User:Almonesson/sandbox

Our God Reigns (The Original)

    The original "Our God Reigns" (there are now about 8 songs with that title) was written in 1973 by Leonard E. Smith.  It was just the one verse ("How lovely on the mountains...") and the chorus ("Our God Reigns").  Over the next three years, Leonard wrote four more verses.  Around 1975, a traveling evangelist, Bob Mumford, visited the Living Word Church, where Leonard helped with worship services, and heard the song and took it with him as he traveled around the world.  About the same time, Scripture In Song, in Australia, printed the song in a book called, Scriptures In Song.  A group of Catholic charismatics in the mid-west also released a chorus book containing the song.  The song basically circulated around the world by word of mouth and these modest publications.
    Over the years "Our God Reigns" has appeared in over 50 songbooks and 30 hymnals and has been sung on over 50 albums, in 25 languages.  Among the artists who have recorded this song are:  Evie, Phil Driscoll, Bill Gaither, Marilla Ness, John Michael Talbot, The Maranatha Singers, and, most recently, New Life Worship.
    Many people know this song as a chorus, i.e., one or two verses, plus the chorus.  Slowly, the full five-verse version has become more-known, and some refer to the song now as a hymn.
    New Jerusalem Music, Leonard's own publishing company, has always retained the copyright and still holds the copyright.  All 180 of Leonard's songs are published by New Jerusalem Music (www.newjerusalemmusic.com) which is a member of ASCAP.
    Leonard has released an album, DEEP CALLS TO DEEP, which contains 13 of his songs, with all five verses of "Our God Reigns," on Great Comfort Records (www.greatcomfortrecords.com).