In heaven, in the precious trinity,
There the stars sang out together in the young eternity.
His was beauty, His was infinite strength ,
Yet the Father, Son and Spirit set to save humanity.
The Creator, what appalling mystery.
How the Breath of Life, the Word of Truth became a human being
Found in weakness, loved his God obediently.
The Almighty, lowest servant, came to wash his people’s feet.
It’s the long way down, That the Light of light from heaven, midst the filth of men be found.
It’s the long way down, Not caring for his splendor he took, the long way down.
Rejected, even by his family,
People used, misunderstood and scorned him as a novelty.
The beat him, hating his authority,
Yelling, “Crucify this Christ, we do not want him as our king!"
It’s the long way down, His the body broken for us, his the cup for us poured out
It’s the long way down, The Most Holy died for sinners, It’s the long way down.
Through the - humiliation, in the - deepest of realms
Jesus - was raised victorious, over - sin and death and hell
Every – knee’ll bow before him, every – tongue’ll bless his name
We were raised - with him, to heav’n above
To the praise – of his enduring love.
I love him, for all he has done for me,
All forgiveness, grace and mercy, mine, and him above all things.
All his riches, that he's given vast and free,
Let me give up all for others good and make our joy complete.
It’s the long way down, To lose myself, take up my cross, for there his peace is abounds.
It’s the long way down, The treasure of salvation, It’s the long way down.
It’s the long way down, It’s Jesus Christ I follow, on the long way down.
credits
from Redeemer 2015,
released June 26, 2016
Nathan Partain, 2015
supported by 5 fans who also own “The Long Way Down”
For nearly two decades, ranging from Seattle to Indianapolis—and many places in between—Nathan has offered and honed his songwriting to and for the church. This album carries a maturity and depth only possible after years creating, playing and serving among God’s people.
Throughout these eleven tracks there’s a lushness that is, at times, so layered you forget the challenge or, in turns, deep lyrical comfort at hand. This demonstrates the alchemy Nathan has mastered: seasoned spiritual and biblical reflection offered with honey straight from the comb. For a record to accomplish this, especially in the crowded and odd world of “modern worship”, is no small thing.
If you listen to A Lovely Wait immediately after Nathan’s preceding work, one of the first things you’ll notice is how sonically restrained it is. The holy rock-n-roll swagger and vocal abandon of Jaywalker (think “Love is a Gift”) is almost entirely shelved in favor of hushed keys, heartbeat-like percussive textures and delicate melodies. Taken as a pair, these records prove music crafted in and for the church can and, indeed, should possess a dynamic emotional and musical range. Luke Morton
A gorgeous journey through a kaleidoscopic array of sonic approaches melted together that feels old and new at the same time. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 5, 2024
Introspective pop songs with transcendent melodies offer a joyful meditation on staying present in a world that often moves too fast. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 16, 2023