Blog Post – Process for Reviewing Lyrics

I’ve been asked by several people about my process for Berean Test reviews, including More Than a Song host Michelle Nezat in a recent interview.  While my Evaluation Criteria page lays out the four sections I examine, message, Biblical accuracy, outsider, and inherent glorification of God, it does not provide a step-by-step process for examining lyrics.

I hope that this short post blesses you by providing a framework to “Berean Test” your favorite music.

1. Pray.  This is perhaps the most important step in my review process.  I pray to God, thanking Him for using me to create this website.  I ask for wisdom and discernment (Matthew 7:7-11), that He would guide me through each step of the way (Psalm 25:4-5, Psalm 32:8, Psalm 37:23-24, Psalm 119:105, and Proverbs 1:5).
2. Listen to/read the song.  After prayer, I’ll listen to the artist’s song while simultaneously reading their lyrics.  I prefer to listen while I read because it touches on more than one of my senses, helping me to think deeply about what the artist communicates.
3. Look for the main point/theme.  Usually, this can be found in Chorus or song title.  For example, in Bryan & Katie Torwalt’s Holy Spirit, the title and Chorus tell us that this song is about the Holy Spirit.  In hymns without a Chorus, I look for the opening Verse.  For example, in John Newton’s Amazing Grace, the first Verse is about Newton’s transformation from lost to found based on God’s undeserved favor.
4. Look for other, secondary points.  The song’s main idea gives us a framework for interpreting the rest of the song.  It’s important to interpret lyrics in the context of the song’s main point/theme.  Using the first example in #3, we see that the Holy Spirit is greater, Bryan & Katie Torwalt experienced Him firsthand, and asks to become more aware of His Presence.
5. Compare lyrics to Scripture.  On my Resources page, I provide websites that I frequent for Berean Test reviews. Using the first example in #3, from previous studies, I knew that 2 Timothy 1:14 says that the Holy Spirit resides in me.  What about other Verses?  I use Open Bible’s cross-reference tool to find similar Verses, which I can study in context and cross-reference again.
6. Look for unclear/questionable lyrics.  When I examine lyrics, I ask myself some important questions.  If I knew next to nothing about Christianity, who or what would I think this song is about?  Are there any lyrics that might be unsupported or contrary to Scripture?  If there are no proper nouns that explicitly name God (e.g.; God, Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Holy Spirit, Lord, etc.), are there acts/attributes in the lyrics that identify the pronouns “You”, “He”, or others?
7. Ask for help.  There’s an occasional head-scratcher that requires a second opinion.  I’ve searched on Google, created Reddit posts, and asked my mentors/pastors for advice.
8. Learn from mistakes.  I’m not a perfect person.  While I don’t intend to create reviews with errors, I keep an open mind for commenters who help me consider different ideas.  If their commentary makes sense with Biblical support, I’ll adopt it.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to post a comment!