Photo by Kevin Noble
I don’t remember when I first heard Praise You In This Storm, but I remember enjoying this Casting Crowns hit, occasionally hearing it on the radio to and from community college. I wasn’t a Christian at that time (though I called myself one); However, I found it positive and uplifting at the time.
Now that I’ve become a follower of Jesus for about ten years, this review allows me to review it under the lens of Scripture.
I’ve been happy with Casting Crowns’ work based on three reviews I’ve done, namely, Nobody, What This World Needs, and If We Are The Body. I have high hopes that Praise You In This Storm will do well.
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Casting-crowns-praise-you-in-this-storm-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.
1. What message does the song communicate?
Casting Crowns prays in faith for God to do something about their situation. God responds that He will be with them, choosing not to remove Casting Crowns. Knowing that God has the power to give and take away, Casting Crowns responds with praise and worship amid their pain.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
This song is Biblical.
[Verse 1]
Lines 1-6: Though Casting Crowns prayed in faith for God to rescue them from their problems, they continue to say “so be it”, acknowledging that their prayers, perhaps in Jesus’ name, are in accordance to God’s will and glory (John 14:13 and 1 John 5:14).
[Pre-Chorus]
Lines 1-4: The still, small voice of God (1 Kings 19:11-13) reminds Casting Crowns that He is still with them (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20). His Presence is the mercy that Casting Crowns speaks.
Lines 5-7: Much like Job, who was given much that was later taken away, blesses God and refusing to blame Him (Job 1:21-22), Casting Crowns praises God amid his storm.
[Chorus]
Lines 1 and 2: See commentary on Pre-Chorus, lines 5-7.
Lines 3 and 4: God is I AM. Period (Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58).
Lines 5 and 6: Psalm 56:8 describes this as placing our tears in God’s bottle. God is aware of our suffering and wants us to cast them upon Him (Psalm 37:5, Psalm 55:22, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:7).
Lines 7-9: See commentary in Pre-Chorus, lines 1-7.
[Verse 2]
Lines 1-3: Describes Casting Crown’s migration 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). They stumbled because they were in darkness (Proverbs 4:19, John 1:5, John 3:19-21, and John 11:10).
NOTE: I chose the Genius link because it has Verse/Prechorus designations; However, line 2 is missing the word “You” after the word “to”.
Lines 4 and 5: Casting Crowns depends on God for strength in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).
[Bridge]
Lines 1-4: Quotes from Psalm 121:1-2. The help that God provides is not always removing us from our issues. Sometimes, His assistance is to comfort us (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Lines 5-8: See lines 1-4.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Casting Crowns is clear in their communication and uses terminology that unbelievers will easily digest. Those who do not yet follow Jesus should arrive at the same conclusion as my statements in section 1. It helps that Casting Crowns explicitly uses the name of God and declares Him as their Maker.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God as the One who is there for us when we experience hardship as Casting Crowns responds with worship.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Casting Crowns’ Praise You In This Storm is superior. It calls us to make our petitions to God with His will in mind. Regardless of how God responds, He will be with us. For this, we praise and worship Him, bringing Him glory. Outsiders to Christianity will have little to no problem interpreting this song.
I highly recommend it for corporate worship.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Praise You In This Storm (listen to the song)
Artist: Casting Crowns
Album: Lifesong
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2005
Duration: 4:57
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
03/23/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
Comments
John Huggon
This is the first time I’ve seen a review of this song in Christian circles. How poignant for me- it’s been released on my birthday, of all days! I feel I can’t let this pass without a word of testimony about this song. I play/sing it almost daily because it has revolutionised my life, and that’s no exaggeration.
After keeping a very testing marriage going for 22 years, and enduring the aftermath of its ultimate failure 14 years ago, I have been thoroughly discouraged by so many well-meaning Christians. “Oh, your breakthrough is coming!”, “Trust God, he’ll come through for you in his own good timing!” etc, ad nauseam. These sort of comments are, unfortunately, a flip side of being in a church with “pentecostal” experience members, some of whom are quick to espouse “Word of Faith”/”Prosperity gospel” euphemisms without really considering whether they are correct/accurate or not.
Having discovered this song a few years ago a lot of pieces of the jigsaw of my life started to come together. One of my favourite YouTube clips of this is a live concert in which Mark Hall explained the background to the song, and the testimony of Erin Browning. He finished his introduction with something similar to, “what God has been showing me is that, sometimes, He rescues us from the storms; and sometimes He just rides the storms with us. Either way, blessed be the name of the Lord! This is Erin’s song.” Praise God, now my life started to make sense. Finally I realised why all the “Word of Faith”/”Prosperity gospel” pseudo-encouragement left me feeling so deflated, discouraged and disillusioned.
I have come to actually hate hearing the word “breakthrough” in church. It promises so much, but often fails to deliver. I’ve stopped waiting for my financial/occupational/relationship breakthroughs and I’ve surrendered to God’s plans, whatever they be, trusting that He is all things working for the good of his people, not just my own, individual, spoilt-brat, personal blessing. Think of those who’ve paid the ultimate price for their relationship with God. Did they get their “kingdom now” material blessings in this life? No, but their examples of faith aroused a greater hunger than otherwise for many who knew them.
“When Satan tempts me to despair…”, I pray for deliverance/breakthrough etc. No! I stop praying, I start praising. Nothing lifts the veil of despair like praise… in each and every storm. I’m known for my cheerfulness at church, but few know my backstory. When I do share it leaves people open-mouthed at what I’m still enduring, but encouraged at how the Lord keeps me going. That’s the Romans 8:28 good that God is working for those who love Him, not necessarily the ego-centric good of any one individual. I’ve stopped complaining about the mess of my life, I’ve given up praying for the breakthroughs that are clearly, from a dispassionate viewpoint, not part of His plan for my life.
Sorry for the rambling, I hope it helps someone out there not to give up on God when things are tough. I pray especially that anyone whose life is currently being blighted by “prosperity gospel” and similar false teachings will be able to see a different perspective and will let Jesus ride the storms with you.
Again, if it helps anyone, here’s an article that helps me:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-brings-us-suffering-for-others-sake
Vince Wright
John,
Thank you for your testimony! There is nothing to apologize for.
If you’ve read some of my other reviews, I am a staunch “enemy” of the Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel. This song is a great “antidote” for those who have been deceived by these false promises of guaranteed health and prosperity by praying in the name of Jesus or saying the sinners’ prayer.
Also, I gave Breakthrough an overall score of 4.5/10.
-Vince Wright
John Huggon
Hi Vince, thanks for your reply. That has encouraged me so much, as well as the original article. For so long I said nothing because I was intimidated, both by my ex-wife and church leadership, into thinking I was the only one who didn’t agree with the Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel stuff.I am gradually, albeit rather late in life, finding the confidence to speak out on these issues. I shall indeed have a good look at your other reviews.
Many thanks
John
Neal Cruco
I love this song. When I read lines 3 and 4 of the chorus just now, Hebrews 13:8 immediately came to mind- “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Vince Wright
Neal,
It’s one of my favorites during my college years! I can see how you got Hebrews 13:8 out of these lines.
-Vince Wright
Dan
“Though my heart is torn, I will praise you in the storm”.
Just wow! what a amazing lyric.
“Praise You In This Storm” is definitely one of the most powerful contemporary Christian songs ever written. I agree that it is fully Biblical and certainly a song of both encouragement as well as a wise reminder that God is with the believer through thick and thin. It’s a song that King David himself could have written (indeed some of the lyrics are from David’s Psalm 121).
Now, whether it is a song that a congregation can sing along with in a worship setting might be debatable. It’s has a melody and rhythmic complexity that might be tough for people to sing to. Better to perform it and have an audience listen.
Vince Wright
Dan,
Thank you for your comments!
I agree with you 100%.
-Vince Wright
WonderOfGod
I think you should take into account melody and rhythmic complexity before recommending for corporate worship. Maybe instead of a Yes/No, make a third option, “Conditional Yes”?
Vince Wright
WonderOfGod,
Thank you for your suggestion! However, The Berean Test doesn’t examine the song’s rhythmic complexity. My Evaluation Criteria page makes it clear what a recommendation means:
“A recommendation for corporate worship is based on the song’s message, biblical accuracy, outsider interpretation, and inherent glorification of God, alongside its ability to lead others to proclaim to God His value and worth. However, if you believe that corporately worshipping with an artist’s song endorses said artist’s questionable theology, then I recommend avoiding it.”
I’ve also asked my audience to read the criteria page before examining my reviews. That way, they know that my reviews don’t have other considerations in which I have no expertise, including melody and rhythmic complexity.
I hope this helps.
-Vince Wright
Gurtej
Does the word give and take away mean that God destroys people and their kids or their careers I’m confused? Sorry for stupid question
Vince Wright
Gurtej,
Great question!
It means that everything we have is a gift from God. For Job, it was children, livestock, a loving wife, friends, and servants. Based on God’s sovereignty over creation, Job acknowledges that God gave those gifts to him. He did not come into this world with these gifts and he will leave them behind after he dies. God has every right to give and take them away. Other people might curse God and choose not to follow Him for taking away things like our wellbeing, children, and careers. That wasn’t Job’s attitude. As it says in Job 1:22: “Despite all this, Job did not sin, nor did he blame God.”
We, like Job, don’t always understand why God allows such things to continue (Job 42:2–3). Yet, where else can we go? He has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
For a more in-depth explanation, see https://www.gotquestions.org/the-Lord-gives-and-the-Lord-takes-away.html.
-Vince Wright