Love

Photo by Jez Timms

by Vince Wright | September 11, 2024 | 11:59 am

Brandon Lake is an American worship leader who formerly worked for Bethel Music and Maverick City Music.  He released four albums and one EP, including:

  • Closer (2016)
  • House of Miracles (2020)
  • House of Miracles (Live) (2021)
  • Almond Eyes (EP, 2021)
  • Help! (2022)
  • Coat of Many Colors (2023)

He won 21 different awards, more than I care to list out.

Also, check out my other Brandon Lake reviews.

Contemporary Christian artist Phil Wickham was 18 years old when he began his career in 2002.  Since then, he released 11 albums, including:

  • Give You My World (2003)
  • Phil Wickham (2006)
  • Cannons (2007)
  • Heaven & Earth (2009)
  • Response (2011)
  • The Ascension (2013)
  • Children of God (2016)
  • Living Hope (2018)
  • Christmas (2019)
  • Hymn of Heaven (2021)
  • Hymn of Heaven (Acoustic Sessions) (2022)
  • I Believe (2023)

He received four Dove awards for his work, including Songwriter of the Year – Artist (2022), Worship Recorded Song of the Year (2019, 2022), and Worship Album of the Year (2022).

Also, check out my other Phil Wickham reviews and Christmas review, Creator.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Phil-wickham-and-brandon-lake-love-of-god-lyrics.

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 Brandon Lakes theology by visiting Resources.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Jesus is:

  • Creator
  • Sacrifice for sins
  • Perfection
  • Ruler
  • Unfathomably loving
  • Illumination that chases out darkness

In response, Lake and Wickham:

  • Worships Christ
  • Repents

Score: 10/10

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

It does.  It just does.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: As summarized in Philippians 2:5-8.  He Jesus is also Creator (John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:15-16).

[Pre-Chorus 1]

Lines 1-4: Lake and Wickham ask and answer their own question: Only Jesus is the perfect God (Isaiah 53:9, Matthew 27:24, John 19:4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 2:21-23, and 1 John 3:5) who is a King (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 11:10, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 1:32-33, John 12:15, John 18:37, 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Revelation 17:14, and Revelation 19:11-16) who paid the price for Lake and Wickham’s lawbreaking (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15-26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9) out of love (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:7-8).

Lake and Wickham will sing this truth to the masses (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 98:1, and Psalm 149:1).

[Chorus]

Lines 1-4: Covered in Pre-Chorus 1.

Side Note: Chorus’ last iteration mentions Jesus by name as an ad-lib.

[Verse 2]

Line 1: Quotes from Romans 2:4.

Line 2: His light drives out darkness (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).

Line 3: The word ‘Hallelujah” is a compound Hebrew phrase, with “hallelu” meaning “a joyous praise in song” and “jah” or “yah”, which refers to the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Put together, we are singing “we joyfully praise God in song” when we use this word.

The rest is covered in Pre-Chorus 1.

Line 4: Describes their trajectory from deadness in sin to alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Pre-Chorus 2]

Line 1: References Acts 12:7 as an illustration of Verse 2, line 4.

Line 2: References Jesus’ conquest over 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).

Line 3: Rags is referenced in Isaiah 64:6 and riches in Matthew 6:19-21.

Line 4: Repeats Pre-Chorus 1, line 4.

[Bridge]

Lines 1-9: Lake and Wickham find Christ’s love for them incomprehensible.

Line 10: Repeats Pre-Chorus 1, line 1.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Almost the same way a Christian would.  It’s about Jesus’ love for people, that He died and rose again to save the lost from “sin”.  However, the word “sin” for them is more likely to be mistakes than lawbreaking.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Jesus, as the Savior of mankind.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Brandon Lake & Phil Wickham’s Love Of God is great.  It focuses on the Gospel of Jesus, that He is God, perfect, King, and Creator, who became a frail human being to pay the penalty for our lawbreaking.  He rose again, and gave death a swift kick in the pants, proving how much He loves.  In response, His followers worship him through praise and honor Him with their repentance.  These bring Him glory.  Aside from potentially misunderstanding the word “sin”, unbelievers should easily interpret this similarly.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Love Of God (listen to the song)

Artist: Brandon Lake & Phil Wickham

Album: N/A

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2024

Duration: 5:24

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

Comments

emmajohnhunt

The ‘kick in the pants’ comment gave me a LOL.

Sep 11.2024 | 08:51 pm

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