LadyDpiano: Matt Redman: Better Is One Day

Wikipedia says, Matt Redman is an English Christian worship leader, song-writer and author. I enjoy playing his songs and I believe Better Is One Day was written by Matt Redman in 1997. Most artists play this song in E but I've heard it in medleys starting in D and modulate to the Key of E.

Chord Chart:

VERSE 1:
     E                            
How lovely is Your dwelling place,
A           B
 oh Lord Almighty
 E                                 B
My soul longs and even faints for You
     E     
For here my heart is satisfied,
A              B
 within Your presence
   E                               B
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

CHORUS:
           A
Better is one day in Your courts
           B
Better is one day in Your house
           A
Better is one day in Your courts
                B
Than thousands elsewhere

VERSE 2:
      E
One thing I ask and I would seek,
A              B
 to see Your beauty
    E                                 B
To find You in the place Your glory dwells

BRIDGE:
C#m7                     B  
 My heart and flesh cry out,
A                    B
 for You the living God
C#m7                 B      A   B
 Your spirit's water to my soul
C#m7                   B
 I've tasted and I've seen,
A
 come once again to me
E/G#
 I will draw near to You
F#m7                 B
 I will draw near to You

So, in the right hand, I'm playing single melody notes. Sometimes this may not be a good thing to double up and play what the singers are doing. Here it is anyways so that you can hear the notes.

E, D#, C#, E, F#, E, A, E, C# B
How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty.

E, D#, C#, E, F#, E, B, B
My soul long and even faints for You.

E, D#, C#, E, E, F, E, A, G#, B
For here my heart is satisfied within Your presence.

E, D#, C#, F#, G#, B
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings.

Chorus:

G#, B, B, A
Better is one day in Your courts

G#, B, B, G#
Better is one day in Your house

G#, B, B, A/C#, B
Better is one day in Your courts Than thousands elsewhere.

Verse

Bridge

Verse

Chorus

When you change the chords just a little and add more flavor, like playing A2 or Bsus, it makes the sound fuller.

Chord Chart:

 E                            
How lovely is Your dwelling place,
A2           Bsus
 oh Lord Almighty
 E                                 Bsus
My soul longs and even faints for You
     E     
For here my heart is satisfied,
A2              Bsus
 within Your presence
   E                               Bsus
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

           A2
Better is one day in Your courts
           Bsus
Better is one day in Your house
           A2
Better is one day in Your courts
                Bsus
Than thousands elsewhere

      E
One thing I ask and I would seek,
A2              Bsus
 to see Your beauty
    E                                 Bsus
To find You in the place Your glory dwells

C#m7                     Bsus  
 My heart and flesh cry out,
A                    Bsus
 for You the living God
C#m7                  Bsus      A   Bsus
 Your spirit's water for my soul
C#m7                   Bsus
 I've tasted and I've seen,
A2
 come once again to me
C#m7
 I will draw near to You
A2                     A2/F#m
 I will draw near to You

I've also played the song, Better Is One Day, in the key of D.

Key Of D:
D                                 G        A
How lovely is Your dwelling place O'Lord Almighty
D                                 A
My soul longs and even faints for You
D                              G           A
For here my heart is satisfied within Your presence
D                                 A
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings
          G
Better is one day in Your courts
          A
Better is one day in Your house
          G
Better is one day in Your courts
     A         G
Than thousands elsewhere
D                                G           A
One thing I ask and I would seek to see Your beauty
D                                   A
To find You in the place Your glory dwells 
D                           G                 A
One thing I ask and I would seek to see Your beauty
D                                   A
To find You in the place Your glory dwells
Bm            A            G             A
My heart and flesh cry out for You the living God
Bm           A           G     A
Your spirits water to my soul
Bm           A       G
I've tasted and I've seen come once again to me
D                        G                   A
I will draw near to You, I will draw near to You

Here's the same song, written by Matt Redman, played in the Key of G.

Chord Chart:

Intro:
G  Cadd9  Dsus4

Verse:
    G                             Cadd9
How lovely is Your dwelling place,
           Dsus4
Oh Lord Almighty
G                                  Dsus4
My soul longs and even faints for You
     G                          Cadd9
For here my heart is satisfied,
              Dsus4
within Your presence
   G                               Dsus4
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/k/kutless/228563.html ]
Chorus:  
         Cadd9
Better is one day in Your courts
           Dsus4
Better is one day in Your house
           Cadd9
Better is one day in Your courts
               Dsus4
Than thousands elsewhere

(X2)

Lead Break: G  Cadd9  Dsus4

(Repeat Verse & Chorus)

Bridge:
Em7                        Dsus4
 My heart and flesh cry out
Cadd9                 
 To you the living God
Em7          Dsus4          Cadd9 
 Your spirit’s water to my soul
Em7                       Dsus4
 I’ve tasted and I’ve seen
Cadd9                 
 Come once again to me
Em7        Dsus4       Cadd9
 I will draw near to you
Em7        Dsus4       Cadd9     Dsus4
 I will draw near to you

(End Chorus)

Scripture Reference: Psalm 84:10 and Psalm 42:1

Also, Sheet Music Plus has their own blog now, called Take Note

Do you have a favorite Matt Redman song?

Amazing
Better Is One Day
Matt Redman - 10,000 Reasons - Music Book

Blessings,