Photo by Zach Reiner
David Crowder Band (known currently as Crowder) began in 1996. Crowder released 10 albums as David Crowder Band, and 5 albums and one EP as Crowder, including:
David Crowder Band
- Pour Over Me (1996)
- All I Can Say (1998)
- Can You Hear Us? (2002)
- Illuminate (2003)
- A Collision (2005)
- Remedy (2007)
- Remedy Club Tour – Live (2008)
- Church Music (2009)
- Give Us Rest (2012)
- All This for a King: The Essential Collection (2013)
Crowder
- iTunes Session (2012)
- Neon Steeple (2014)
- Neon Porch Extravaganza (EP, 2015)
- American Prodigal (2016)
- I Know a Ghost (2018)
- Milk & Honey (2021)
David Crowder won eight Dove’s as David Crowder Band and another three as Crowder.
Also, check out my review of All My Hope.
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?
Crowder ceaselessly worships God because of His equally ceaseless mercy and goodness. Crowder will continue to praise, regardless of what happens to him.
As for the song’s opening lines, this has two explanations. First, Crowder understands that his prayers will be answered based on God’s will. It’s not that 100% of his requests will be answered affirmatively, but that His promises will always be fulfilled.
The second is that Crowder states that his prayer success rate is 100%, aligning with the Word of Faith movement’s similar rate. This assumes that you and I have enough faith to garner God’s positive response, ignoring Scripture on trials and tribulations that build faith (see section 2). An easy fix would be adding something like “If God wills” or “even if you don’t heal me, I’ll still serve you” because not everyone who asks in faith receives. Ask the Apostle Paul about his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)!
Of the two, the first seems more likely.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
The entire score parallels Scripture.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
I can’t count the times I’ve called Your name some broken night
And You showed up and patched me up like You do every time
I get amnesia, I forget that You keep coming around
Yeah, ain’t no way You’ll ever let me down
As stated in section 1, this has two interpretations. The first is that Crowder prays according to God’s will (John 14:12).
The second is that Crowder prays and God responds affirmatively 100% of the time. This doesn’t represent reality, where often God chooses not to answer our prayer. Sometimes, He disciplines us to become better people (Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 12:4-11, and James 1:2-4). On other occasions, we are denied because we ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3). If Crowder has a 100% prayer success rate, I’m happy for him! However, I deeply suspect that it’s not the case.
As stated in section 1, I lean more towards the first explanation.
[Chorus]
Good God almighty, I hope You’ll find me
Praising Your name no matter what comes
Much like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did in Daniel 3:18, Crowder intends to worship God no matter what comes his way. He has counted the cost (Luke 14:25-33).
‘Cause I know where I’d be without Your mercy
In short, eternally separated from God (Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43, Jude 1:7, Revelation 14:11, and Revelation 20:10).
So I keep praising Your name at the top of my lungs
Much like David in Psalm 66:1, Crowder’s worship is shouting to God.
[Post-Chorus]
Tell me, is He good? (He’s good) Tell me, is He God? (He’s God)
Hе is Good God almighty
A rhetorical question with an obvious answer: a resounding yes (1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 27:13, Psalm 31:19-20, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 86:5, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 106:1, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 135:3, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 145:9, Lamentations 3:25, Nahum 1:7, Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18, and Luke 18:19).
[Verse 2]
You say Your love goes on forevеr, that Your mercy never stops
So why would I assume You’ll be somebody that You’re not?
Like sun in the morning, I know You’re gonna be there every day
That’s what His Word says in Lamentations 3:22-23, that His ceaseless mercies are new every morning. We should assume that God tells us the truth.
So what on Earth could make me be afraid?
Great question! Nothing should cause us fear (Romans 8:31-37).
[Bridge]
Praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the noon time
Praise Him when the sun goes down
Love Him in the morning, love Him in the noon time
Love Him when the sun goes down
Crowder shows his love for God through continual worship (Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 30:12, Psalm 52:9, Psalm 86:12, Psalm 89:1, Psalm 115:18, Psalm 145:1-2, Psalm 145:21, and Revelation 5:9-13).
[Outro]
Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the sun goes down
Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noon time
Jesus when the sun goes down
Essentially repeats bridge, pointing to Crowder’s worshipping Jesus (Matthew 2:11, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 28:8-9, Matthew 28:16-17, Luke 24:50-53, John 12:13, and John 20:28).
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly to my opening statements in paragraph 1. Crowder’s everyday language intermixed with proper names “Good God Almighty” and “Jesus” contributes to this interpretation.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God that Crowder praises God for His kindness.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Crowder’s Good God Almighty is good. It shows Crowder’s willingness to worship God for His kindness, bringing Him glory. Unbelievers should have little to no issues interpreting similarly.
I recommend this song for corporate worship.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Good God Almighty (listen to the song)
Artist: Crowder
Album: Milk and Honey
Genre: Pop
Release Year: 2021
Duration: 3:12
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2021 Sojka Songs (BMI) 9t One Songs (ASCAP) Inot Music (NS) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Genesis (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Paragon (BMI) Ariose Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
10/20/2022 – Updated review based on current thinking on “all” statements. This significantly raised this song’s score from 7.5/10 to 10/10. Thanks to David Meek for finding it!
04/20/2022 – Added a first, more likely interpretation of “You’ll ever let me down” while preserving the original explanation. I also updated commentary on all sections except for 3, with improved scores and worship recommendation changed to “perhaps”. This raised the song’s overall score, from 6/10 to 7.5/10.
Comments
Steve Barhydt
I would like to add my ‘two cents’ to the seeming controversy that many have with this song, namely the phrase ‘Good God Almighty’.
Let me begin by saying that I don’t care for most of David Crowder’s music. I can’t offer a specific reason why, I’m just not a fan.
That said, the criticism that this song has received on this website is, in my opinion, very shallow both logically and Biblically.
The world, and its culture, perverts everything that God has created for good. Just a few examples…
1. The rainbow, the symbol of God’s promise of never again destroying the earth by water has been preempted by a group of people with perverted minds and hearts. Are we to stop talking about God’s rainbow and surrender it to the world?
2. Love. To the world, it generally means sex. To a Biblical worldview, it means so much more. Are we to abandon the concept of pure and holy love (even that of physical intimacy within God’s boundaries of marriage) to the world?
3. The reality of God Himself has been twisted by the sinful minds of mankind into something between a megalomaniacal psychopath and a cosmic vending machine. Do we surrender the truth of God because of the misconceptions and misdirections of those who do not know Him as we do?
4. Words and phrases such as “O my God”, “Jesus Christ”, “Hallelujah”, “Lord”, “My Lord” which are used by this world and its fallen value system as expressions of frustration or downright profanity. Yet each of these words / phrases are used over and over in the Word of God and, therefore, were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Do we stop using these phrases because they are misused by sinful men and women?
The answer to all of the questions posed above is a resounding NO!
I refuse to let the world appropriate and pervert Christian concepts and terminology. To stop using the above (and many others like them) is surrendering things pertaining to God to the Devil and his people.
The phrase ‘Good God Almighty’ is yet another statement that the worldly-minded have commandeered for their own illicit use.
The expression itself may not appear in the Bible but the understanding that God is good, and that God is Almighty absolutely does.
David Crowder, in this song, takes ‘Good God Almighty’ back from the world, reclaims it and sets the overall idea in a proper context. This is, on his part, absolutely intentional and, in my opinion, a great thing.
Teresa Schenck
I am not so against the phrase itself. It is a combination of the phrase and the music – if it were sung more like Amazing Grace – maybe ok. But I knew that tune was very familiar to me – and I found it. – not exact…but very similar to Dave Edmunds, 1985 I hear knocking…very similar. I don’t like the combination.
Steve Barhydt
I’m sorry but I just don’t see (or hear) any similarities between the two songs.
I Hear You Knocking has a faster tempo 103 beats per minute as opposed to 81 BPM (https://tunebat.com/Info/I-Hear-You-Knocking-Dave-Edmunds/2HMWCdOn8xL2M8WwPxHTQ1
https://tunebat.com/Info/Good-God-Almighty-Crowder/2QAJK11pRGn8CvTmogpkxo)
Obviously the messages are completely different.
Other than both of them being sang by a guy with a guitar, I just don’t get the connection at all.
Even if there was a definitive connection between the two musically, why would that matter?
As I said at the beginning of my first comment, I don’t care that much for Crowder’s music and, musically, I don’t really like this song at all.
However, lyrically, I will defend it because the main complaint that commenters on this website has have given is the ‘taking the Lord’s Name in vain’ accusation. I find that accusation to be unsubstantiable both logically and Biblically.
As I always try to tell people, if the song does bother you then, by all means, don’t sing it unless and until you can alleviate your conscience to do so.
Teresa
Unfortunately I’m not enough musically inclined to Gigi all of that out. I just know every time I hear it I think “that tune is so familiar… what is it?” So after reading your comment yesterday I turned off all other noise and listened again then sat humming the tune til I figured out what it reminded me of lol! Anyway yes, I don’t sing it and I don’t stand for it. We haven’t had it presented for a couple months. I’m hoping it won’t be again. Thanks
David Meek
I tend to view verse one more as an understanding or fulfillment of Romans 8:28. It’s not that God answers 100% affirmative according to my requests, but rather that God works all my situations according to His will and that He brings me through my storms intact and spiritually whole.
Vince Wright
David,
Thanks for letting me know! A much, MUCH earlier discussion I had with another commenter led me to believe that statements such as this point more towards the first explanation rather than the first. I updated many of my reviews, but missed this one. Thanks for finding it!
I updated my review.
-Vince Wright
Ryan
Saying it is word of faith would simply be your thoughts applied. How many times has God answered our prayers by not answering our prayers? Or how many time’s has patched you up by allowing brokenness to complete its course and it not be truncated? Has He ever left you? He is Good God Almighty. Respectfully My dear brothers and sisters, if to you it is a curse phrase, maybe that is something you have to deal with.
John Randal Heffner
I would agree with Wyatt. It is a bit of stretch to associate the first verse with WOF theology. Definitely not a “textbook example.” Seems like that interpretation is a read in and not really taking the words at face value. Crowder never claims to have a100% success rate to his prayers. He just says that God shows up and patches him up and is constantly present. I don’t see that being any where near “name it claim it”. But thanks for the website and your work.
Wyatt Erickson
It feels like the word of faith thing is kind of an unhealthy hang-up. In several reviews you have read into the lyrical motivation and determined it to be WOF derived. WOF is messed up, but that shouldn’t cause us to neglect or shy away from Biblical truths that the WOF folks are misusing. God is always faithful he always redeems, it is not on our terms or because we demand it. There is nothing untrue in what Crowder says in the opening lines of this song. We shouldn’t throw him or the lyrics in with WOF just because WOF theology might agree. We ought never surrender good ground (God always redeems) to the enemy because the enemy chose to hijack the truth (God will always do what you want) for his own end.
The wrong of the word of faith does not change that God does work all things for the good of those who love him. Nor does it take away that Jesus said his followers would do even greater things than he had, or that we could and should ask in faith for all sorts of things. Jesus does not add a bunch of caveats, only that it is asked in his name. These are not easy passages for Christians who have experienced a prayer not answered. We endanger our own faith when, because our experience doesn’t match the simple understanding of the words of the Bible, we create complicated explanations for why some passage in the Bible doesn’t really say what it says. As believers, and the church, we are far better remaining in the tension of wrestling honestly with places where our experience doesn’t align with Scripture.
I kind of feel like your antagonism toward the Word of Faith movement has caused you to jump from reading lyrics at exactly face value to judging the heart of the writer and singer to be perverted by WOF. WOF seems to have made you quite cynical toward any lyrics that affirm Biblical ideas that WOF has claimed as justification for their belief. What Crowder says in this song is not inherently wrong nor is it overtly WOF. Crowder says when his life is a mess he turns to Jesus and Jesus has always been faithful to restore him. Crowder does not ever imply that he doesn’t live through challenges or trial. He doesn’t say that God makes everything easy. He doesn’t even imply that he doesn’t bear wounds from the trial, only that God patches him up so that he can continue on.
Read through a lens not looking for WOF, I don’t find WOF.
I get that the WOF movement definitely shows up too much in a lot of modern worship music, but I think you need to be careful that your concern about lyrical integrity doesn’t cause you to read a WOF boogey man in every song that identifies Biblical and experiential truth because it happens to bear some resemblance to WOF.
It feels like perhaps it would be good to identify when you see WOF in a song and then look specifically to see if it is explicit or just how you see it. I think perhaps you overestimate the number of people who identify WOF themes in music. In any case, I think to be fair to artists, you need to distinguish between when a song encourages overt WOF, name it and claim it attitudes and when a lyric brushes against WOF ideas/themes. These are not the same thing and shouldn’t be treated as such.
As a believer who does not abide WOF, I can assure you that God has been faithful 100% of the time in my life. I do not understand the hows and whys of God working, but every time I turn in surrender to Jesus he is faithful to redeem me. Are there places that I have not surrendered, maybe don’t even know need to be surrendered, yeah. Am I confident that as I surrender and yield more of my life to Jesus that he will consistently redeem and restore me into a person more like what he wants, oh yeah!
Don’t let the WOF movement steal goodness from God. He is good, very, very good.
I suppose you can take this with a grain of salt. It may just be that I want you to interpret through a lens more aligned with my own. In any case peace and keep up the good work.
Vince Wright
Wyatt Erickson,
Thank you for your comments!
First, my examination is not about the lyrical motivation of artists. It’s about the lyrics themselves. I examine lyrics based on their merits and not the artist’s personal beliefs or theology they support. If I believe that song lyrics promote Word of Faith, then I will offer criticism to that respect.
Second, I think you make a great point about distinguishing between potential and actual Word of Faith presented in lyrics. Potential should be rated more favorably than actual. I’ve read the lyrics again and I still believe that actual Word of Faith is presented in this song.
Third, I agree that God is 100% faithful, but that doesn’t mean that God answers 100% of all prayers with a “yes, I will give you what you ask” response. Maybe you’re the first person I’ve met that experienced this? I’ve asked for many things that did not come to pass, including a few houses we put a contract on this year that were denied (we found a better house), a friend who was looking for a job (they are still looking), another friend to remain married to her cheating husband (they divorced this year), and for my first child to remain alive after my wife’s water broke 19 weeks pregnant (he died shortly thereafter). Perhaps I am overreacting, but the opening lyrics seem to be more about affirmative answered prayers than God’s faithfulness to His promises.
Fourth, I agree that there’s elements of WOF that are Biblically true. For example in James 4, it tells us that we didn’t receive because we did not ask. We ask and do not receive, because we ask with the wrong motives. Also, Jesus wasn’t able to do many miracles in his hometown due to lack of faith (Matthew 13:58). This tells me that we must ask with faith and not doubting (James 1:6-8). We must check our motives and make our petitions to God and trust God with the results (Philippians 4:6).
Finally, an easy way to combat Word of Faith criticism is through the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Within Daniel 3:16-18, they claim that they trust God has the power to rescue them. Yet, they admit the possibility that God may not, resolving to refuse the king’s request regardless of the outcome. Casting Crowns’ Praise You In This Storm offers a great example of this concept.
-Vince Wright
Tim Blatch
Thanks for your review of this song. I came across your website while looking into “Yet not I”. I, like some of the above comments, originally cringed at the term “Good God Almighty”. I think though – while Crowder is maybe provoking some using this phrase (possibly intentionally), it is a form of correction of thought into the absurdity of using Gods name in vain. I have gently challenged people when they swear using God’s name and drawing attention to the context of what they meant when uttering it, that they scratch their heads and don’t have a clue why they use His name in such a way. This song helps put the phrase into its correct form. If anything, I think it will for some – draw on the truth that we are all crying out for… Good God Almighty! The question is therefore, to whom you cry out to using that term? My prayer is many may hear this song and be awakened to The Way Truth and Life. 🙂
Vince Wright
Tim,
Thank you for your comments!
We often cringe because we assume that the phrase always means taking God’s name in vain. However, as you stated, context is key. Another example is the phrase “Oh my God”. I recall in an Alpha course that human genome project director Francis Collins used it not in blasphemy but in awe.
-Vince Wright
David
Hi Vince,
Context is key in more than one way. Cultural context is really important along with other kinds. And in our culture, that phrase is typically meant disrespectfully. If our culture didn’t say that as a cuss, it’s doubtful David Crowder would’ve had the thought of putting it in a song.
Irene
I’m not trying to judge, but just coming from a discerning perspective. Since the first time I heard this song, it doesn’t settle right in my spirit. The phrase alone, “Good God Almighty” just is quite right. I recall hearing that phrase being used by men toward woman in a derogatory manner. I cannot use that phrase nor do I think it should be used to describe God our father. Please, use discernment everyone. The days are evil and we need to stand firm in God’s truth. Thank you.
Christianna Rennard
You got it. It isn’t a respectful phrase. God is holy and deserving of respect. While there are many good lyrics in this song the chorus uses a phrase that by definition is God bashing. It is not a song I would sing to God if stood before him in his throne room right now.
Dave
Yes. I love our Church’s Praise Team, but I am dropping out over this song’s violation of the Ten Commandments. “Be strong and courageous, and be careful to obey all that I have commanded you.”
racefangurl
The bridge and outro are like an old praise song.
Mariana Nortje
I don’t like the phrase Good …. Almighty. It’s sounds like a swearing (cuss?) phrase unbelievers would use. And maybe that’s all unbelievers would take away from that song.
Jonah
That was why I brought this song to Vince in the first place, but after hearing it more and more the initial shock and displeasure wore off and I love to hear the song come on now.
racefangurl
You sound like my mom, who’s not well as I type this and it’s nothing someone can catch from her. She said the “Good God Almighty, I hope you find me….” doesn’t sound good to her, because of the swear-y phrase.
Michael & Sharon Smith
It bothers me too. Our church has just recently started singing this song in Praise & Worship and I don’t sing along.
Beth Benkendorf
I agree with this comment. God’s name is holy and the phrase good God Almighty sounds very disrespectful and in line with the worlds constant misuse of God’s name. It actually stops me from listening to the song since i turn off the radio when that phrase comes up. I’m very surprised no one in his group pointed this out before the lyrics were recorded. We truly worship a perfectly good God and he is The Almighty but he is sliding holy and worthy of great honor and respect!
Vince Wright
Mariana Nortje,
Thank you for your comment!
The phrase “Good God Almighty” is itself not using God’s name in vain nor is it profanity when stated as such. However, this phrase’s overuse in popular media conditioned many of us to automatically conclude profanity. Aside from its title, this phrase only shows up two times within this song.
“Good God almighty, I hope You’ll find me”
“Hе is Good God almighty”
In both instances, God is referred to as a person, not used to replace a swear word. I doubt that unbelievers will think Crowder was using God’s name in vain, much less care.
-Vince Wright
Jennifer Ferguson
I don’t agree with your assessment. Ultimately God answers prayer, when our prayer is not our will but His. It is a matter of perspective knowing that when I call on Him that although the circumstance may not change, He brings peace and joy in midst. He is Good God Almighty
Lori
Did you ever consider it as redeeming that phrase back to its origin?
Debra Robillard
Yes! Reclaiming the phrase for good!
R. Yeager
I agree with Mariana. I don’t like the song because I feel like it is taking God’s name in vain by trying to use a secular phrase in a Christian context. I came to this sight to see if I was out of line with that thought. I’m glad I’m not the only one who is uncomfortable with it.
Dave
I concur. This is a hugely offensive phrase, and the whole song becomes no better than a pig with golden ring in its snout.
Shirley Jennings
I agree. Adult Christians don’t use the expression “Good God”. I think Crowder’s expression is just short of saying it and our little ones will not hear the difference. Plus the rhythm is perfect for 2- stepping and hollering
GG Almighty. It is not reverent nor worshipful, but will bring in lots of money if that is the intent.
Gretchen
That is my issue with it. We sing it at our church, and I’m on the praise team. Every time it comes up in our set (which is quite often), I cringe inside a bit. One reason is because a fellow praise teamer always makes some kind of joke using “Good God Almighty” in an irreverent, inappropriate way, and everyone else always laughs. It rubs me the wrong way every time. I mean, I can’t just flippantly talk about the Creator of the universe in that way. I don’t feel I’m being legalistic in my thoughts. It literally is a Holy Spirit thing. It just doesn’t feel right, but I try to stay a peacemaker and never speak up about it.
Bill Salsman
I also think it sounds like an irreverent exclamation. It seriously annoys me.
Teresa
Came looking for what others think of this song. Glad I am not the only one who finds it very borderline. We have played it twice at church now – I don’t sing it either. The catchiness of the tune probably doesn’t help. I just have to wonder if people were standing before God would they sing it? It doesn’t come off as worshipful the way it is sung. My opinion.
Mark Massey
“Good God Almighty” has long been a form of expressing disdain, outrage, disgust…etc without actually just going ahead and cursing a particular situation. Depending upon where and when a person grew up, some believers will be unable to get past this phrase and actually worship.. Also, the actual phrase itself is nowhere found in either the OT or NT though ample passages declare independantly that our God is “Good” He is “God” and He is “All powerful”.
Vince Wright
Mark,
Thank you for your comments! The phrase “Good God Almighty” as a form of vanity has been addressed already in comments. I’d like to respond to your comments concerning its usage in Scripture.
Yes, the phrase “God God Almighty” is not explicitly found in Scripture. Neither is the Trinity, Jesus saying “I am God”, and the Rapture. Do we reject these because they aren’t explicitly written that way in Scripture? Of course not. We arrive at these as conclusions based on examining the whole council of God’s Word. The same is true for “Good God Almighty”. All the pieces are there to put together.
-Vince Wright
Teresa
People don’t go around swearing “O Trinity” “O Rapture” etc. They do go around saying – Good God Almighty as a swear phrase. I wonder if we consider the person who has come to Christ, who used to use that phrase, was convicted of it and no longer uses it – only to find this song being sung as worship! Someone mentioned that the more they hear it the less they are bothered by it…is that a surprise? Its call adaptation
Vince Wright
Teresa,
That’s true, but context matters. In this context, it’s not being used that way, but I can understand why some people are concerned.
-Vince Wright
Christianna Rennard
I feel the same way. The fact that he chose that phrase which has a totally different context is not appropriate. I get that he’s trying to grab it and make it into a praise but the reality is that phrase already has a definition (literally look it up in a dictionary) and it’s not a good God honoring definition. I also won’t listen to this song. There are countless other ways to praise Gods name than by trying to use a worldly God-insulting slang and turn it into something to Praise God. My God is worthy of worship that 100% glorifies him. No grey area no already established God-bashing slang recycled to be a praise phrase.
Angela Rose
So agree..love the melody but not the phrase Good God Almighty! We should not say that phrase, even though we know He is good and He is God Almighty…just doesn’t go down well with me.
Jonah
I hadn’t cued into that first line before. While I definitely agree promising assurance of being “patched” is an issue, I think it is a noble attempt to package the fact that God works the evils in our lives for good, and the act of bringing it to Him can be healing in and of itself. Yes there’s a problem, I just don’t know if it’s severe enough to justify a 60% score. You can rebuttal me if you’d like, I welcome it. I think we’re being quick to assume that Crowder means all these things from the HUMAN concept of healing and restoration, rather than looking to GOD’S workings, just like the rest of the song points to His great and perfect attributes.