Photo by Pawel Czerwinski
Chris Davenport has been a regular songwriter and worship leader for Hillsong since 2011. He has also written for Bethel Music and collaborated with Brandon Lake, Cody Carnes, and Phil Wickham on projects. He released his debut album, Time, this year, along with its signature song: Plead the Blood.
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1. What message does the song communicate?
Davenport acknowledges that he broke God’s laws, gratefully dependent on the shed blood of Jesus to rescue him from eternal death. He illustrates this with an account in the Old Testament, namely, the angel of death that passed over houses painted with lamb’s blood. He tells death that he can’t have him or his family; his fate will be burning in the fiery lake. Christ is his bulwark and will glorify Davenport, who in turn will glorify Jesus.
The only issue is “The enemy can’t take my family”, chiefly, that the enemy can and has taken family from us, alluring them to abandon God.
Side Note: To those who are annoyed by massive repetition, “Nothing but the blood” shows up 11 times in Bridge.
Score: 8/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Almost all of this song is based on Scripture, except for the opening of Verse 2.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
Side Note: I did the best I could to structure the song based on the lyrics in https://genius.com/Chris-davenport-plead-the-blood-lyrics, as well as the audio that accompanies it.
[Verse 1]
Here and now, I draw a boundary
Against every weapon that’s formed
This is based on Isaiah 54:17.
The thief and his plans will pass over
When he sees the red on the door
References Exodus 12:1-30, with the enemy identified as death.
I plead the blood
If Davenport went before God in a courtroom setting and asked, “what do you plea”? Instead of saying “guilty”, he would say “I plead the blood of Jesus”. That is, the shed blood of Jesus (Matthew 27:27-50, Mark 15:16-32, Luke 23:26-43, and John 19:16-27).
[Verse 2]
The enemy can’t take my family
‘Cause this home belongs to the Lord
Borrows from Joshua 24:15; However, there are a few issues with the first line:
- While the enemy cannot be taken spiritually by force, they can be taken physically. For a prominent example of this, see Job 1:18-19.
- Even if we were to take this spiritually, while the enemy cannot forcibly take our family, he can draw them away from Christ with temptation. Matthew 18:6 contains a warning against anyone who tempts children away from Him. Of course, people will not heed it and children will fall victim to the enemy’s schemes. Thus, it stands to reason that “The enemy can’t take my family” cannot be true.
So I’m not afraid to remind him
That he has no claim in this war
Death is thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).
[Chorus (1)]
I plead the blood
I plead the blood of Jesus
I plead the blood
I plead the blood of Jesus
Repeats/essentially repeats Verse 1, line 5.
[Verse 3]
‘Cause my future is glory to glory
Davenport will be glorified (Matthew 13:43, Romans 8:21, and Romans 8:30) and will glorify Jesus (1 Corinthians 10:31, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, Colossians 3:17-23, and 1 Peter 4:11).
My freedom’s been purchased in full
Jesus’ sacrifice paid for Davenport’s freedom (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).
For all of the weight of His suffering
The Lamb will receive His reward
According to Revelation 5:12-13, the slain lamb, Jesus, will receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.
[Chorus (2)]
I plead the blood
I plead the blood of Jesus
It’s more than enough
I plead the blood of Jesus
Repeats/essentially repeats Verse 1, line 5. Also, for line 3, He is Davenport’s portion (Numbers 18:20, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 18:2, Joshua 13:33, Psalm 16:5, Psalm 23:5, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 142:5, Psalm 119:57, Psalm 142:5, Lamentations 3:24, and Ezekiel 44:28).
[Post-Chorus]
My shield and my shelter
It’s my defense
I claim it over and over again
As written in Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 22:3-4, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 34:22, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 61:3, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 118:8, Psalm 121:7-8, Psalm 138:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 30:5, Nahum 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and 1 John 5:18.
[Spontaneous]
Plead the blood
Plead the blood
Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 5.
Oh thank You for the blood
Davenport is grateful for the shed blood of Jesus.
Oh thank You for the blood
Repeats line 3.
[Bridge]
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood
Nothing can for sin atone
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood
Nothing good that I have done
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood
Nothing but the blood
For my future this I plea
Nothing but the blood
All of these lyrics borrow from Robert Lowry’s hymn Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, though lines 7 and 16 are slight variations and several repeats of “Nothing but the blood”. Only Jesus can save (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12).
Score: 8/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
This song is replete with Christianese language, making it easy for them to interpret it as such. Pleading the blood of Jesus, as well as quoting from a famous hymn in Bridge, are dead giveaways.
They will probably not know what the “red on the door” means without researching it or having a clear understanding of who the enemy is. They will also likely misunderstand “sin” as error and not lawbreaking. However, despite this song’s heavy reliance on Christian terminology, they can cobble together a coherent summary: Davenport depends on Jesus’ shed blood to save them from their enemy and thanks Him for it. There is no other path to salvation.
Many unbelievers know that “The enemy can’t take my family” isn’t true because they have walked away from the faith, which has caused a rift between them and their families. From their perspective, it wasn’t the enemy that drew them out.
Score: 7/10
4. What does this song glorify?
Although Davenport is glorified, his glory will be to glorify Christ. Thus, Jesus is ultimately glorified both explicitly. Implicit are Davenport’s statements that Jesus’ blood is the only way to salvation, that the Son of God is his shield, and that he is thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice. However, it does not glorify God when “The enemy can’t take my family” is not true.
Score: 8/10
Closing Comments
Chris Davenport’s Plead the Blood is mostly excellent for believers. It calls us to remember to thank Jesus for what He did for us, depending on Him to be our Savior, defense, and path toward the Father. We will receive glory, which will be used to bring Jesus glory. As does the lyrics of this song. However, it does not bring Him glory when the song makes us believe that God can’t take our families when He can, though indirectly. Unbelievers will likely struggle with the identity of the enemy and the meaning of the red door without further research. They should be able to piece together the core meaning of this song; However, they will also agree that people can walk away from the faith, which they no doubt will think it wasn’t the enemy that brought them there.
If “the enemy can’t take my family” could be addressed/rewritten/removed, then I could recommend this song for corporate worship. “Seeker-sensitive churches should explain the meaning of “red door”, “sin”, and “the enemy” before worshipping with this one. Or, they could simply look elsewhere to fill their worship set.
Final Score: 8/10
Artist Info
Track: Plead the Blood (listen to the song)
Artist: Chris Davenport (Feat. Brandon Lake & Cody Carnes)
Album: Time
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2023
Duration: 5:11
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2023 Hillsong MP Songs (BMI) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / City And Vine Music Publishing International (BMI) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / Writers Roof Publishing (BMI) Housefires Sounds (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Genesis (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Paragon (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com), Brandon Lake Music (ASCAP) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
11/14/2023 – Dave Whitcroft (KDMusic) convinced me to update this review based on his comments on “the enemy can’t take my family”. Thus, I lowered the score from 9.5/10 to 8/10 and reduced my recommendation to corporate worship to “perhaps”.
Comments
Zach K
Respectfully, I was very disappointed in the line “The thief and his plan will Passover, when he sees the red on the door.” My reading on Exodus 12:12 clearly indicates that it is God himself who passed over/ took the first born in Egypt. The indication that it is the thief and his plans seems 180 degrees out from what God said in the Bible (meaning the thief, Satan, is as far removed from God as could be expressed in song).
Dave
Entirely agree Zach,
Our church rejected the song for that, and also for ‘the enemy can’t touch my family’ a play on the Passover story, but not true forhurt families in our church whose children have maybe walked away from faith.
Dave
Hi Vince, I’m pretty uncomfortable with the line;
“The enemy can’t take my family, ‘Cause this home belongs to the Lord”.
Although it vaguely echoes Joshua 24, it misquotes it.
That verse actually says, “As for me and my house, we will SERVE the Lord”. (my emphasis)
As Job found out, serving the Lord brings no guarantee of physical safety for me or my family, or that they’re spiritually safe, and sure to become Christians (despite the extra grace they may experience in a Christian home & church family).
I think the line works perfectly if you are a Hebrew family at the first Passover, with lambs blood on your door, but this misquoting of Joshua, seems like an ‘easy grace’ over-claim.
So not a good analogy for modern Christian worshippers. I know some families whose kids have rejected the faith, that would find this line untrue & very difficult to sing. What a pity, I really like the tune and the general aim of the lyrics. I’d like to sing it, I hope the line can be adjusted.
Vince Wright
Dave,
Thank you for your comment!
I thought that these lines were referencing Joshua in a more spiritual sense, that is, along the lines of Matthew 10:28. The enemy can destroy our physical bodies, but they cannot take family away from us un the untimate sense of our final destination: eternity with God. I was also thinking about it in the sense that, while the enemy could tempt family away from us, cannot forcibly take them. Family would have to give into such temptations and be drawn away from the Lord to be taken. However, I also see your point, that the enemy can take them by drawing them away from Christ. We need to be vigilent as parents to keep our kids safe from his attacks.
I’ve adjusted my review and corporate worship recommendation.
-Vince Wright
Dave
Thanks Vince,
Really appreciate your openness. I certainly am convinced of what you say about God’s eternal protection for believers, Jesus says ‘no one can snatch them out of His hand’
I just don’t think scripture extends that protection to children of believers who never choose to walk with the Lord. (and in either case it’s a misquote of Joshua 😊)
Keep up the good work sir!
God bless,
D
Ralph Edwards
This actually came up in a conversation today and I came here to see if you all spoke to it! I think the verse lyrics are inaccurate, the scriptures say that it was actually the Lord that was the one that came and struck down the firstborns in there unmarked homes (Exodus 12:12-13, 12:23, 12:29). I believe that instead of seeing this as an attack of the enemy, it is actually an act of mercy from the wrath of God.
Vince Wright
Ralph,
Thank you for your comments! See my response to Epaphras.
-Vince Wright
Epaphras
Hi,
I’m French and I want to thank you for all of your reviews – it’s my first comment but I have been using your website since 2019 I guess.
Though I do like this song I have a big issue with the line “The thief and his plans will pass over when he sees the red on the door”. That obviously references to Exodus 12 but when you pay attention to the text, the “thief” is actually the LORD himself coming to slaughter each newborn in Egypt (verses 12, 23, 27, 29). So to me, that’s a major theological error that needs to be emphasized in the review but also explained in church gatherings (whether seeker-sensitive or not). Otherwise, I agree with everything that you said.
Keep up the good work, God bless!
Vince Wright
Epaphras,
Thank you for your comments and compliments!
I examined Exodus 12 more closely. I noticed that, according to Exodus 12:23, He sent a “destroyer” or, in some translations, the “angel of death” to ultimately do the deed. So His passing through was through the destroyer/angel of death that passed over households that contained the lamb’s blood.
Having said that, Chris Davenport isn’t saying that God is the thief that will pass over. However, he is saying that:
1. The shed blood of the Lamb protects us from spiritual death.
2. The thief, later identified as death, will pass over those protected by Jesus just like households painted with lamb’s blood were passed over from the slaughter of the firstborn.
3. Those who were unprotected will experience destruction. In the case of Exodus, the firstborn died. In the case of Davenport’s lyrics, it is the second death.
In other words, this song is using a historical event as an allegory to make a different point. This is similar to how we reference David and Goliath as an allegory to “face the giants” in our lives.
-Vince Wright
RD Montgomery
I believe you need to go back to Exodus 12:23 again and remember that it was not the decision of the Destroyer, it was God’s decision. Nowhere in Scripture, that I have found, is blood used to protect anyone from evil. It is only used to protect a person from God’s wrath and judgment. Death is the outcome of sin (Rom 6.23). Although it would not last for them because they were stiff-necked, God’s wrath in Egypt meant freedom and hope. For those redeemed by the Blood of Jesus, God’s wrath and even death mean that this age of darkness will have an end.
“Pleading the Blood” comes from the Word of Faith movement. They often pray the blood over entrances to homes and churches as a protection against evil forces and as a protection for their families. This is the context of the song of those particular lyrics. It is just very subtle, so it gets by a lot of sniff tests.