Dawning Splendor
The new song Dawning Splendor was inspired by Titus 2:11-13, which encourages us to live fully in the present by God’s marvelous grace, while waiting and hoping to more fully experience God’s glory in the future.
The introductory theme features an oboe solo playing over rich strings and choir, and is reminiscent of a beautiful sunrise or the peace and calm that follows a storm. A possible life application is how we may experience this same peace and calm after we have overcome one of life’s challenges or “battles.” Several Bible verses encourage faith and peace when facing difficult situations. The primary one is, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” found in Exodus 14:14 (NIV). God’s amazing promise to go before us in fighting our battles is a huge blessing available to everyone who has put their faith in Jesus.
The piano plays the opening verse as the notes “sing” the words “we wait, our hope, we wait, our hope” followed by “in the dawning splendor, in the dawning splendor.” The verse concludes by repeating the “we wait, our hope” melody, which envelops the dawning splendor, surrounding it with faith in the waiting and hoping. A bigger chorus main theme answers the verse, responding with notes inspired by the Greek meaning of dawning splendor — “the blessed hope and glorious appearing” and “a brightness shining all around.” Christ’s beautiful appearing as baby brought the wonderful hope of salvation to all the world.
The second half of the song presents the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One once again, with new variations of the verse and chorus. French horn, boy choir, and cello parts are interwoven, and the oboe gradually returns to send the song off gently into the sunset, to an eternity without end, filled with the splendor of God’s glory.
How does Dawning Splendor speak to you?
Titus 2:11-13
God’s marvelous grace has manifested in person, bringing salvation for everyone. This same grace teaches how to live each day as we turn our backs on ungodliness and indulgent lifestyles, and it equips us to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present age. For we continue to wait for the fulfillment of our hope in the dawning splendor of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus, the Anointed One. (The Passion Translation)
*Dawning splendor means “the blessed hope and glorious appearing.” The Greek word is epiphaneia (epiphany) and is a nominalized verb that means “a brightness shining all around.” It was through epiphaneia, the beautiful appearing of Christ as a baby, that a wonderful hope was brought to all the world.