About the Song

This song is a part of the “Praise to the Lord” cantata, so in describing the intent of the song I probably can’t do better than to simply quote the narration that precedes it in the program:

Through the long centuries before Christ, the faithful offered animal sacrifices, ordained by God to point their minds and hearts to His great and last sacrifice for their sakes. They brought the best of their flocks, unblemished and perfect, as a symbol of the purity of Jesus himself.

This was the law that Abraham knew, when God commanded him to offer up as a sacrifice not sheep or doves, but his own son, Isaac, whom he loved. We can only imagine Abraham’s pain as they set out together and Isaac asked, “My father… where is the Lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a Lamb .”

Faithful Abraham took his broken heart and his obedient son, and went into the land of Moriah, to do as the Lord commanded. But the Lord accepted the intent of their hearts, and stayed Abraham’s hand, providing a sacrifice for them in place of Isaac.

When I come to my Heavenly Father today, seeking forgiveness and healing, He asks me to offer not sheep or doves, but a broken heart and a repentant spirit. As He did for Abraham and Isaac, He provides a Lamb in my stead, as a sacrifice for my sins–His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

The full score provided for the solo voice shows how it all fits together and where the entrances are relative to each other. You may want to conduct the SATB from this score.

The accompaniment for the scores marked  “use without optional instruments” includes some of the melodic lines that are given to the instruments in the other versions.