The Theology of Worship Music – Cornerstone

The Theology of Worship Music – Cornerstone

by Edward Mote, Eric Liljero, Jonas Myrin, Reuben Morgan, William Batchelder Bradbury

This remake of a familiar hymn by the folks at Hillsong has many singing these lyrics for the first time, even though they were penned in 1834. This has become a common motif since the onset of modern worship music. Not all attempts to remake old hymns are successful, but they found a winner with this one.

Originally written by Edward Mote, it has several names, Solid Rock, My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, among them. Hymns like this one were rarely named. They were most often referred to by the first line of the first verse.

Cornerstone uses the first, second, and fourth verses of the original hymn with a new chorus. The word “cornerstone” never appears in the original hymn, but is clearly the topic of the song. The original chorus eludes to this as “Christ, the Solid Rock.”

Paul uses this image to describe The Church, the Household of God, is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ being the Cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-21 (ESV) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

The first verse contains a phrase that apparently is very misunderstood. I read many posts on possible meanings of “sweetest frame” and could not find one that captures the intent of the hymn writer. Look at the definition of the word.

Frame - basic structure that underlies or supports a system, concept, or text.

It seems to me that the author is using “sweetest frame” in reference to poetry, or at the very least flowery words. He’s saying that regardless of how pretty the words may be it must find its meaning in Jesus Christ. Paul warns Timothy with these words.

2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV) For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

We cannot be drawn away from the truth by meaningless words. This is one of the reasons I chose to start this thread on Modern Worship Music. There are many songs that have a great groove, a catchy hook, and really move people when they are sung, but fail the Truth Test. Just because it sounds good doesn’t make it Gospel. Edward Mote knew this, and thus he wrote the hymn.

The hymn writer continues with verses that speak to trials that come to everyone. When darkness, storms, and floods come we should not be discouraged or knocked off course. Our prize of Heaven awaits us, as expressed in the last verse.

I love both songs, the original and the new, and hope you get acquainted with both.