On June 17th, 2011 Emmaus released our first CD of original songs titled, Church Songs. Each of these 8 songs was born in our congregation and for our congregation with a desire to serve other Christians and congregations around the world. You can download a free sampler at this link. Pastor Cole Brown co-wrote each of the songs and the following is the story behind one of them.
Hallelujah! What a Savior
The story behind this song is much more a story of discovery than it is a story of creation. The lyrics to all five verses were written by Philip Bliss in 1875, but I never heard them until early 2008. While on a road trip with my wife we listened to a CD that was given to us by a friend. The CD was Upward: the Bob Kauflin Hymn Project released by Sovereign Grace music. “Hallelujah! What a Savior” was the fourth of eleven songs on the CD, and while all the songs are excellent this particular song captured me. A few weeks later I heard the song again, this time it was a darker arrangement on Mars Hill Church’s Rain City Hymnal. Again the song was one among many other well-written, well-arranged hymns but, again, this particular song stuck with me in ways the others did not. The reason for this was simple: Philip Bliss gave us a simple, memorable melody filled with the profound truths of the gospel story.