Matthew—Revelation:
Singing Thru the New Testament, by Dr. Quentin McGhee
Please read "Background" below the links for a message from Quentin.
Playlists for Songs:
Matthew:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0FIh8hGVPpeSh_iSvonW2nM
Mark:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0EnaD7mNkazNFJEMXvYhJW6
Luke:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0E97T90bIGXUiYoZY6-ipDM
John:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0GcZFZI8na__KP3WbVJpOXY
Acts:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0HYFBavIQMlmfE_Z73onTb5
Romans:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0HMxxyCBHaAQWZFMFQEtUuQ
1 Corinthians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0GTLz6G6QC0XFgILFfnWSz9
2 Corinthians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0EiJc2DAsl_FtK9k4Ja0cv5
Galatians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0G-FnSR7thV-fsb6NZ3VKhr
Ephesians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0Hrf5a7JSb1Zz7PYEkKrhza
Philippians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0EiaYiw7RXBRzeApKTJ7hre
Colossians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0H2YdQYSpmze-_mJxU5qEA6
1 Thessalonians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0GVHcaZBIU98osU2ucyOqxV
2 Thessalonians:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0H_U6mNeQDVZ1cSrbBYI_22
1 Timothy:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0EoJC3U2dKjitSkWSYjCg4K
2 Timothy:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0Fyqp5cK03exIUEnCo1jhd4
Titus:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0H6IKibR8p52RZqJOzoalmG
Philemon:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0E7lFubXtNQBxNCCzRjeYLo
Hebrews:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0Fd7QajXrA7Zs1UvRDiDb1a
James:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0HvYzPjgbPWPa03J4Q_u2AH
1 Peter:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0FaJeEDDxnKhY8Fy3C5h2Xl
2 Peter:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0EVvNQv9GRDrUdO8QZTcvF5
Jude:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0FoFYla5J_QfBBlPyGaMV1T
1 John:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0FsEKmdpWecgvvKhdzWmXim
2 John:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0GsEo1-UTRqure5hFdpPYYJ
3 John:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0ESfSjyYQryhlR2lD32rtM
Revelation:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6LM7nC6Kb0GC7vX9pQEdQjd1dR9W2zuP
Background
In 1980, I memorized the Gospel of Matthew, thought-for-thought. Years later, it was a source of strength to me in an unanticipated way. 1987 was a stormy year. I was still grieving from the recent, sudden deaths of my parents. Amoebas robbed me of thirty pounds. Sleep refused to befriend me for nine months. I didn’t know God would allow valleys to be so deep as the one I went into. I was a missionary in a prison of confusion. And yet, that terrible year of sadness, sickness, weakness, and darkness proved to be one of the best years of my life. For in those sleepless hours, I meditated on Matthew. And in those dark days, I found that Scripture is a bedrock of security. Standing on the Scriptures we will not sink! One day, I was shuffling across the room, pondering a chapter in Matthew. An unknown melody came to me, and since I was tired of reciting Matthew, I began to sing that chapter in Matthew to the new melody. I sang the song for an hour or two and then moved on to the next chapter. To my surprise, another unknown melody was joyfully dancing deep within me. So I created another new song. So it was that at the bottom of my lowest valley, I found a spring of music. From that time on, I discovered that musical impressions came to me when I meditated on a chapter of Scripture.
There are many ways in which these songs could be improved. I have no formal musical training. Nevertheless, may this music remind us of the verse, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise" (Matthew 21:16). When someone asked John Wesley if he liked the 7000 songs his brother Charles wrote, John answered, "Some I like, some I don't." Likewise today, we all have our favorite and "unfavorite" songs. As I share these Scripture songs, I invite you to worship and meditate on God's Word with me.
Quentin R. McGhee
Overview: Singing Thru The New Testament
The Word of God is a source of such blessings as:
- Healing (Ps. 107:20),
- Wisdom (Ps. 119:97),
- Guidance (Ps. 119:105),
- Truth (Matt. 22:19),
- Faith (Rom. 10:19),
- Comfort (Rom. 15:4),
- Peace (Eph. 6:15), and
- Correction (2 Tim. 3:16).
Perhaps this is why the Apostle Paul urges us to:
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Col. 3:16 NIV).
Singing Thru the New Testament is a collection of 268 spiritual songs from Matthew 1 through Revelation 22. As you refer to this songbook and listen to the accompanying recordings, you will discover that each song
- Is professionally recorded,
- Is fully orchestrated,
- Is usually based on one chapter of the New Testament,
- Has a verse for each subdivision in the biblical chapter, and
- Has a chorus that emphasizes the chapter's theme.
Dedication
To my wife Elizabeth, on the eve of our golden wedding anniversary
The mother of Faith, Hope, and Cheryti;
A model of marital purity.
A spring of cheer and joy to me,
A river of daily integrity.
A fountain of friendship, a well of good will,
A lake of peace, composed and still;
An example of prayer and self-control,
A servant committed to do God's will.
Your colleagues admire your living style,
My love for you deepens with every mile;
Heaven nods and angels smile,
Because women like you make creation worthwhile.
Acknowledgements
Several people deserve appreciation for their help in this fifteen-year project. My godly mother, Frances Eva McGhee (1928—1985), wrote many unpublished songs. Some of her melodies formed the foundation for the songs in Matthew 8, 11, 14-17, 21-22, 25-26, 28; Luke 3, 6–8, 12–15, 17, 19, 21, 23-24; and Colossians 3. My grandmother, Bertice Tice, and my great aunt, Della Mae Sconiers, left me inheritance money that greatly helped finance the recording of these Scripture songs. My wife Elizabeth typed all of the songs. Also, she has been my greatest encourager. My eldest daughter, Cheryti, was a big help in this project. Four seventh-grade girls sang with me on the songs. These young ladies are my twin daughters Faith and Hope and their twin friends Talitha and Kareen. Also, Gabriel Omondi and some of his friends accompanied me vocally at times. Jack Odongo deserves special recognition. He did 95% of the musical arrangements, recordings, and mixes in his studio. Jack is the most talented musician I have ever met. I am also indebted to Mark Walker for creating half of the sound tracks and recordings for Revelation. Likewise, Tim Loutzenhiser played the piano for several Revelation songs.
Copyright
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Singing Thru the New Testament
©2020 Quentin R. McGhee. All rights reserved.
Read More