Music for the Christian Warrior
Original music by James A. Hronchek & Chandra L. Hronchek
Album: You Are My Friend
Song Title: O Magnify
©1993 James A. Hronchek & Chandra L. Hronchek
CCLI Address: 1934081
Album Back-Story
You Are My Friend is a collection of songs in which we explored relationships – from the relationship with God to the relationship with your spouse, and from the relationship with your mother to the relationship with someone you might not even know.
We were young at the time – young in ministry, and with a young family. We especially wanted to explore friendships. This album was actually written with our friends in mind. It was never offered for sale, but we made a limited number of copies and gifted them to our friends to help let them know how special we thought they were.
This was the first album that we recorded in our own studio. The music was written and arranged, and all of the instrumental and vocal parts were done by Jim and myself. Jim was also the studio engineer and used a small eight-track recorder.
This was also the first time that we used the donkey image as a visual representation of Music for the Christian Warrior. Why a donkey? In the book of Numbers, chapter 22, God reprimands Balaam by allowing a donkey to speak to him prophetically because he ignored the warning of the prophet that God sent. We simply wanted to remind ourselves that, while God prefers to use His people, He can use any method He desires to get His message across. This was our semi-humorous way of constantly reminding ourselves that HE is the Creator and we are the created.
O Magnify
Jim wrote this beautiful, intricate music, but with no lyrics to go with it. I wanted to include it on the album and asked if I could try writing some lyrics for it. Easy? No, not really, but I was hoping for it to be a summation of the whole album. So, it turned out to be a song of worship, O Magnify.
LYRICS
Verse 1
Blessed are the pure in heart
for they shall see their God
And blessed are the meek
for they shall reap their reward
The blessings of the Lord
are manifested every day
For those who love the Lord
and choose to walk in his ways
Chorus
O magnify, glorify His name
O magnify, glorify His name
O magnify His name forevermore
Verse 2
On your behalf the Son of God
was sent into the world
So you could feel and know within
your Father’s love
He gave himself to be your friend,
He came to save your life
Receive His love and be His friend forever
Chorus
Magnify the One who gave His life
O magnify be a living sacrifice
O magnify His name forevermore
Chorus
O magnify worship at His throne
O magnify, give praise to Him alone
O magnify His name forevermore
Ending
Magnify the mighty King of kings
O magnify, lift up your voice and sing
O magnify, exalt the Prince of Peace
O magnify his love will never cease
O magnify glorify His name
O magnify glorify His name
O magnify glorify His name