[ story behind the song ]

Shine Jesus Shine has become the most popular modern hymn of the last decade in the UK and is now sung all over the world. It deposed 'Jerusalem' from the BBC's Songs of Praise Top Ten Hymns survey and consistently appears as one of the top songs in the CCL (Church Copyright Licence) chart both in the UK and USA.

In a recent interview Graham said:

"This song is a prayer for revival. A songwriter can give people words to voice something which is already in their hearts but which they don't have the words or the tune to express, and I think 'Shine Jesus shine' caught a moment when people were beginning to believe once again that an impact could be made on a whole nation."

Graham explains how the song came together...

"Bearing in mind the worldwide popularity of this song, perhaps the most surprising thing about the writing of it is the ordinariness of the circumstances. I had been thinking for some time about the holiness of God, and how that as a community of believers and as individuals, His desire is for us to live continually in his presence. My longing for revival in the Churches and spiritual awakening in the nation was growing, but also a recognition that we cannot stand in God's presence without 'clean hands and a pure heart'. So I wrote the three verses and 'road tested' it in my home church. Though there was clearly merit to the song, it seemed incomplete, so as I was unable at the time to take it any further, I put it back in the file. Several months later I was asked to submit new songs for a conference song book, and as I reviewed this three verse song I realised that it needed a chorus. I remember standing in my music room with guitar slung round my neck trying different approaches. The line 'Shine Jesus Shine' came to mind, and within about half an hour I had finished the chorus, all but some 'polishing'. Though I felt an excitement in my spirit at the time, I had no inkling at all that it would become so widely used. There were other songs I rated more highly at the time that most people have never heard of!"

'Shine Jesus Shine' has been sung at numerous high profile occasions such as; The Dunblane Memorial Service, Tasmania massacre memorial service - broadcast live nationwide, Prom Praise, Billy Graham crusades, and the largest ever open air mass in Manilla where the Pope "swung his cane in time to the music"!!

The original version is available on a recently released anniversary edition of the album 'Shine Jesus Shine'

[ lyrics ]