I'm told Horatio Nelson wrote it.(1)  I don't know who "tuned" it.  But what I'd like to let you know is that on the 20th of April 2006, 29 children of WELS Missionary families sang it.  

Mind you, not just 29 children, but 29 saints.  Each child cleansed by the blood of Christ.  Each one a child of God through Water and the Word.  Each one restored, redeemed and forgiven.  A saint still striving to bless the holy name of Jesus.  Yes, each child a saint with a song. 

Isn't that what Nelson intended? Isn't that what hymn #552 is about?  It's a song of the saints.  Twenty-seven verses of praise to God by saints for saints.  Twenty-seven verses of glory, not to the holy ones but to The Holy One, our Lord Jesus Christ.   Did our children sing all twenty-seven verses?  Has anyone ever sung all twenty-seven verses?

Our children sang four.(2)  Though a far cry from twenty-seven, how many does one have to sing to give glory to the holy name of Jesus?  That's what they were striving to do.  Come to think of it, that's what all of us were striving to do at our 2006 Easter Retreat on the shores of Lake Malawi.

Almost every WELS mission family in both Zambia and Malawi was able to gather together at a lakeside resort for 3 days.  I can't say enough for the fellowship we enjoyed, the Word we heard and the songs we sang. 

Speaking of songs, why was #552 in Christian Worship the Sunday School song of choice for children who never heard the tune before?  Because verses 1,4,13 and 3 very fittlingly convey the theme upon which we focused in devotion, Bible Study, worship and fellowship:  Just Like Peter.

What an appropriate theme it was!  We couldn't help but walk away from our time in the Word saying, "Yep, I'm just like Peter!"  If you haven't thought about it at all, take a few minutes do so now.  Are we sometimes too quick to speak?   Too arrogant to hold our tongue?  Too brash, boisterous, brazen and beligerant?   Don't we, too, have our moments of doubt? 

Just like Peter?  Now that you've thought about it....are we too much like Peter?  Ever draw a sword you regretted?  Ever made a promise you didn't keep?  Ever denied the very One you claimed to love and boasted you would never forsake?  

Perhaps too much like Peter.  Inch close enough to warm ourselves by the courtyard fire but stay distant enough to keep unnoticed. At least hoping so.  Don't say too much or they'll know I'm from Galilee, or at least from the Lutheran Church down the road.  And so we opt to say little or nothing at all about the One we love; or better said, the One who loves us.  Just like Peter.  In attitude, in character, in sin and in song.

In...... song?

What song?  Did Peter sing a song?  Did Peter even write one?  Did he even have reason to sing?

Though I can't point to a stanza of words set to music, I can point to two letters (3) and four gospels (4) and a book of Apostle's Acts that all crescendo in a litany of praise to our Lord Jesus Christ!   And if you bend your ear to the pages of Holy Scripture, you'll hear someone singing.  You guessed it, Peter.

Oh, yes, Peter sang a song because he was given a song to sing!  A song of forgiveness to the tune of salvation with a melody of love! 

Pulled from dangerous waters.

Reinstated as a disciple.

Empowered to preach sermons, share messages and sing songs!

Just like Peter?  You?  Me?  The 29 children in the picture?

Sorry, let me punctuate that last line a little differently this time.  (I hope you catch the difference).

Just like Peter!  You!  Me!  The 29 children in the picture!

Restored!

Redeemed!

Forgiven!

Just like Peter, we've been given a group of people with whom to stand and with whom to sing!  Just like Peter, we've been given a song.

Only 23 verses to go!