“Do this in remembrance of me” is the reason the Bible gives for doing communion. Tipping my cards here, that’s the same good reason to sing most of the songs on this song site. These are songs designed to help us remember Him. “He Lifted Me” is yet another song built for that purpose — to help us remember, to run through our minds again and again, that we have a wonderful Savior. The song reminds us that we were rescued from a certain, dismal future as dust joining sinking sand and are instead reborn as lively children of the Most High, ones whom Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call brothers. Songs like these might not appear on a list of “Top 40 Hits”. But songs like these can still decorate the living room of our minds with thanksgiving for what the Lord has done for us. Please give it a sing-along listen, then join me for a chat on where we came from and where we are now.

Not ashamed to call them brothers

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for God, for whom and through whom all things exist, to make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (Hebrews 2:10-11 BSB)

“Tell me about your family”.
I am always happy to talk about my brothers and my parents. I’m proud of them and thankful for them. Oh, we fussed at times, but far and away most of my memories are happy.

“Tell me about your family” — take two.
I am thrilled to talk about my family. My Heavenly Father is bringing many sons to glory. He sanctifies His sons, so His sons are sanctified. Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers. He lifted me from sinking sand and made me part of His family.

Hallelujah!

Lifted from sinking sand

“Where are you from?”
I enjoy talking about the town where I spent my early years, and places I’ve lived since those days.

“Where are you from?” — take two.
I was in the depths of sin and shame, in sinking sand, in shades of night.
But in loving kindness and mercy, Jesus came and lifted me to a higher plane, to plains of light.

Where we came from is not nearly as significant as where Jesus has brought us. When we compare where we were with where he has brought us, how can we help but to rejoice and give thanks?

How? Why?

Our song gives us a clue how and why the Lord does what He does, though our minds still cannot grasp the greatness of our Lord’s mercy and grace.

As written here, the lyrics use sixteen lines.
Fifteen lines are about what Jesus did for me and/or what he rescued me from.
One line is about what I did to receive the rescuing.

In loving kindness
Jesus came,
Jesus called and
Jesus lifted me from depths of sin and shame, sinking sand and shades of night.

My tiny part was — I believed. I took Him at His word.

Clearly, Jesus is the major player, and outscores us dramatically. He has done so much, and asks for so little.

This song reminds me in simple but powerful terms to do my utmost for His Highest — as I think about how He lifted me.

God bless you lots!
-Dale R.

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LYRICS — He Lifted Me
Song by: Chas. H. Gabriel (1905)

1 In loving kindness Jesus came
My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame
Through grace He lifted me.

Refrain:
From sinking sand He lifted me,
With tender hand He lifted me,
From shades of night to plains of light,
O praise His name, He lifted me!

2 He called me long before I heard,
Before my sinful heart was stirred,
But when I took Him at His word,
In love He lifted me.

3 Now on a higher plane I dwell,
And with my soul I know ’tis well;
Yet how or why, I cannot tell,
He should have lifted me.

Let’s stay in touch

Each time I post a new song and lesson here I send a brief, cheerful note to friends of this song site. The note gives a quick description of the song and lesson along with a link to the new song’s page. It is super-easy for you to get a note from me, too. Just click the green “Song of the Week” button below and you are almost there.

To sweeten the deal, you will also get instant access to the “Music Box” where I put all the free resources and downloads that go along with these song pages. Check it out now! Good stuff. (Side note — I still post announcements on social media, too, even though I have learned it is terribly unreliable at getting the message out and keeping us connected. Email gets that job done where social media fails. We do well to connect this way, and avoid getting throttled by social media.)

Song of the Week

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