My Song: No Height, No Depth

As promised in my last post, here’s the song I wrote:

I made the recording just by playing on my electric keyboard and singing into my laptop microphone. I freely admit that I am NOT a vocalist, and this recording would be greatly improved with the help of Auto-Tune. Better yet, I would love to hear a true professional, such as Matt Brouwer, sing it.

I wrote the first verse and chorus back in 2008 while in China. I wanted to try my hand at writing a song, but I couldn’t think of any lyrics, so I just used some of my favorite bible verses: Psalm 139 and Romans 8. The result is a bridge between the ideas that you can’t escape God’s judgment and that nothing can separate you from God’s love.

This past August, I wrote verses 2 and 3 in an attempt to make the meaning of the song more explicit and tie it to the gospel. These lyrics are more original, though they’re still sprinkled with bible verse fragments and praise cliches. The full lyrics are at the end of this post.

The accompanying photograph is a picture I took at an old military bunker at the top of a hill at one end of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I’ll leave it up to you to interpret its relevance to the song.

On a side note, I’ve started a new blog (or rather, resurrected an old one). I want to continue blogging, but about things that are not related to the Stand with Cathy campaign. Please check it out: http://omycroft.wordpress.com/

Here are the lyrics:

No Height, No Depth

Verse 1:
You have searched me and you know me—when I sit and when I rise.
You discern my coming and going; you are familiar with my ways.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
You alone truly know my heart.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
Wherever I am, Lord, you are there.

Chorus:
No height, no depth, can separate me from your love, O Lord;
And neither life nor death can overcome the work of Christ in me.

Verse 2:
Righteous king of all creation—God of glory, Lord on high,
You are blameless, pure, and holy; saints before you prostrate lie.
Who can enter into your presence?
With you, Lord, no wicked man can dwell.
I stand before your throne of judgment,
Deserving your wrath and condemnation.
I’m desperate for hope. Lord, make a way!

Verse 3:
Now comes Christ, my intercessor. He has heard my anguished cry.
With full grace, he takes up my burdens, and with the Father’s will complies.
See him bear his cross up to Calvary.
See him beaten, stabbed, and crucified.
Into a tomb they sealed his body.
But on the third day, he rose in glory.
He conquered the grave and set me free.

No height, no depth, can separate me from your love, O Lord;
Neither life nor death can overcome the work of Christ in me.

I proclaim your victory.

About Olen Rambow

Teacher. Writer. Erstwhile applied physicist and mathematician.

View all posts by Olen Rambow →

2 Responses to My Song: No Height, No Depth

Heather Zhao says:

December 11, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Hi Cathy and Olen,

I am so glad and proud to see you guys go through that and have a new beginning now. Also, I am so sorry that I am not able to help in the past because of the very loose contact.

I am really grateful to have you guys as my friend. Cathy, I still remembered 8 years ago, you walked around with me in our college and helped me out when I am in down time. I also remembered you guys host me every single time when I dropped by Beijing. You are big part of my journey for my move to Canada with strong supports.

When I first knew Cathy’s cancer, I felt it is very unfair for such bright, nice young girl to suffer from all those treatments and not fair for a happy couple with great souls to go through this. It was unfortunate experience, but I am so proud to see you are so strong and the love in the world. Cathy’s optimistic keeps her smile and grace.

I notice that the financial problems are solved and glad to see everything works out. But please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any help. I will be pleased to try my best.

Anyways, come over to visit me if you guys are planing to travel. We can embrace the amazing Rocky mountains.

Wish you best!

Heather

- Olen says:
  
  December 11, 2011 at 4:34 pm
  
  Hi Heather,
  
  It’s great to hear from you. We hope for a chance to visit you sometime. I love the mountains, and Cathy hasn’t seen them yet.
  
  –Olen