Music

Lord of Hosts

Downloadable Chord Charts

Song Story

This song is a unique song because it was one that I felt the Lord ask me to write. He spoke to me and said, "I want you to write a song about the Lord of Hosts, because there aren't any." As I thought about this, I realized that I could not think of one song that was focused on our God as the Lord of Hosts. In fact, I couldn't even think of a song that used those words. But in the Bible, this is one of the main names for God. It is a very specific name that reminds us that God is the commander of all the armies of heaven and earth.

As I pondered how I might write the song, I felt like the Lord gave me a progression of chords to be used in the song. When I wrote them down, I thought, "These will never work!" But I wrote the words to the song, and the chords worked perfectly. (God knows what He's talking about.) Here are a few of the Scripture references that I used in writing the song:

"The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it....Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah" (Psalm 24:1, 7-10, NASB).

"I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.' At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke" (Isaiah 6:1-4, NIV).

"Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul" (Psalm 103:20-22).

Lyrics

Lord of Hosts
Words and music by John Gabriel Arends

Lord of Hosts, we invite You
King of glory, enter in
All creation bows before You
Angels, they obey Your word

Who is this King of glory
That rulers bow before?
The Captain of the armies
He is the Lord of Hosts!

Day and night they never stop singing
“Holy is the Lord!”

The door posts shake and tremble
As the sounds of worship rise
Can you feel Him coming closer?
He has come to claim His bride!

Day and night we'll never stop giving
Glory to the Lord!