The version of
the biblical translation which it is based on is unknown - the latter may be
a composite of several translations.
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, O Lord,
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord in all your goodness.
In your great compassion, wipe my sins.
Wash me from my guilt and cleanse me from my sins
And renew a right spirit within me.
Open my lips, and I proclaim your praise.
My humble heart I offer up to you.
May the sacrifice I give be pleasing in your eyes
And renew a right spirit within me.
The composer is also unknown.
Visitors to this website suggest that it was composed by Keith Green, or adapted by him from a Lutheran liturgical setting. However no published versions have been located, although it has been
used in places in New Zealand since the 1980s, at least.
Downloads
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Examples
Music group and congregation with piano - live in a church service:
Singer with band:
Singer with backing track, words on-screen:
Worship band, professional recording:
Singer with band, professional recording:
Lyrics
Chorus:Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, O Lord
And renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, O Lord,
And take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of your salvation,
And renew a right spirit within me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord in all your goodness.
In your great compassion, wipe my sins.
Wash me from my guilt and cleanse me from my sins
And renew a right spirit within me.
Open my lips, and I proclaim your praise.
My humble heart I offer up to you.
May the sacrifice I give be pleasing in your eyes
And renew a right spirit within me.
The composer is Keith Green
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I know that Keith performed this and made it popular, but haven't been able to find any definitive evidence about who actually composed it. Do yo know if it was published anywhere?
DeleteKeith Green is credited as composer in the booklet of his CD "Jesus Commands Us To Go". I have never seen sheet music for this song... until now.
ReplyDeleteThe 5th bar timing ("and renew a right spirit...") is incorrect - the bar should start with a quaver rest. Same in the 12th bar. Thanks for posting a helpful starting point online.
Thanks, I'll review the sheet music. It's possible that there are slightly different versions of the tune in use: I learned it in New Zealand in the 1980s, where it was a far as you can imagine from being an American gospel-style hymn.
DeleteI want to translate this song and make some modification that having verses and chorus. I don't know who to reach or take permission. Can you show me the way.🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteThis chorus written by Keith Green has many similarities to the musical version of the liturgy of the Lutheran Church as found in the green hymnal put out by the LCA in the early 70’s. Keith Green, as a young Christian, was discipled in a West Lós Angeles Bible Study group led by a Minnesota Lutheran, although it was not a Lutheran group per say. Other high profile Christian musicians were part of this group - later Bob Dylan attended this same group. I wouldn’t be surprised if Keith heard the Lutheran liturgy version and then did his own version.
ReplyDeleteThank you, that is interesting. There is a lot of Christian music which has been created in this way, it makes copyright claims "interesting" in some cases.
DeleteI was surprised to see this info listed recently in a hymn book '"self-published" by a church for its own use during services....
ReplyDelete"Create in Me a Clean Heart"
Words and music by Brown Bannister.
© 1982 Bases Loaded Music.
(Admin. by BMG Music Publishing)
I was a bit dubious of that, because I do recall Brown Bannister's name, but I *THINK* it was in relation to albums (or some songs on albums) by Amy Grant, and maybe Michael W. Smith... Perhaps a song or two of Rich Mullins'....
But admittedly, it has been soooo many years since I was a teenager poring over the inserts of new cassette boxes, to read the lyrics and the credits of each "CCM" artist's album I acquired....
I haven't found snything definitive online today while searching.
It is very disappointing when churches fail to properly acknowledge authorship of a song. It really is the least they can do when it it unlikely that they are paying royalties, and the information is easily accessible!
ReplyDeleteSongwriters: Green Keith Gordon
Create in Me a Clean Heart lyrics © For The Shepherd Music
Here's Brown Bannister's 1981 "Talk To One Another" album version, which says "Music by Brown Bannister":
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xl2Jto4coA
The 1986 reissue includes vocals from Amy Grant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl4ble8bonI
The version Keith sings appears as #22 in a 1983 Maranatha Praise Chorus Book as "Author Unknown": https://archive.org/details/praisechorusbook0000unse_j4h7/page/n37/mode/2up
Keith's 1984 "Jesus Commands Us To Go!" album says "Arrangement by Keith Green".