¿Con Que Pagaremos?

One of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard is the sound of people singing to the Lord in different languages. I love it. I especially love hearing people sing in other languages old hymns that I recognize--and that I can "sing" in English. (I use quotation marks around "sing" because I am not much of a singer. One time several years ago, a lady tried to recruit me to sing in the church choir. When I told her I couldn't sing, she said, "That's OK. Just sing the harmony." I had to tell her that I didn't even know what that meant.) But anyway ... I've experienced this in a few languages (mostly Spanish and Korean)--when I used to travel to other countries for work and then also at various functions of DH's parents' church, etc. I can imagine hearing people from alllll around the world singing praises to God in numerous languages alllll together. What a joyful noise!

This week I've been listening to an old Fernando Ortega CD in the car. I love me some Fernando! I guess my sister and BIL first introduced me to his music. I've seen him perform a few times in Knoxville and also in Charlotte (at an Anne Graham Lotz event)--and I've even gotten to meet him a few times. He is very nice--and very funny, too! A guy I used to work with got to know him pretty well and used to talk about his keen sense of humor. But I digress ...



Meeting Fernando in Nashville--I think this is at an NRB event.


I love to hear Fernando sing in Spanish. One of my favorites is his recording of "¿Con Que Pagaremos?"--which is on his CD "Hymns & Meditations." I am one of those people who will listen to a song on repeat over and over again. (And--before things like iTunes, etc.--I was one of those people who would buy a CD (or tape or record, ha!) for just one song.) So "¿Con Que Pagaremos?" has been the song of the week this week. I love it so much, in fact, it was sung at our wedding. Kirk--the husband of a friend of mine from Operation Christmas Child--did a great job. He and Amy were missionaries to Ecuador (I think it was Ecuador) a few years back, so their Spanish is great.

When I was covering a Franklin Graham Festival in Vera Cruz, Mexico, I was so excited when this song was performed! Word on the street there was that the person who wrote the hymn was from Vera Cruz, but I don't remember the details.

The lyrics are so beautiful. Here they are in Spanish ... and then in English:

¿Con qué pagaremos amor tan inmenso,
Que diste Tu vida por el pecador?
En cambio recibes la ofrenda humilde,
La ofrenda humilde, Señor Jesucristo,
De mi corazón.

Y cuando la noche extiende su manto
Mis ojos en llanto en ti fijaré
Alzando mis ojos veré las estrellas
Yo sé que tras ellas, Cual Padre amoroso
Tú velas por mi.

No puedo pagarte con oro ni plata,
El gran sacrificio que hiciste por mí
No tengo que darte por tanto amarme;
Recibe este canto, mezclado con llanto,
Y mi corazón.

*******

With what do we repay, a love so vast
that You gave Your life for the sinner?
In exchange, accept the humble offering--
the humble offering, Lord Jesus Christ, of my heart.

And when the night spreads out her mantle,
my weeping eyes will be fixed on You.
Lifting my eyes, I will see the stars;
I know that from beyond them, loving Father,
You watch over me.

I cannot repay You, with gold or silver,
for the great sacrifice that You have made for me.
I have nothing to give You for so much love to me;
accept this song, mingled with tears, and my heart.


*******

Here's a YouTube link if you are interested in hearing.