Born in San Antonio, Texas, Jessy sang and played his first song at the age of five. As a youngster he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he was heard and discovered by James Cleveland, who was one of the first artists to sing and record Jessy Dixon's compositions, "God Can Do Anything But Fail," and "My God Can Make A Way."
The organizers of the Newport Jazz Festival invited him to perform his new song, "The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling," at New York's Radio City Music Hall in 1972. After the performance, Jessy and The Jessy Dixon Singers were requested to do four encores. Paul Simon, of Simon and Garfunkel, was in the audience and invited Jessy to share the stage with him as lead vocalist on TV's Saturday Night Live. Not only did they share that performance, Jessy soon found himself touring with Simon across the United States, France, Europe, Canada, Scandinavia, Israel, and Japan. Jessy's affiliation with Paul Simon lasted for eight years, during which time he recorded two albums, Live Rhymin (1974) and Still Crazy After All These Years (1975), both of which sold a million copies.
Paul Simon says of his eight-year singing comrade: "Jessy has a rare and joyous musical gift. I have loved gospel music and during the years I have been associated with Jessy my appreciation of the gospel has grown."
Songwriter and producer, Andrae Crouch also recognized the magnitude of Jessy's talent, and produced Jessy Dixon's classic recording, "It's All Right Now."
Many of Jessy's award-winning compositions have been sung and recorded by such artists as Amy Grant, Sandi Patty, Cher, Natalie Cole, Diana Ross, Danniebelle, Point Of Grace, Walter Hawkins, Randy Crawford, The Thompson Community Singers, James Cleveland, among others.
In 1993, Jessy Dixon composed "I Am Redeemed." It remained in the top ten gospel music charts for an unprecedented five years.
The years Jessy has spent writing, singing, and producing have enabled him to realize the abiding dream of demolishing the walls dividing cultural musical styles. A few years ago, Jessy found two allies who shared his dream. Bill and Gloria Gaither invited him to sing at a Homecoming video taping and provided him yet another opportunity to see his dream become a reality. "Christian music isn't just one style," says Bill Gaither, "It's a theology wrapped up in a lot of different styles..." Jessy has played an important role in the unifying quality of the Homecoming video series.
Jessy is now a favorite on the series, and has traveled all over the United States and abroad surprising gospel audiences with his stirring performances of "It's A Highway To Heaven," "Operator," "Leaving On My Mind," "Blood Bought Church," "The Wicked Shall Cease Their Troubling," "Lord Prepare Me To Be A Sanctuary," and "I Am Redeemed."
In addition to his current involvement with the Homecoming videos and concerts, his own concert schedule includes concerts both in America and abroad. He tours Europe four to six months each year, and performs the hit Broadway show, "Black Nativity" with The Jessy Dixon Theater Group. Jessy is also an ordained minister with Calvary Ministries International of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The words printed in the International Herald Tribune summarize the Jessy Dixon experience: "No where else in the world will you find such a delightful, pure, and honest performance, ingeniously combining brilliant vocalizing and high energy excitement, as when you listen to Jessy Dixon. When your feet begin to tap with the beat, the desire to get up and dance becomes overwhelming, and maybe a tear comes to your eyes; that is when Jessy Dixon's performance has reached its pinnacle."
Sanctuary
Jessy Dixon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pure and holy, tried and true
And with thanksgiving
I will be a living sanctuary for you.
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
And with thanksgiving
It's Jesus he died to save the heart
And soul of every man.
Jesus, he knows
Our weakness
He'll lift us up
With His own hand.
Lord, prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy,
Tried and true
With thanksgiving
I will be a living sanctuary for you.
Oh, lead us all, Lord,
From temptations.
Purify us from within,
And fill our hearts
With your Holy Spirit.
Take away all of our sins.
Lord, prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving
I will be a living sanctuary for you.
With thanksgiving --
With thanksgiving
I will be a living sanctuary for you.
I live for you,
Give my life to you,
And I'll do it all for you.
The lyrics of Jessy Dixon's song 'Sanctuary' are an appeal to the Lord to guide and prepare the singer to be a pure and holy sanctuary for Him. The song is a reminder of the important role played by sanctuaries in Christian worship and the need to be a living sanctuary that is free from sin and steadfast in faith. The chorus repeats the main theme of the song with an emphasis on thanksgiving as an expression of gratitude for the grace and mercy of the Lord.
The song begins with a call for the Lord to prepare the singer to be a sanctuary that is pure and holy, tried and true. These words echo the biblical concept of the sanctuary as a holy place where one can find refuge from the world's corruption and sin. The singer recognizes his weaknesses and acknowledges that it is only through the help of His own hand that he can become pure and holy.
The second verse continues with the same theme and reminds us that Jesus knows our weakness and pain and will lift us up with His own hand. The Lord is seen as the protector of our souls and the one who can lead us away from temptation and purify us from within. In the final verse, we hear a plea for the Lord to fill our hearts with His Holy Spirit and take away all of our sins, so that we can become a living sanctuary for Him.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
I am asking God to help me become a place of safety, purity, and holiness
Pure and holy, tried and true
I want to be genuinely good and tested in my faith
And with thanksgiving
I will offer gratitude in my service to God
I will be a living sanctuary for you.
My whole life will be dedicated to serving you and being a representation of your love and grace
It's Jesus he died to save the heart
Jesus sacrificed himself to save us, to cleanse our hearts from sin
And soul of every man.
And to save the inner being of every human being
Jesus, he knows
He, being Jesus, understands
Our weakness
Our shortcomings and limitations
He'll lift us up
He will help us overcome our weakness
With His own hand.
By his guidance and providence
Oh, lead us all, Lord,
I ask God to guide all of us
From temptations.
away from sources of sin and wrongdoing
Purify us from within,
Cleanse our hearts and minds of impurities
And fill our hearts
And to help us cultivate genuine love and devotion
With your Holy Spirit.
By the power and influence of the Holy Spirit
Take away all of our sins.
Help us to relinquish all our wrongdoing and have a fresh start
With thanksgiving --
With a heart of gratitude
I will live for you,
I will dedicate my life to serving you
Give my life to you,
I offer my life as an act of worship and service to you
And I'll do it all for you.
All my motives and actions revolve around pleasing you
Writer(s): Randy Lynn Scruggs, John W Thompson
Contributed by Reagan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@maejackson693
I didn't know that Jessy had been called home by Jesus. He was so anointed and I loved listening to anything he sang. May his soul rest in eternal peace. 🙏🙏🙏😪
@carolgibson9525
LORD BY YOUR
PRECIOUS GRACE
ASSISTING ME.
MY DESIRE IS
TO PREPARE
MY LIFE; TO
BE A LIVING
SANCTUARY
FOR Y. IN JESUS
NAME AMEN.
HEAVENLY REST.
BRO. JESS.🎶🎼
@ChristinaMarieAngelicque-vc3nx
WHEN JESSY DIXON SANG THIS SONG, HE TOOK ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS GOING TO LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY. WE SANG THIS SONG ALMOST EVERY OTHER WEEK IN CHAPEL SERVICE! THANK YOU, BROTHER JESSY, AND, SEE YOU AT THE HOUSE!
@paulettegolston653
I never heard of Bro. Dixon until a few months ago. I have played his songs everyday. To everyone on these videos, your smiles and support for one another is pure LOVE 💘. May God forever bless all of you. May every song live forever in our hearts. Psalms 133:1-Behold,
how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
Hallelujah to the Lamb of God.
@gunnzitzelaupresty4740
GOD BLESS YOU SISTER
@theleastoftheseministry-ev7002
PLEASE LORD, PREPARE ME TO BE A SANCTUARY FOR YOU.
@glendaduncan7089
Amen
@lindiweportiashongwe
Here Am I Lord.... please prepare me to be You sanctuary...Lord You know all my weakness but please prepare me 🙏make me a living sanctuary for You,only You Lord 🙏
@feziledalingozi6268
This man is always blessing me with his golden voice in worship...rip Jessy
@denvilbuchanan1360
Yes, yes Hallelujah 🙌👏✝️
🙏🤲