Benjamin William Hastings – Abandoned

Benjamin William Hastings has been a writer for the Hillsong megachurch since 2013. He released his self-titled album in 2022, as well as the curiously informative 2023 release of Songs You Maybe Didn’t Know I Wrote and Some You Maybe Did (Live at Sound Emporium) (Co-authored with Worship Together).

Also, check out my review of Eden (Isn’t It Just Like You?).

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.  I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.

1. What message does the song communicate?

This song is about God/Jesus exchanging Hastings’ sin and shame for His righteousness, which bewilders, confuses, and confounds Hastings.  Grateful for Jesus’ sacrifice, he yields, giving up everything to follow Him.  All dominion, power, and glory belong to Him.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The whole shebang.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Somethin’ isn’t adding up
This wild exchange You offer us
I gave my worst, You gave Your blood
Seems hard to believe

The great exchange (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24) seems too good to be true but it is true.

You’re tellin’ me You chose the Cross?
You’re tellin’ me I’m worth that much?
Well, if that’s the measure of Your love
How else would I sing?

In one sense, the value that someone or something has is based on the price that someone else is willing to pay for it.  Hastings’ life, in the eyes of Jesus, is worth the price He paid, demonstrating His love for Hastings (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

[Chorus]

But completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned
I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored
My one-life endeavor
To match Your surrender
To mirror not my will, but Yours

Hastings surrenders to God (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6)

Oh, I’m completеly, deeply, don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned

Essentially repeats line 1, which includes a Casper the friendly ghost reference.

[Post-Chorus]

Oh, I surrеnder all

Same Casper reference while summarizing Chorus.

[Verse 2]

I just can’t get over it
What kind of self-control is this?
When You had angels at Your fingertips

That is, minimally 12 legions of angels (Matthew 26:53).  A legion being between 3,000 to 6,000.

But on the Cross You remained
And I can’t repay that kind of love
But I can praise with everything I’ve got

This is part of the surrender in Chorus.

Since death had all of it’s power robbed
Then just like the grave

Christ defeated death (Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13:14, Luke 20:35-36, 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, 2 Timothy 1:10, and Hebrews 2:14)

[Bridge]

The whole of my heart, the best of my soul
Each phase of my life, each breath in my lungs
Consider it Yours, Lord
Consider it Yours, Lord
The failures I hide, the victories I don’t
The battles I fight, each crown that I hoard

See Chorus.

Consider it Yours, Lord
Consider it Yours, Lord

Repeats lines 3 and 4.

All the glory forever, the grave that You won

The first part states that He has all the glory (Exodus 16:7, Exodus 24:17, Exodus 40:34-35, Leviticus 9:23, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 8:1, Psalm 19:1-4, Isaiah 6:1-3, Isaiah 40:5, Isaiah 42:8, Isaiah 58:8, Isaiah 60:1, Habakkuk 2:14, John 1:14, John 17:22, Romans 3:23, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Philippians 4:19, Hebrews 1:1-3, Revelation 21:10-14, and Revelation 21:23).

The second part is a rewording of Verse 2, lines 7 and 8.

The praise of the Heavens, the kingdom to come

Luke 2:13-14 and Revelation 7:11-12 are the most common passages that support the first part.  As for the second, this borrows from Matthew 6:10.

Oh, consider it Yours, Lord
Consider it Yours

Essentially repeats lines 3 and 4, though with yet another Casper call-out.

[Outro]

No, You’ll never leave me abandoned

He will not leave Hastings (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:8-9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 118:6, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Hebrews 13:5-6).

I surrender all

Repeats Post-Chorus.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Verse 1’s opening lines, that someone gave their blood and the mention of the cross are dead giveaways that this is a Christian song.  They will easily conclude that Hastings gives their life to Jesus who did the same for them when they sacrificed themselves on the cross.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus as the One worthy of praise, honor, glory, and allegiance for His payment of lawbreaking.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Benjamin William Hastings’ Abandoned is a garden-variety worship song.  It touches on the same subjects you’d expect to see in worship music: Jesus’ death on the cross, the resurrection, and the writer’s response in surrender and worship.  These bring Him glory.  Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

This song is suitable for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Abandoned (listen to the song)

Artist: Benjamin William Hastings

Album:  N/A

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year:  2024

Duration: 5:06

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*Copyright © 2024 SHOUT MP Brio (BMI) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / Writers Roof Publishing (BMI) Songs For TIM (BMI) CDavs Music (BMI) Capitol CMG Paragon (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com), Brandon Lake Music (ASCAP) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com).  All rights reserved. Used by permission.