The Life and Times of Gay

All about my life — the ups, the downs, the in-betweens — and making sense of it all.

Not By Might

23 April 2007 at 11:13 am · Filed under Music, Religion

I was just chatting with my friend J.B. about how I was unkind to someone in my thoughts, and how I cannot help this person anymore even though I want to because I am perceived as an enemy.

I really feel bad because I see the other one’s suffering, and no one else who is perceived to be friendly is willing or able to help.  J.B. reminded me to give it up to God, that there may be a reason why we all had to encounter each other.

Her words reminded me of this song I loved as a teenager.  It’s amazing but it is difficult to find the lyrics of this song and other songs by the same songwriter!  Thank you yiying for posting the lyrics, whoever you are!  http://yy2009.spaces.live.com/

This song is from the second album of a series of Christian plays for kids: Psalty.  The album containing this song is one of the most beautiful albums I have heard, and the songs are a pleasure to sing!

The story is about a giant talking book of Psalms named Psalty who has a group of young friends who love to sing from his pages.  In the second play (/album), the kids decided to wash his pages because they have gotten quite dirty.  Unfortunately the pages shrink (Psalty usually goes to the dry cleaner!) and he and the kids try all sorts of things to restore them to their original size.

Just when Psalty is in despair, God starts talking to Psalty, and this song comes up:

Not By Might
by ERNIE RETTINO AND DEBBY KERNER RETTINO

CHORUS
It’s not by might, nor by power,
But by my Spirit.
It’s not by might,nor by power,
Saith the Lord.
We’d like to think that we can handle
Problems on our own.
We buckle down,apply the steam,
Work our hands down to the bone.
But when we’ve gone around in circles,
And there’s no place left to turn,
The Lord reminds us quietly,
"There’s a lesson to be learned."
CHORUS
It’s not by might,nor by power,
But by my Spirit.
It’s not by might,nor by power,
Saith the Lord.
We try and try in our own strength to
Make things come out right,
We think and plan and organize,
And try with all our might.
But when we’ve finally reached the bottom,
The end of all our rope,
The Lord reminds ys once again,
"In Me you’ll find your hope."
CHORUS
It’s not by might,nor by power,
But by my Spirit.
It’s not by might,nor by power,
Saith the Lord.





3 Comments »

   mArLou wrote @ February 13th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

i love this song…

   RoCHeLLe wrote @ March 21st, 2008 at 10:51 am

wow! thanks for sharing..i used to be a psalty fan when i was still a kid..i love this song..i know this by heart hehe :)

   Dawn wrote @ April 15th, 2008 at 10:50 pm

Thanks for posting the lyrics of this song.. This one’s my childhood favorite. I miss singing along with Psalty and the kids!

Your comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.