Chris Tomlin – My Deliverer

Chris Tomlin is a man that many (if not most) Christians are familiar with.  Starting in 1993, Tomlin released fifteen albums:

• Inside Your Love (1995)
• Authentic (1998)
• Too Much Free Time (1998)
• The Noise We Make (2001)
• Not to Us (2002)
• Arriving (2004)
• See the Morning (2006)
• Hello Love (2008)
• And If Our God Is for Us… (2010)
• Burning Lights (2013)
• Love Ran Red (2014)
• Adore: Christmas Songs Of Worship (2015)
• Never Lose Sight (2016)
• Holy Roar (2018)
• Chris Tomlin & Friends (2020)

He also won 23 Dove Awards, 2 Billboard awards, and 1 Grammy for his work.

Check our my other Chris Tomlin reviews, including Home, At The Cross (Love Ran Red), Our God, and Wonderful Maker.

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?

Tomlin waits for God to liberate him.  He trusts in God for protection, entering into the Lord’s stronghold with gratitude and worship.

Who is like God?  Nobody!  Who can separate us from God?  There are only three who could: me, myself, and I, yet, Tomlin will not take this course.  So, the answer is, once again, nobody.  He will not leave God, the solid rock that is his foundation.

Score: 10/10

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

Assuming that we take heed my warning in Verse 1, all of it agrees with the Bible.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

I will wait for you to move
For your mighty hand to save

This can’t be talking about salvation from sins because there’s no reason to wait.  God already gave us that (John 3:16 and Romans 5:6-8).

We must be careful when interpreting Exodus 14:14.  This was a specific command Moses gave his people when Pharaoh and his army came after Israel before they crossed the Red Sea. Similarly, Deuteronomy 1:30, Deuteronomy 3:22, and Deuteronomy 20:4 are about God’s Presence with Israel as they go against those who possessed the Promised Land.  There is an incident within 2 Chronicles 20:17-29 where God caused Israel’s enemy to fight amongst themselves, granting Israel the victory.

Remember the story about the guy who rejected the car, boat, and helicopter because “God will rescue me”?  Don’t be that guy, who waits and does not act if and when God comes through.

We should also come in faith that God will rescue but have realistic expectations that it may not come.  It is possible that waiting is meant to discipline us, making us better people (Hebrews 12:4-11).

When the trouble water rise
You are my hiding place

That is, God is Tomlin’s defense (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).

You are my hiding place

Repeats line 4.

Your walls are salvation
Your gates are praise

This comes from Isaiah 60:18, providing more defense language.  Also, Tomlin enters God’s gates with praise (Psalm 100:4).

Your walls are salvation
Your gates are praise

Repeats lines 5 and 6.

[Chorus]

My deliverer
My deliverer
My deliverer

The same incomplete thought repeats three times.

Is the lord

God is Tomlin’s rescuer (Genesis 15:1, Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 94:19, Psalm 115:11, Psalm 118:6, Isaiah 35:4, Isaiah 41:10-13, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 54:4, John 14:25-27, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 Peter 3:13-14, 1 Peter 5:6-7, and 1 John 4:18).

[Verse 2]

Who is like you mighty God

No one (Exodus 8:10, Exodus 9:14, Deuteronomy 3:24, Deuteronomy 33:26, Jeremiah 10:6, 1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 7:22, 1 Kings 8:23, 1 Chronicles 17:20, Psalm 86:8, Psalm 89:6, Psalm 113:5-6, Jeremiah 10:7, Isaiah 40:18, and Isaiah 46:9).

Who can take me from your hand
As I walk with you in freedom

Again, no one (Romans 8:31-39).

You’re the rock on which I stand

That is, God is Tomlin’s foundation (Deuteronomy 32:4, 1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 18:31, Psalm 28:1, Psalm 62:2, Psalm 94:22, Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 7:24-27, Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, Ephesians 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:19, and 1 Peter 2:6).

You’re the rock on which I stand

Repeats line 4.

Your walls are salvation
Your gates are praise
Your walls are salvation
Your gates are praise

Repeats Verse 1, lines 5-9.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The references to God and Lord will cement this as a religious song in the minds of unbelievers.  Unbelievers unfamiliar with the concepts of rescue and defense in the Bible may find a deistic conclusion outside of Christian circles, particularly if the hearing is not at church, Christian radio, or a Christian event.  Few will miss that Tomlin communicates a rescuing God who is unique, cannot be separated by external forces, and is the religious individual’s foundation.

Score: 7/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God as our savior and solid rock.  No force or power can snatch us from His grip.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Chris Tomlin’s My Deliverer is short but good.  It shows dependency on God for salvation, protection, and liberation.  He is unique whose grasp of us cannot be shaken, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers may come to the same conclusion, though perhaps interpreting Tomlin’s lyrics as religious, but not uniquely Christian.  This, of course, would assume that such hearing is outside a Christian context (church, Christian radio, event, etc).

I highly recommend it for churches looking for a good mix of milk and meat in their music.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: My Deliverer (listen to the song)

Artist: Chris Tomlin

Album: Hello Love

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2008

Duration: 5:35

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

*Copyright © 2008 Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com excluding Europe which is adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family. Songs@integritymusic.com) / worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Spiritandsong.Com Pub (BMI) Vamos Publishing (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/23/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.

12/01/2020 – I Added “Adore: Christmas Songs Of Worship (2015)” as an album that Tomlin released prior to this review.