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December 2002 Table of Contents
Stories Behind the Songs
From The Washhouse To The World
Jesus Name Above All Names
Philippians 2:1-11 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name."
Naida Hearn never dreamed that she would influence Christian singing around the world, but she has done just that. She was born to Bill and Elsie O'Hara, in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in 1931. As a young child, she began to attend a Methodist Sunday school. She reported that her parents sent her, but did not go with her. It was there that she first began to learn the things of the Bible. Those biblical truths became increasingly dear to her as she continued her useful life in that quiet, peaceful town in the north of her island nation.
Of the approximately twelve songs she wrote-she wasn't quite sure how many-only one has been published, but what a song! She wrote it as she was nearing her fortieth birthday.
As she studied the Bible, she became interested in the different names referring to Jesus and their meanings. So great was her interest that she began to make a list of the names on a piece of paper.
As is the case with many homes in Palmerston North, she and her family had a "washhouse" behind the regular living quarters of the home. One day in the early 1970s, as she made her way to the washhouse, she carried with her the paper on which she had written the names of Jesus. According to her report to me, she placed the paper "on the window seal against the window." The paper was in full view as she did the washing.
Feeling in a very worshipful mood, she suddenly found herself singing. She expressed it to me as follows:
"While I was doing the washing the Lord just gave me the first line, "Jesus, name above all names,' to sing. I just started it and carried on singing. I sang the whole song just as you sing it today. I just opened my mouth and all of the words came out, the pitch and everything. I just sang.
I thought, 'Well, I'll write it down.' The Lord said, 'Yes,' so I left the washing, went down into the sitting room, and found a key that was just right, and worked it out on manuscript paper. I said, 'Lord, is that OK? Is it all right like that? Yes, it was all right. That was all I wrote, and then I went back to the washing. It was just that simple. It was a straight-out lead from the Holy Spirit, absolutely. I can't say I thought about this or I thought about that; I just started on 'Jesus, name above all names' and it carried on all by itself."
Jesus, name above all names,
Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord,
Emmanuel, God is with us,
Blessed Redeemer, Living Word.
Soon after that it was sung in her church, New Life Church in Palmerton North. She didn't remember who sang it, but I can guess that it was she who presented it to her congregation. (She had a beautiful singing voice. She sang it for me on the phone, and I prize the tape on which I recorded it. It is surprisingly clear and good, even long distance from New Zealand.) Visitors from other parts of her country, who attended the church service, took the song to their churches. Missionaries began to carry it overseas where it quickly became a favorite. Soon it was being sung in several nations.
She reported, "I've had all sorts of people write to me asking that I add three more verses. I thought, 'If the Lord had wanted three more verses He would have given them to me.' All that needed to be said was said. The Spirit impressed on me that it was to be sung as a love song. It's all about Him. You are supposed to sing it softly, slowly and reverently, as if He were our lover. This is what He wanted."
Naida has two grown sons who live in New Zealand. She was very active in her church, living a happy life with her Lord. She was a cheery soul and an interesting conversationalist, even on the phone from such a distance. She had a most infectious laugh.
"Jesus, Name Above All Names," continues to be one of the most popular praise choruses in the world today. It is always very high on the list of songs most requested and sung in churches. It has been published in a number of songbooks and hymnals and has been recorded on numerous occasions.
It was thrilling to me as I recently led the overflow crowd attending the Wednesday evening service of the Campus Church of Pensacola Christian College in the singing of Naida Hearn's beautiful "Jesus, Name Above All Names." The 4,500 people in the auditorium, and the overflow of nearly 1,500, watching on closed circuit TV, sat motionless as I told them the story behind this beautiful song. It was wonderful to hear them sing it with such reverence and joy.
Naida told me her story in 1999. I had another visit by phone with her in April 2001. In that same month, as I interviewed another songwriter from New Zealand, I was surprised to hear his report that she had passed away just one week earlier. She had gone to be with the One who's name is above all names, and who had been her glorious Lord through so many of her 70 years.
Reflection: As you consider the names given to our Savior, you, too, will be drawn closer to Him. As Naida suggested, sing Jesus, Name Above All Names very softly. Sing it right now, as a love song to Him.
From Lindsay Terry's book, THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE: Stories Behind the Greatest Praise and Worship Songs of All Time, by Integrity Publishers, c2002.
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