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Lyrics and ReviewsThe Top Worship Songs in America, according to CCLI usage records. 1. How Great is our God
Blessed by Your Name
This song is a bold proclamation of trust in the Lord in the face of adversity. It is based on the faith of Job, who said in his sufferings, "Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. (Job 1:21) Job acknowledged that all that he had was from the Lord's hand, and the presence of adversity in his life would not stop him from praising or blessing the Lord's name. By putting Job's prayer into the mouth of worshippers, this song can be a powerful statement of faith. The Lord's love is constant toward us; we seek to have a constant faith toward him. One thing that I would have liked to see in this song, however, is tying this theme to the cross. On the surface, the song does not point us to Jesus, and is not even overtly Christian. An opportunity was missed here, I believe. The constancy of the cross and the love that it incarnates and the resurrection from the dead form the rock solid foundation for the Christian's confidence that God is with us despite all appearances. Granted that in a Christian church, the context of a believing community will cause worshipers to be offering this as praise to Jesus. I just believe that a bridge that tied the theme directly to the cross and empty grave would have made this song all that much more powerful, and been than much more edifying to worshipers. So in using this song it would be important to supply the context so that worshipers would be led to base their confidence and trust on the Lord who suffered, died and rose again for them. Come Now is the Time to Worship
Regarding the verse, we need to be careful in how we understand it. Lutherans tend to shy away from any mention of "choice" or "choosing" Christ. In our efforts to avoid synergism and Arminianism, we go to great lengths to point out that Christ chooses us; we don't choose him. But does this song about conversion or about worship? The verse makes reference to Philippians 2:10-11 and the picture of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing Christ in the fulfillment of all things. But we don't have to wait for the eschaton to bow our knee and confess our Savior. As we come into worship, we have the opportunity to do that now. We confess our God and worship him. We can 'choose you now" in the realm of sanctification, choosing to worship the Lord from the heart, offering him our own hearts in devotion. Understood this way, this song catches a key theme of Lutheran worship in seeing our earthly worship in the context of its eschatological fulfillment. But even if the verse is speaking of conversion, and is an example of "decision theology" in a song, we should keep in mind that from a subjective perspective, for many, their conversion feels like a decision. Yes, it's the work of the Spirit. We know that, and, if they are exposed to good Bible teaching, they will come to know that too. I'm reminded of a story that Rev. Dr. Don Deffner used to tell at the seminary. A man walks up to a building labeled, "The Kingdom of God." And above the door is a sign, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." He says to himself, "Sure, I can believe that." And so he chooses to believe and acting on that belief, he comes through the door. Inside he is greeted by another sign that reads, "The only way you got in here was by the grace of God." We use this song regularly at St. John's. And I do not view it as denying or undermining the preaching of justification by grace through faith alone, but rather that the preaching and teaching of justification provides a context for a song like this to be used rightly. Forever
This song is clearly based on Psalm 136, which rehearses the mighty deeds and qualities of God, with the repeated refrain, "His love endures forever." The chorus capitalizes on the word "forever," emphasizing that God's faithfulness, strength, and presence with us is everlasting. The verses point not only to God's majesty and glory, but also his grace and goodness. There is a brief mentioning that this goodness and love of God is directed toward his own children, with the line "for the life that's been reborn." The response to all of this enduring love is to sing praise. This is a good setting on Psalm 136, very sing-able and easily learned, with lots of room for embellishment and enhancement. Once again, I must point out the importance of context. For the Christian, God's enduring love and grace are rooted in the cross of Christ and in his resurrection. The mighty deed of God that we celebrate is not primarily the exodus, or deliverance from Israel's enemies, but the defeat of sin, death, and the devil by the blood of Christ. That victory is given to us in this life through faith in Christ. And for that incredible undeserved, we sing praise forever. God of Wonders
This is a first article (creation) song of praise. God is praised for the works of creation in words that are reminiscent of Psalm 19 and Isaiah 6. God is Lord of all, praised for the wonders He has made and His rule over all creation. The cross does not appear to be in view in this song. I use the word "appear" because the author may have intended a vague reference to forgiveness in verse 2 by mentioning calling out the Lord's name when we stumble in darkness or night. But if that is the intent, and I'm not even sure of that, it is so vague as to be almost meaningless. It could just as well be a reference to God's help when going through hard times. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with a first article song of praise. The hymn "Holy Holy Holy," which makes an appearance in some versions of God of Wonders, is an example of one. The only reference to Jesus in that hymn is the reference to the Trinity. Other examples are "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" and "All Creatures of our God and King" among others. Hymn writers would often include a Trinitarian stanza in such hymns in order to provide a Christian identification on what are often essentially Old Testament songs. So,
while the cross is not in view in this song explicitly, it needs to be present
in the context of worship, just as it needs to be whenever first article praise
songs are used. We praise God for creation, but ultimately our highest
praise is built on the new creation in Jesus Christ.
Here I Am To
Worship
This is a song of praise and faith, confessing my desire to worship God. (Please refer to My Perspective regarding the use of worship as a verb in contemporary worship songs.) Worship is an activity of thanks and praise. I have come into the place of worship to bow down and confess my faith. The God whom I worship is personally wonderful and lovely to me. The work of salvation is expressed with an economy of words. The incarnation and the humiliation of Christ is pictured in each verse. He came to open our eyes and give us the hope of an eternal life with him. For this purpose he came into darkness and became poor. In the first verse, we jump from the incarnation and humiliation directly to my subjective experience of salvation and the resulting hope. It is in the bridge that the foundation for this hope is described. Jesus came to forgive my sins on the cross. This is the high point of the song and the repetition of the lines of the bridge provide an opportunity to meditate on the cross and its the forgiveness I have because of it. Part of the power of the bridge is also the way it's worded. Not merely describing the cross as the place where sin is dealt with, but expressing the wonder of such a gift, that it is beyond our knowledge. This song is very versatile in its usability. It can be used early in worship, quite obviously, providing an opportunity to sing why we have gathered. It is appropriate during Lent for its cross focus. Also appropriate in Advent for its incarnation focus. At St. John's, we have also used it during the distribution of communion, using that context to refer "Here I am" to being at the altar, where the cross is present in bread and wine, in body and blood. Holy is the Lord
This is another "pure praise" worship song from Chris Tomlin. All the comments that I made regarding "How Great is our God" are relevant here as well. God is praised in His might and glory. The chorus takes us to Isaiah 6 and the throne room of Isaiah's vision. This song focuses not just on God's might, but also on the worshiping congregation. This is a praise song about praising, a worship song about worshiping. That is not inappropriate, and many examples can be found in the psalms. I'm sure that it where Chris Tomlin got some of his inspiration for this song. But what is absent entirely from this song is Jesus. There is no cross, no resurrection, no redemption. This song could be used in Old Testament worship, or for people who only know God as creator. For that matter, it could be used in a Islamic setting, if such a group was inclined to use praise songs like this. This song, and many like, could be dramatically strengthened by centering our praise on Jesus in light of the salvation we have in his name. We praise our God, not just for his might and creating power, but chiefly for his love and mercy. These elements would have to be provided by the context. I would only use this song if it were immediately leading into or flowing out of a cross-centered, Christ-saturated meditation of God's grace. How Great is our God
This is a very simple, sing-able, easily learned song of praise, worship God in his glory and power. This is the god of Isaiah 6 and Revelation 1, the almighty Lord over all the heavens and the earth who holds us and all things in his hands. The cross is not in view here, and neither is the incarnation, or anything that's humble. The only reference to Jesus is as the Son, the second person of the Trinity. There is not much to distinguish this song from many other pure praise songs, as the words are very typical. The allusion to the Trinity is very welcome. I'm glad that it was included in this song, and hope that more worship songs, especially those coming from Worship Together would follow this lead. In a time of spiritual curiosity and spiritual confusion, it is very important to be very specific regarding the God that we worship. The Trinitarian reference also identifies this as a Christian song. Yes, there are many examples of pure praise like this in the Old Testament, especially psalms, but we are New Testament Christians, to whom God has been revealed in the cross and the resurrection, and so it is always appropriate and important to ground our praise in the saving works of God. So it is important with this song, as in the case of all of the "Pure Praise" genre, that the context of worship be very Christo-centric and Gospel-saturated. Our worship of God is not just about his majesty, but also about his mercy. We worship not just in fear (Law), but in faith (Gospel). Lord I Lift Your
Name on High
This is a classic Contemporary anthem. It combines the objective events of the cross, with the subjective joyful embracing of that salvation. The tune is extremely learnable and catchy. and has resulted in this being one of the most enduring and popular contemporary songs. Verses like this one frequently come under fire with the accusation that it is self-focused. We're singing about singing. I'm rejoicing about my rejoicing in Christ. Is there anything wrong with this? Just look through the Psalms and you will find numerous examples to support this practice. If you have any doubt at all about the propriety of singing about our singing, and praising about praising, please read through the Psalms. This in not man-centered, but Christ-centered. These psalms and songs are modeling the response that the Spirit would bring forth in us to the goodness of Christ and being in his presence. The chorus presents in very few words the incarnation, atonement, resurrection and ascension. Not bad for just a few lines. It rehearses the mighty acts of God in Christ, and leads into joyful praise in response to this good news. As a very general anthem, it can be used in numerous setting through the church year.
At first glance, we might wonder whether there is any substance to this song. Or even what we're praying for. Is this a desire for a mystical experience? A vision of heaven? At face value, it expresses a longing to "see" the Lord as the exalted one, a vision of glory. The repeated "holy holy holy" calls to mind Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6. The song seems to be praying for that type of vision. But I believe there is more to the desire and the context. Read Ephesians 1:17-23. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Eph 1:17-23). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.)
This song is a personalized prayer based on Paul's prayer for the
Ephesians. We should read and understand Paul Baloche's words
in light of these verses. St. Paul prays that the eyes of the
Ephesians hearts are opened in order to know the fullness of
Christ's blessings for them and his exalted power and position in
the divine scheme of things. The Lord who appeared to Isaiah
is now the Lord Christ who rules over all the world for the sake of
the church. We pray that his love and power be poured out on
his church as it worships, and as it lifts his name through its
ministry.
So this song is quite appropriate and biblical. The fact that Paul Baloche used an economy of words in his personalization of St. Paul's prayer doesn't take anything away from its power and passion. A caution is in order, however. Because of the economy of words, this songs requires a good context in order to bring out its' meaning. The fact that we're singing about Jesus, and that he is lifted up because of the cross and resurrection needs to be present in the context of worship, either spoken, or supplied by the other songs around it. This song can be used in the opening of worship, as the congregation prepares to hear God's word. An interesting use of it in a semi-liturgical fashion would be in place of the Sanctus. Then it becomes a prayer that we see in the Sacrament the reality of what is taking place. Shout to the Lord
This song has been so popular in the past several years, and so well-loved, I wonder if it will be the “How Great Thou Art” of the Boomer and younger generation. Its popularity, in some views, has even moved it beyond the “song” category into the “hymn” category, recognizing its place in Christian worship around the world. There is no doubt about the strength of the music that Darlene Zschech has wrote for this text. It has a powerful and memorable chorus, making use of a very familiar chord progression, so that even at first hearing, a congregation senses where the song is going. I have experienced this song, both as worshiper and worship leader, lifting people right up out of their seats, almost without their realizing it, as they get caught up in its emotive power. The text is a powerful acclamation of praise for God, primarily as creator and preserver, and very reminiscent of Psalm 98 and Psalm 100. God the creator is to be worshiped not only by all people, but also by creation itself. Surprisingly, then, coming from a very Trinitarian conscious background, the first line of the verse addresses this praise specifically at Jesus. He is worshiped and praised for his love and the promise that we have in him. He is a comfort and a shelter. This is a classic praise chorus. It speaks praise and gives glory to Christ, but never gets around to unpacking the reason for our praise and glory. The cross is nowhere in sight and must be supplied by the context in which this song is used. The “mighty love” of Jesus is our comfort and shelter above all because it led him to take all of our sins as wells as the death we deserved upon himself. But instead of pointing to either the cross or the empty tomb, this song points to creation, and to the worshiper. I praise, I worship, I sing, I stand. While the subjective element in worship is very important (see My Perspective), this text borders on overdoing. It’s more about what we do and are to do, than what God has done. I point this out as a caution. Once again, the use of this song demands a context that is very Christ and cross-centered. The ultimate meaning comes from the heart of the believer. As I contemplate the Lord’s love for me in going to the cross for me, I certainly do want to “Shout to the Lord” along with all people and all of creation. But, in my estimation, if instead of repeating the verse, which is often done when this song is used, Darlene had composed another verse that clearly proclaims the gospel, this song would be even more powerful. The Heart of Worship
Worship is not about us, our talents, our likes or dislikes. It's not about my excitement, my emotions, or my traditions. As this song puts it, it's all about Jesus. This is a song about worshiping in "spirit and in truth" (John 4:24) and the desire to come before the Lord with a pure heart. True worship isn't about the externals -- the songs, the liturgy, the sanctuary itself. These are all meaningless without the worship of the heart. The same sentiment is expressed in frequently in the Psalms and prophets. Psalm 50 is a good example. Both traditional and contemporary worship run the danger of missing the worship of the heart. But the worship of the heart is not about excitement or emotion, as is sometimes seems to be the goal in some contemporary worship. It's more about sincerity, honesty, transparency, and openness before the Lord. Whether speaking the words of the liturgy, or praising with hands in the air, genuineness is what the Lord desires. I've often thought of this song as one especially written for worship bands. It would be an excellent song to sing as a band devotion either before or after worship or at practice. But the message the worship is simply about Jesus is one to be embraced by all. Now, in using this song, in thinking about worship on the basis of this song, it's important to keep in mind a difference between the way the Evangelical community speaks about worship and the that Lutherans speak about worship. Lutherans are very intent on (rightly) pointing out that worship starts with God, and the chief action in worship is God's giving to us his gifts of grace in Word and Sacrament. The Evangelical focus is more on our response to God, our activity, and the praise we lift to Him, the offering we bring. Matt Redmond is clearly coming at worship from this second perspective. But in this case, and in many other songs, the Lutheran worship leader needs to keep in mind that just because this song focuses on having a genuine response to Christ, it doesn't deny that worship begins in the heart of God. This can be supplied by the context of worship in which this song is used.
Trading My Sorrows
Thre We Fall
Down
This song appears to be based on Revelation 4:9-11, which reads, "Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 'You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.'" Technically speaking, the elders fall down and lay their crowns before the throne of the almighty. Then the song to the Lamb follows in chapter 5. So the song doesn't follow Revelation 4 and 5 in a literalistic sense, but rather makes use of the imagery and metaphors to refer to our worship of Jesus. This song rightly links our worship of Jesus to his "mercy and love." Although the cross is not mentioned explicitly, it is the place of the mercy and love. And the metaphor of the Lamb is all about the cross, as the place of the Lamb's sacrifice. The point is that in response to the mercy and love of the Lamb, we lay down our lives and all we are before Jesus, crying out to him that he is holy. This is a great song of praise, that directs us squarely toward Jesus. From a liturgical standpoint, this song could be used as a Sanctus or an Agnus Dei. You
Are My All in All
This is a great song. It clearly points us to Jesus who is our forgiveness and strength. Or in the words of the song, my "all in all." The verses give the reasons why Jesus is our all in all, and then lead into the chorus, which praises Jesus for being that all in all. Calling Jesus the Lamb of God always takes us to the cross and the sacrifice which gives us so great a salvation. There is an economy of words, but with very few words, a comforting, strength-giving picture of Jesus is held before us. On top of all that, the tune is very sing-able, quickly learned, and also lends itself to being sung canon style. This song is appropriate in so many settings: as a praise song, a lenten devotion, communion mediation. Enough said: Great worship song. |
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