Songwriter and worship leader Charity Gayle has stumbled upon something of a modern hymn with “Thank You Jesus for the Blood.” The Dove Award winner’s original single is a pure exultation of appreciation for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
The “I Speak Jesus” singer penned the powerful, emotive ballad during a songwriting retreat with friends Steven Musso, David Gentiles, Bryan McCleery and her husband, Ryan Kennedy. They started the session simply by expressing their individual gratitude for the transformation the Lord has brought about in each of their lives. As the melody began to take shape, Gayle says she was transported back to the old church she grew up in in Buffalo, New York, where she vividly remembers sitting on the front pew beside her mother as her dad sang and her grandmother played the organ.
An unabashed portrait of the Gospel message, “Thank You Jesus for the Blood” leans on Ephesians 2:13, which proclaims of all believers, “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.”
“The more life I live, the more I’m thankful for that precious blood of the Lamb,” Gayle says of the ultimate ethos of the song. “I’ve messed up and made plenty of mistakes, but I am so thankful and grateful that Jesus bled, died and rose again so that we may have eternal life with Him, the Holy God, righteous and blameless even though we aren’t perfect. Being in relationship with God is such a precious gift.”
An unofficial sequel to familiar standard, “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” Gayle’s “Thank You Jesus for the Blood” brought tears to the eyes of the songwriters gathered that day. Additionally, Gayle’s mother and aunts were in a neighboring room preparing food for the writers and wandered in to hear what they were crafting. They, too, were immediately moved by the combination of words and music, reminding Gayle that timeless truth has no age limits.
“Just like the songs that have lived and continued to capture the hearts of multiple generations, our heartbeat as songwriters is to pen lyric and melody that does the same,” she shares. “I love how this song brought us all together in worship and thanksgiving. Unity in worship is the most beautiful thing, and we can all relate to being sinners saved by grace.”
“Thank You Jesus for the Blood” appears on Gayle’s sophomore album, “Endless Praise.”
