. During this time we had the privilege of visiting many different congregations. …
As songwriters, … when it came to expressions of pain and lament, we had very little vocabulary to give voice to our heart cries... The truth is, the Church of God needs her songs of lament just as much as she needs songs of victory.
This is a song born out of the whole of life realization that we will all face seasons of pain or unease. And in these seasons we will need to find our voice before God. We need songs of lament."
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
(You give and take away)
Blessed be Your name
(You give and take away)
Blessed be the name of the Lord
(My heart will choose to say)
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
To the rising of the sun over us
To the setting of the same
Though there’s pain on the offering