“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh!
Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”
Author Unknown
(Several years ago, I had the privilege to sing tenor section in the Salem Baptist Church Choir here in Omaha, Nebraska. I wrote this after a choir member sang background music for the Communion Service which also landed on Easter Sunday. I had never heard this worship song before; I’ll never forget it.)
Were You There?
The writer of this African American hymn trembled at the thought of the cross. Written in the 19th Century, the lyrics to this haunting spiritual still pack an emotional wallop, especially when it’s sung by the Salem Gospel Choir’s own, Carolyn Kirksey. Carolyn has been a member of the Gospel Choir for many years and continues to belt out soulful leads and lend her voice as a member of the Gospel Choir’s alto section.
Who will ever forget the music on Resurrection Sunday? Who will forget Judas’ dance? Do you remember the emotions you felt when the Mass Choir sang, He Is Alive? Such worship music you won’t soon forget.
But Carolyn’s rendition of Were You There? was also unforgettable as the background music for the Communion Service. This is how God comes in sometimes—in the background. And that’s the true essence of the Gospel Choir, it’s what it’s all about. You would’ve had to search for Carolyn as she sang among the other choir members. You knew the voice was coming from somewhere among us. Maybe you quit searching and just closed your eyes.
As I looked out into the congregation from my own seat in the choir loft, I noticed many things. I saw some singing along quietly, some praying, some weeping as they went back into time and imagined themselves there. Carolyn’s soothing lullaby voice made sure you weren’t distracted by her personally; you just sat back and closed your eyes, knowing she would navigate you back in time. You relaxed, each note harmonizing with your soul, tugging at your sub-conscious, delving into places only the Spirit of God can reach.
Were you there? You can’t place yourself there unless you know Him personally. And if you don’t know Him, the Gospel Choir sings, well, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes you can slide through a sermon, sleep through Sunday choir specials, and stand stubborn at an altar call. So sometimes He calls you when you least expect it—when your guard is down. Maybe, when you’re listening to background music on Communion Sunday.
Every personal journey begins at the cross. This hymn doesn’t have anything to do with sentiment. It confronts your heart with brutal questions and searing emotions. It should convict you, if anything, of how you really feel about the Savior.
“Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,” Carolyn sang in true gospel style on Communion Sunday.
Were you there?
“I don’t know what I think about something until I’ve read what I’ve written on it.” – Faulkner