Casting Crowns – Who Am I

Casting crowns began as a youth worship band started by youth pastor Mark Hall.  It morphed and exploded into popularity over the years.

Casting Crowns released several albums and one EP, including:

• Casting Crowns (2001)
• What If the Whole World Prayed (2002)
• Casting Crowns (2003)
• Live from Atlanta (2004)
• Lifesong (2005)
• Lifesong Live (2006)
• The Altar and the Door (2007)
• Peace on Earth (2008)
• The Altar and the Door Live (2008)
• Until the Whole World Hears (2009)
• Until the Whole World Hears… Live (2010)
• Come to the Well (2011)
• The Acoustic Sessions: Volume One (2013)
• Thrive (2014)
• A Live Worship Experience (2015)
• Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith (2015)
• The Very Next Thing (2016)
• It’s Finally Christmas (EP, 2017)
• Only Jesus (2018)
• Voice of Truth: The Ultimate Collection (2019)
• New York Sessions (2019)
• Scars in Heaven (2021)
• Healer (2022)

Also, check out my reviews of The Power of the Cross, Oh My Soul, Praise You In This Storm, Nobody, What This World Needs, and If We Are The Body.

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 is in awe, bewildered that God, who is all-knowing and the supreme ruler of creation, would pay close attention to their dealings.  Though Casting Crowns is wicked, frail, mortal, and undeserving of God’s love, God guides them towards righteousness, calling them to become His adopted heirs and hearing their every prayer.  It is God’s character that compels Him to act.  Since God is with Casting Crowns, why should they be afraid of people?

Score: 10/10

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

This song takes most of its content directly from Scripture, with everything else in alignment with God’s inspired Word.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Who is Casting Crowns that God would be mindful of them, that He would care about their plight (Psalm 8:4)?  The “bright and morning star” is Jesus (Revelation 22:16), not the fallen star, which is either Satan or the King of Babylon, depending on one’s interpretation of Isaiah 14:1-12.

It also proclaims God as soverign over creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11).

[Pre-Chorus]

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are

Clever wording to say that God’s care for us is based on Himself, not our performance and sin-stained nature.  He died for us while we were lawbreakers (Romans 5:6-8).  He is love (1 John 4:8).

[Chorus]

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind

These are three examples of Casting Crown’s earthly existence that will quickly, from God’s eternal perspective, end in death.  The first is found in Psalm 103:15 and the third in James 4:14, while the second makes a similar point using aquatic terminology.

Still, You hear me when I’m calling

Despite Casting Crowns’ mortal existence, God promises to hear them (1 John 5:14).

Lord, You catch me when I’m falling

He also helps Casting Crowns when they give into temptation (Psalm 145:14 and 1 John 2:1-2).

And You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

That is, adopted sons of the Most High God (John 1:12-13, John 14:18, Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:1-8, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 4:5-7, Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:11-22, Hebrews 9:15, and 1 John 3:1-3).

[Verse 2]

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

My Spiritual Formations pastor recently did a sermon on the Hebrew word Hesed, which is difficult for translators to convert to English.  He offered Michael Card’s definition of this word, which is “When the person from whom I have a right to expect nothing gives me everything”.  What a great summary of this amazing word!  We who are dead in sin do not deserve God’s forgiveness, yet, He offers to make us alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

These lines also reference God’s omniscience (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20) and Jesus who calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23–27, Mark 4:35–41, and Luke 8:22–25).

[Outro]

Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
‘Cause I am Yours, I am Yours

No one.  What can man to do Casting Crowns (Psalm 27:1, Psalm 118:6, Isaiah 51:12, and Hebrews 13:6)?

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Casting Crowns intermixes Christianese with everyday language, choosing Biblical concepts that unbelievers could comprehend.  Terms such as “Lord of all the earth” and “the voice that calmed the sea” will point them towards Jesus, though I am uncertain if they know that the “Bright and morning star” is also Christ.  Almost the rest of the song is easily understood.

The only thing that unbelievers might misinterpret is the word “sin”.  For most, sin is not breaking God’s laws, but mere mistakes we make.

Score: 8/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It proclaims and glorifies God as the ultimate authority on earth, whose essence and lovingkindness causes Casting Crowns to remember what He has done.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Casting Crowns’ Who Am I is amazing.  They express their aweness, that the God of creation who rules, knows all, and performs miraculous acts such as calming the seas, would pay any attention to them, much less make them His sons.  Though they expect nothing from God, He has given them everything, compelling Casting Crowns to say good riddance to fear, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers should comprehend most of it, except the Biblical concept of sin and the title “Bright and morning star” belonging to Jesus.

I highly recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Who Am I (listen to the song)

Artist: Casting Crowns

Album: Casting Crowns

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2003

Duration: 5:36

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*Copyright © 2003 My Refuge Music (BMI) Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com).  All rights reserved. Used by permission.