No Greater Joy
No Greater Joy
"No greater joy addresses the perspective of God around our shame. God leads us out of that shame by sacrificial love and empowers us to do the same for our brothers and sisters.” (Brandon Hampton)
NO GREATER JOY
Written by Brandon Hampton (ASCAP)
© 2018 Common Hymnal Publishing (ASCAP), With Primary Colors (ASCAP) (admin by IntegratedRights.com). CCLI 7130040.
VERSE 1
B C#m G#m F#/E E B/D#
In the light of your countenance
C#m G#m E B/D# F#
All my sin and shame is driven away
Both soul and frame, you have ransomed
For your glory, that we bare your name
I am clean, he sings it over me
For his banner over us is his banner of love
CHORUS
C#m G#m E
For there is no greater joy than to love you with all I am
C#m G#m E
No greater love has this than to lay down my life
VERSE 2
Let your dreams come alive in me
Let them carry us to reality
And I've said yes to every calling
Let this be the day of awakening
BRIDGE
C#m G#m E
I wanna know that kind of love
C#m G#m E
Come remove anything that keeps us from it
More Songs Written By Brandon Hampton
I was in Southern California when I first got the melody for the chorus, I remember walking outside with a guitar strapped around my back. At that time I had a sense of wonder and It felt like there was no ceiling creatively. But, something stirred in me as well… that there is no resurrection without death. No matter how good life seems, no love is greater then the love that suffers for the sake of our brother and sister. ‘if they’ve persecuted me they will persecute you..” and “..no servant is greater than their master..” “..but I am one who comes to serve”
So the chorus came to me “..There is no greater joy..”
The verses first deal with the idea of shame, that shame ultimately keeps us from engaging with God. The second verse deals with the idea that shame has kept us from pursuing what is in us to do. There is a line that talks about awakening, But it’s not dealing with us gaining influence or becoming more popular in the pursuit of reformation, but rather becoming aware of the burdens that God carries for his people, especially the oppressed and marginalized. For a while I wrestled with the juxtaposition of these song verses that are typically interpreted as self empowerment and influence, and how it actually is intended to point into the seemingly opposite idea: death to self.
But what we are given by God is ultimately meant for giving out and not keeping it for our selfs. Salvation became sacrifice, and sacrifice became death, and death became new life and life eternally. There is no resurrection without death!