Song of the Week - You Laid Aside Your Majesty

Sting once said: “Songwriting is the hardest intellectual pursuit in my life”. I would agree with that. It takes time to craft a song and then you have no guarantee that it will work. However, writing this song back in early 1985, was a very different experience.  

CLICK ON MATT'S IMAGE TO PLAY SONG

I was at home looking after our son Sam, while Tricia was out at a church meeting. I picked up my trusty Martin guitar (which has been used for so many of our songs) and the melody literally dropped into my lap. The words followed closely. By the time Tricia had returned home, the song was finished. A couple of hours! 

I always made a point of checking out my new songs with other people. With this song, I asked Ishmael (one of the UK's best loved childrens' songwriters) to give me feedback. Together we spent time trying to find lyrics that were less cliched than the ones I had written. After an hour or so he gave up and said I should leave the song as I had written it. He could not offer any way that I could improve it. 

To this day, I do not know how the song became so popular. I was surprised when I found out that so many people around the UK were singing it. 

It sums up the heart of the Gospel in just a few lines and maybe that is the secret of it's success. 

I wish all my songs were written this easily! 

This particular version is sung by Matt Redman and taken from the album “Love Songs From Heaven”. 

 

You laid aside Your majesty 
Gave up everything for me,  
Suffered at the hands of those You had created.  
You took all my guilt and shame,  
When You died and rose again;  
Now today You reign,  
In heaven and earth exalted. 

I really want to worship You, my Lord,  
You have won my heart  
And I am Yours for ever and ever;  
I will love You.  
You are the only one who died for me,  
Gave Your life to set me free,  
So I lift my voice to You in adoration. 

Noel Richards © 1985 Thankyou Music 

CCLI Number: 78275

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