AN INCOMPARABLE GOD Worthy of Our Praise & Worship (Ghana Month Music #5)
Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, Ph.D.
Executive Director at EAGLES & ANANSE Centers for Leadership Development
Happy Sabbath to you—wherever you may be on God's planet! May the special blessings reposed by the Creator God upon His holy day of rest be upon you, your family, and loved ones (cf. Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; Isaiah 58:13-14).
On this weekend of the “Ghana Month” celebration, I want to share with you one of my favorite Christian chorale pieces: “Nyame W’Akwan Dooso” (God, Your Ways Are Countless). Composed by one of Ghana’s “choral legends,” this praise/worship song celebrates the incomparable power, majesty, and beneficence of God.
But first, allow me to explain a key term in the title of the choral piece:
The word “Nyame” (or “Onyame”) in the song’s title is the name for the supreme God of the Akan people of Ghana. The name “Nyame/Onyame” means "the one who knows and sees everything." He is the omniscient and omnipotent Deity of the sky/Heaven.
God is also called ONYAME KWAME (meaning "the God of Saturday" or "the God whose day is Saturday"). Many of the indigenous tribes in Ghana refer to Saturday as “Memeneda” (it literally means "I AM THAT I AM'S DAY" or "The day of the I AM"). On this day personal and mundane activities, like Saturday market days and funerals, were discouraged; wars could also not be declared nor waged on this day. Because Saturday was a special day for worship, it was called MEMENEDA DAPAA ("Saturday, the good or precious day"). The day celebrates God as the “Self-existent” One—the great I AM (cf. Exodus 3:14).
“Nyame/Onyame” is the eternal and un-equaled God to whom we may confidently turn in times of perplexity, distress, or hardship. We can trust Him because He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. We can trust Him because He is a faithful and trustworthy God. And we can trust Him because He is true to His word.
With this background to the incomparable God, I now present the soul-stirring song “Nyame W’Akwan Dooso” (God, Your Ways Are Countless). It is my prayer that, through this classic chorale music, you will catch a glimpse of the incomparable God—His power, holiness, and beneficence—and be driven to praise and worship the Creator.
This spiritually uplifting music was written by Adventist composer Kwame Owusu Afriyie (born 1936), one of the “choral legends” in Ghana. The song (“Nyame W’Akwan Dooso”) is enshrined in the Twi Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal (Memeneda Akwanhwefo Nnwom #NG 6).
Special appreciation goes to the Harmonious Chorale group for their stirring rendition of this choral masterpiece. The melodious blend of their voices, the tasteful use of musical instruments, and the graceful manner in which the leader of the group (James Varrick Armaah) conducted the musical ensemble during the performance made the rendition of the song very impactful.
In times of discouragement and despair, let us take comfort in the fact that our incomparable God (Onyame Kwame) will take care of us. He is the ultimate provider. When we find ourselves in situations where there seem to be no way out, may we rest in the assurance that the God of a thousand ways—nay, the God of countless ways—will provide a way for us.
NOTE:
1. The chorus of “Nyame W’Akwan Dooso” raises a number of rhetorical questions. (E.g., “Who is like unto you, O God?... Who does not fear your powerful reign?... Who does not fear You?”). The Student of the Bible finds rich allusions to these rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40:18, 21, 25, 28; Romans 11:33-36.
2. Harmonious Chorale is a multiple award winning non-denominational choral group based in Accra, Ghana. It is, perhaps, not without significance that the two soloists who were selected to sing two of the stanzas—Lordina Osei & Joel Aidoo—both belong to the same faith tradition of the composer of “Nyame W’Akwan Dooso.”
3. After listening to the rendition of this music, may you join the 24 elders before the throne of God in Heaven and declare: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
Happy Sabbath!
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—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, PhD
March 8, 2024.
Director, ANANSE & AFES
𝘈𝘕𝘈𝘕𝘚𝘌 = 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 & 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 & 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
𝘈𝘍𝘌𝘚 = 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 & 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦
[Translation of Chorus]
Who is like unto you, O God?
You're true to your word,
No one compares to you.
No one is greater than you, O God;
Who does not fear your powerful reign?
At the sound of your voice, the blind see; even the cripple walk
Because of your great power, who does not fear you?
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8moHappy Sabbath. Stay blessed