BACKSTORY
I wrote this song in January 2026 as part of the Resound Worship 12 Song Challenge. The brief: write a song on the theme of Repentance and Restoration.
In March 2026, during our Presbytery Meeting in Geneva, I had an impromptu opportunity to share the song at the start of the communion service while we waited for the organist to arrive (she was delayed due to traffic). Soon everyone was joining in. The familiar words of the kyrie (Lord, have mercy), simple lyrics and repetition helped.
The assignment was to write a “December Song”. I opted to write a performance piece, focused on the salvation story from Mary’s perspective.
I incorporated a favourite chord progression (Dm, Dm maj7, Dm7, Dm6), elements from a favourite Christmas classic (The angel Gabriel from heaven came) and a book title (Jesus changes everything, Stanley Hauerwas).
MARY’S SONG
Capo 5
Verse 1
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Angel
Dmmaj7
D#mmaj7
Emmaj7
Fmmaj7
F#mmaj7
Gmmaj7
G#mmaj7
Ammaj7
A#mmaj7
Bmmaj7
Cmmaj7
C#mmaj7
Gabriel from
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
heaven
Dm6
D#m6
Em6
Fm6
F#m6
Gm6
G#m6
Am6
A#m6
Bm6
Cm6
C#m6
came
He
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
came to me, he
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
called me a lady
I’m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
highly
Dmmaj7
D#mmaj7
Emmaj7
Fmmaj7
F#mmaj7
Gmmaj7
G#mmaj7
Ammaj7
A#mmaj7
Bmmaj7
Cmmaj7
C#mmaj7
honoured,
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
yes I
Dm6
D#m6
Em6
Fm6
F#m6
Gm6
G#m6
Am6
A#m6
Bm6
Cm6
C#m6
am,
to
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
play my part in God’s
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
plan
A7
A#7
B7
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
Pre-chorus
There were
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
troubles, yet
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
so much joy,
at the
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
coming of my baby
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
boy
A7
A#7
B7
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
Chorus
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Jesus
Dmmaj7
D#mmaj7
Emmaj7
Fmmaj7
F#mmaj7
Gmmaj7
G#mmaj7
Ammaj7
A#mmaj7
Bmmaj7
Cmmaj7
C#mmaj7
changed my
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
life
for
Dm6
D#m6
Em6
Fm6
F#m6
Gm6
G#m6
Am6
A#m6
Bm6
Cm6
C#m6
ever
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
Jesus changes
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
everything
A7
A#7
B7
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
He
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
changes
Dmmaj7
D#mmaj7
Emmaj7
Fmmaj7
F#mmaj7
Gmmaj7
G#mmaj7
Ammaj7
A#mmaj7
Bmmaj7
Cmmaj7
C#mmaj7
people’s
Dm7
D#m7
Em7
Fm7
F#m7
Gm7
G#m7
Am7
A#m7
Bm7
Cm7
C#m7
lives for the
Dm6
D#m6
Em6
Fm6
F#m6
Gm6
G#m6
Am6
A#m6
Bm6
Cm6
C#m6
better
He’s my
A7sus
A#7sus
B7sus
C7sus
C#7sus
D7sus
D#7sus
E7sus
F7sus
F#7sus
G7sus
G#7sus
Shepherd, he’s my
A7
A#7
B7
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
King
Verse 2
Nothing is impossible for God
While still a virgin, I was a mother
I’ve not regrets that I said ‘yes’
All I can say is, ‘I am blessed’
Pre-chorus
Chorus
Verse 3
Glad I had Joseph by my side
He kept me going when I got frightened
God made a way to keep us safe
Supplying wisdom and grace
Pre-chorus
Chorus
Coda
He’s my darling, my Saviour, my Shepherd, my King.