Chris Tomlin – We Fall Down (My Jesus I Love Thee)

2024 has been a great year for me!  I’ve had the privilege to personally mentor a co-worker who came to Christ a few years ago.  My marriage with my wonderful, loving, caring, and compassionate wife of 14 years is stronger than ever.  My daughter is learning to advocate for herself and ask for help when needed.

Thank you for your prayers, comments, and support!  The Berean Test remains steady, seen by 380,000 visitors in 2024!  Almost all of them are new people.  It had 381,000 users in 2023.

To end the year, I’ve chosen to review a song that I heard when I was young.  Namely, Chris Tomlin’s We Fall Down (My Jesus I Love Thee).  Though the version I heard was Kutless’ cover, hearing the original for the first time brought back memories!

Chris Tomlin is a household name.  He started his career in 1993 and released 17 albums, including:

• 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)
• Miracle of Love: Christmas Songs of Worship (2020)
• Always (2022)

He is a 26-time award recipient, including 23 Dove Awards, 2 Billboard awards, and 1 Grammy.

Also, check out my other Chris Tomlin reviews and Christmas song Noel.

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?

We yield to loving, kind Jesus, proclaiming His holiness before Him.  We shall not wait to love Christ.  We will abandon rebellion today.

Score: 10/10

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

Of course it does!

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

We fall down
We lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus

Although the original passage in Revelation 4:10 references the 24 elders in Revelation 4:4 who receive crowns that are lain before God’s throne, the bigger picture is that we prostrate ourselves before Him in surrender (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).

The greatness of
Mercy and love
At the feet of Jesus

Probably a reference to Ephesians 2:4-5.  The last line repeats line 3.

[Chorus]

We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
Is the lamb

Lines 2 and 3 repeat line 1.  This borrows from Revelation 4:8, demonstrating that we join the four living creatures declaring Christ’s holiness.

[Outro]

My Jesus, I love you

As demonstrated in Verse 1 and Chorus.

Side Note: These lyrics are borrowed from James H. Duffell’s hymn My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine.

I know thou are mine

That is, a connected, personal relationship we have with God (Acts 17:27, Romans 8:15, John 15:1-11, and Romans 11:16-24).

To thee all the follies of sin I resign

That is, Tomlin forsakes sin (Matthew 5:29, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Mark 9:43, Luke 9:23, Acts 20:24, Philippians 3:2-11, Hebrews 11:25, and 1 Peter 2:11).

My gracious redeemer

As shown in John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 2:2.

My savior, art thou
If ever I’ll love you
My Jesus tis now

Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Jesus is explicitly mentioned lending unbelievers to a Christian interpretation.  Despite this song’s heavy reliance on Christianese language, they will easily conclude that Christians worship their Savior through sacrifice and abandoning sin.  Tomlin attaches the word “folly” to sin, which shows them that it’s not mere error.  Finally, it calls unbelievers to not wait.  Now is the time to leave sin behind and serve Him.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Jesus, who is loving and merciful, is worshipped and worth sacrificing sin to receive.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Chris Tomlin’s We Fall Down (My Jesus I Love Thee) is excellent simplicity.  Christ is glorified through our commitment to leave sin and shame in the dust, fully committed to serving, worshipping, and obeying Him.  Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: We Fall Down (My Jesus I Love Thee) (listen to the song)

Artist: Chris Tomlin

Album: Authentic

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 1998

Duration: Approx. 3:50

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

*Copyright © 1998 Rising Springs Music (ASCAP) worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) Vamos Publishing (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.