Sacrilege and the Full Circle of Grace

I used to judge any Christian Pop artist who would modernize the sacred words of classic hymns....and I confess I still don't like the Good News Bible....but I would feel very much at a loss without my Bible App that has Eugene Peterson's The Message among the versions that teach and nourish my soul.

Watering down the words of hymns is like desecrating the beautiful words of Shakespeare.  i.e. changing :

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes

 to:

Roses are red
Violets are blue
'don't need names to smell good
And neither do you!

I would die.  Really.

Don't you just love the full circle of grace?

The very first chorus I've ever composed goes so nicely with my favorite hymn for a lullaby that I long to one day sing to foster or adopted children in my haven.

...and I changed the words.  Some are modernized (does for doth, gives or takes for giveth or taketh) and I even *gasp* changed the wording so the spirit of the line was retained while getting rid of  "e'er"

I also didn't follow the rules and alternate each verse with a chorus.  Can someone tell me what happened to my Type A personality???  I can't even string beads in random patterns.  Symmetry and order have always been very important to me.

Would you believe I even took the order of the verses and rearranged them?

(I know)

When I get the guitar part worked out, I'll post a clip so you can hear and rejoice with me in the outrageousness of it all. :)

Yay for Grace!

_____
Abba, Abba Father
You're always good, Abba Father
I know you're here
I trust your heart
With you I'm safe
Strengthen my heart

Children of the Heavenly Father
Safely in  His bosom gather
Nestling birds, and the stars in heaven
See the refuge He has given them

Though He gives, or He takes
Abba Father does not forsake
It's His loving purpose only
To preserve them pure and holy.

Abba, Daddy, Papa
You're always good, Jesus, Savior
I know you're here
I trust heart
With you I'm safe
Strengthen my heart

Neither life nor death will ever
From our Lord His children sever
Unto them His grace he shows
And their sorrows *all* He knows

God His own does tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Abba, Abba Father
You're always good Abba Father
I know you're here
I trust your heart
With you I'm safe
Open my heart

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Our PROTECTOR never slumbers
At the will of our Defender
Every evil must surrender!