We’re delighted to be releasing a new studio version of Liz Baddaley’s song Come Prince of Peace – produced by the very gifted Tim Deal. This song is used regularly in times of intercession at the Sanctuary and revisiting it in the studio as the first one to be re-worked for our planned album release later this year has been poignantly appropriate with both the current backdrop of headlines and the approach of Advent.
You will find the audio, chord sheet, sheet music and story behind the song all available to download for free from our songs page. Here, Liz tells us a bit more about how this song first came to be written:
‘This song was originally written spontaneously during a time of intercessory worship for world peace, particularly focused on the Middle East, parts of Asia, the UK and the US.
‘On 2 May 2011, I opened igoogle and was astonished to see the newsfeed from the BBC reporting the death of Osama bin Laden, following a raid in Pakistan. I didn’t know how to feel, particularly when I learnt that his 12-year-old daughter witnessed the shooting, and when I read the rhetoric of UK and US leaders expressing how welcome this news would be for people in their countries.
‘How are we supposed to respond in situations like this? We cannot, as Christians, ‘welcome’ the violent death of anyone – death is the enemy of love whoever it comes to. There is of course a time for justice, but mercy should always triumph – and we should be more than careful in judging others – for judgment is God’s.
‘And what happens when people get caught in cycles of violence and hatred that looks to have no end?
‘Around ten days earlier we had posted a blog article on praying for oppressors during Holy week – and so our minds were full of this alongside Jesus’ teaching of costly grace – loving enemies, blessing persecutors and acting as peacemakers.
‘All we could think of in the confused mess of international mixed motives, death, rumour and fear was peace – the God of peace who promises to bring peace when we allow him to transform our hearts and minds.
‘And so, in a time of worship, this song came to life out of the background thoughts – a heartfelt prayer for peace.
‘It’s easy to see what is outward-focused about this song. Its is intercessory, international and cries out for a radical change of heart that we desperately need God’s help to achieve. But, it is also deeply personal – it is about recognising that every time something happens on the world stage, we have a choice in who we will serve – ourselves, our prejudices and our agendas, our desire for payback – or the Prince of Peace.
‘As we prepare to enter this advent, with our headlines full of the conflicts – many of them featuring extremist militant groups such as IS and Boko Haram – owning its message in heartfelt worship is even more challenging than ever.’