As we take this cinematic journey through Psalms together, I encourage you to listen to the album and each song on your favorite music streaming service first, for pure enjoyment and also to see how God may speak to you through the music. If you want to go deeper Psalm 90 is down below. You can also read and reflect on the spiritual and musical inspirations behind each song while you listen or in silence as a quiet devotional. Wishing you God’s grace and peace, Stanton
The final track had to be epic. Once Upon a Time is another way of saying from “Everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2, NIV). The introduction with solo trumpet, alto choir and orchestra strings beckons us to set our hearts on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). God’s Eternal Beauty is so lavish and immeasurable the closing track features full orchestra, brass, strings, choirs, and huge percussion with multiple big drums.
This composition is thematic, meaning the music is expressing the emotions of Psalm 90 with its melodies, instead of the music being lyrical and actually singing words like on some of the earlier tracks. Following the introduction, the first theme symbolizes our life on earth, trusting God’s strength and guidance even though we are weak and prone to wander. The answering theme conveys God’s provision and leading with the plans and purposes for us that He has known since before we born, and which He carries out as we depend on Him (Jeremiah 1:5 and 29:11). These themes get bigger and bigger as the song progresses, along with growing percussion layers symbolizing God’s heartbeat and rhythms He sets before us to keep in step. The song ends slowly with less instruments as the volume fades, with the drums fading and slowing into a heartbeat like rhythm. God’s heartbeat and ours can beat as one until our last breath. The trumpet of heaven from the introduction appears again at the end representing God’s omnipresence and omnipotence. He is everywhere at the same time—we constantly encounter Him if we take notice—and His power is absolute, unlimited, and supreme.
The vast instrumentation is rich with symbolism. The vibraphone joining the piano represents an element of fantasy once again, similar to its use in Marvelous Love. Each of us is living out a real life “once upon a time” story here on earth. God’s Word promises eternal life through faith in Jesus, which transports our story into eternity with God forever and ever. The French horn, alto choir and trumpet pronounce God’s presence forever and always. The symphony strings—violins, violas, celli, and basses—with featured violin and cello, illustrate how our life on earth is interwoven with God’s heart for us. As we live by faith, our delights and desires can align with His delights and desires for us (Psalm 37:4). The big drums—bass, toms, and timpani—are a more literal demonstration of God’s bigness, power, and rhythm through His Divine providence (His protective and spiritual care for us).
These thoughts and inspirations barely scratch the surface of the immensity, significance, and magnitude of God’s Once Upon a Time. God, Yahweh, tells Moses His name is, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14), and Jesus uses the same phrase in John 8:58 when He says, “before Abraham was born, I am!” He is from everlasting to everlasting.
If you have made it this far on the journey with me reading these twelve song stories, I hope you have a greater realization and appreciation that God is for you and with you always. He sees you, knows you, loves you, and forgives you fully through Christ and the Holy Spirit. He has faithfully demonstrated to me that He and His Word are absolutely true as I continue to encounter His presence and surrender to His pursuit of me. God keeps chasing me in spite of my fears (Isaiah 41;10), anxious thoughts (Philippians 4:6-8), and imperfections (2 Corinthians 12:9)—“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In closing, I would love to pray Numbers 6:24-26 over your life and faith story: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” In Jesus’ name, Amen.
How does Once Upon a Time speak to you?
Psalm 90 (MSG)—ONCE UPON A TIME
1-2 God, it seems you’ve been our home forever; long before the mountains were born, Long before you brought earth itself to birth, from once upon a time to kingdom come—you are God.
3-11 So don’t return us to mud, saying, “Back to where you came from!” Patience! You’ve got all the time in the world—whether a thousand years or a day, it’s all the same to you. Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass that springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought? Your anger is far and away too much for us; we’re at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we’re ever going to get? We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), and what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard. Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you?
12-17 Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?—and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Make up for the bad times with some good times; we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime. Let your servants see what you’re best at—the ways you rule and bless your children. And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!
