Photo by Patrick Tomasso
Several months ago, when I started this website, one of my first reviews was Elevation Worship’s O Come To the Altar. It received a highly favorable review. As I was searching for recently popular songs to review, their song Do It Again came up often in my search results.
Elevation Worship has been active since 2007, releasing five independent albums, a remix, a Spanish album, and six live albums. This review will be on their latest single Do It Again.
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. I strongly encourage you to consider the potential blessings and dangers of this artistβs theology by visiting Resources.
1. What message does the song communicate?
It is a song primarily focused on the faithfulness of Christ and that He has, in the past, never failed Elevation Worship.
Some of the phrases are purposefully vague, inviting their audience to fill in the blank with their own situation. I understand the appeal: Elevation Worship can succinctly generalize any given hardship; however, they run the risk of obfuscating clarity. I do not think it severely impacts the overall message; However, it does make Biblical comparison more difficult.
The modifier “yet”, in reference to Jesus’ lack of failure, I thought was problematic. My belief is that it has an unintended implication that God’s failure is possible, though unlikely. The Bible does teach that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, quoting from Deuteronomy 31:6), though I believed we could have done without “yet”. However, it also states in Chorus 2 that “You’ve never failed”, nullifying my criticism.
Score: 8/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Although it is mostly biblically accurate, as described in section 1, there are certain phrases that are obscure, preventing accurate comparison. Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
Walking around these walls
I thought by now they’d fall
A euphemism for…well, let’s think this through. What do walls do? They hold up roofs. They enclose a space. They provide shelter and security. They keep people out. Given Elevation Worships’ desire for the walls to fall, we can discern the barrier explanation. The “wall” is some sort of obstacle that is preventing them from doing something.
It is not immediately clear what that obstacle is that is described, perhaps as an attempt to reach a wider audience with intentional vagueness making Scriptural application elusive. A listing, such as that given in Romans 8:31-39, would have clarified the obstacle. Still, we do know that God works all things for good (Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28).
The account of the fall of Jericho came immediately to the forefront (Joshua 6:1-21); however, that would be taking the account out of context to make a point, much like when pastors speak of the “giants” in our lives, in reference to David and Goliath.
But You have never failed me yet
…but “You” might. At least, that is implied with the inclusion of the qualifier “yet”. Elevation Worship would have been better off without it. It persists throughout other instances of this phrase.
Qualifier aside, in what sense does Elevation Worship say that He “has never failed [me]”? The answer is within the Chorus: God’s faithfulness. We will explore Scriptural passages in that section.
We know that “You” refers to Jesus based on Verse 2.
Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle’s won
What change does Elevation Worship refer? What battle is won? Is this internal warfare? Addiction? Isis? North Korea? Once again, this is intentionally vague so that their audience can fill in the blank with their own situation. This makes Biblical examination impossible.
For You have never failed me yet
See line 3, above.
[Chorus 1]
Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
The promise described here is Christ’s faithfulness. See list of references to Christ’s faithfulness.
I’m still in Your hands
Although the context is specific to Jesus, given that Jesus is God, we can apply Psalm 31:14-15, Psalm 95:1-4, Job 12:7-10, Isaiah 62:1-3, Jeremiah 18:6, and Daniel 5:23.
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet
The word “confidence” is a compound word from two Latin words: “con” meaning “with” and “fidence” (or fides) meaning “faith”. Literally, Elevation Worship is saying “this is my [with] faith”, in reference to Christ’s faithfulness. They can have faith in Jesus because Christ is faithful to us, as described in line 2.
[Verse 2]
I know the night won’t last
Once again, this is purposefully unclear to widen audience inclusion with puzzling Biblical application.
Your Word will come to pass
Pairs with Chorus, Line 2. Christ’s word always comes to pass because He knows all things (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).
My heart will sing Your praise again
What is implied is that Elevation Worship sings because Jesus is faithful. There are numerous passages of those (particularly David) who sings praises to/about God because of His faithfulness, including 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Psalm 13:6, Psalm 18:43-49, Psalm 21:8-13, Psalm 27:1-6, Psalm 28:6-9, Psalm 51:14, Psalm 57:1-7, Psalm 59:16, Psalm 63:7, Psalm 69:29-36, Psalm 89:1, and Psalm 108:1-4.
Jesus, You’re still enough
His Grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Keep me within Your love
A prayer to God, asking Him to remain faithful in accordance to His love. The love of God is demonstrated through action as described in Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 17:7, Psalm 36:5-7, Psalm 63:3, Psalm 69:16, Psalm 117:2, Isaiah 54:8, John 3:16, John 13:34, John 15:13, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 8:37-39, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 5:25, Titus 3:4, 1 John 4:8, and 1 John 4:16-19.
My heart will sing Your praise again
A repeat of line 3.
[Chorus 2]
Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed
Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet
A slight variation of Chorus 1.
[Bridge]
I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
Although the source material in Matthew 17:20 and Mark 11:23-24 references our (figurative) moving mountains through faith, God is in the source power behind it.
You made a way, where there was no way
This references the juxtaposition between salvation through obedience to the Law and salvation through faith, as succinctly captured in Matthew 19:26 and Luke 18:27. It becomes more obvious when one reads these passages in context.
And I believe, I’ll see You do it again
Alludes to the final resurrection, a hotly debated topic. I won’t go into details about the various views since this line does not espouse one. The idea is that we will see Jesus again after physical death (Revelation 1:7-8 and Revelation 22:1-4)
[Outro]
Oh, You’ve never failed me yet
A repeat of Verse 1, line 3.
And I never will forget
A double negative meaning “I will always remember”.
Score: 8/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Given the explicit reference to Jesus and implicit connection to faith, those who are not Christians should immediately understand it as a faith-based song. They may not understand the church lingo, such as faith, moving mountains, and God making a way, but then again, it was probably not written with evangelistic reach in mind.
Score: 8/10
4. What does this song glorify?
Despite my earlier comments, God is highly magnified throughout these lyrics, even if some of it is perhaps intentionally vague.
Score: 9/10
Closing Comments
Do It Again is a decent song. Most of its lyrics have Biblical application while small portions seem purposefully vague, slightly obfuscating God’s glory. It’s worth listening to at least once, but skip it for your own worship set.
Final Score: 8/10
Artist Info
Track: Do It Again (listen to the song)
Artist: Elevation Worship
Album: There Is a Cloud
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2017
Duration: 6:38
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright Β© 2016 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) Said And Done Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / Be Essential Songs (BMI), Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
09/14/2021 β Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Elevation Worship’s theology.
02/27/2019 – This song received an original score of 6.5/10. After reading Michael’s commentary (see below), I decided to re-evaluate this song and increased its score to 8/10.
Comments
Jolee
sorry Vince!! we sang that song at church.
Mike Lee
What inspired you to change your grade from 6.5 to 8, from a failing grade to a strongly passing one? Is there something or someone who convinced you of a different viewpoint? Your commentary seemed to support a rating more in line with 6.5 than 8, to be honest.
God bless you,
Mike
Vince Wright
Mike,
Great question! It was the word “yet” that drove down the score, and the area (in this context) where my mind was changed based on the wording in Chorus.
-Vince Wright
Diane
Iβm so glad you pointed out βyetβ as it has never set well with me even though I do love this song. We have to be so careful!
David Kuo
I read most of the comments so hopefully I’m not being redundant. The reason the song speaks to me is I see it as a “developing story in the (immediate) presence”. The singer is struggling with a trial, now.
Certainly I’m aware of God’s grace and love, the fulfillment of his promise in salvation through Jesus Christ. However, if I’m being honest, I’ve those days whereby I’m unsure, not as confident or strong as I want to be. I’m in no way going to renounce my faith, but I’ve had trials sufficient enough to throw me back harder than I expected. Yep, finally going to get to the “YET”. For me, the “yet” is the doubt I must overcome to fortify my faith. Its the spiritual exercise, that I must go through, that comes with a trial.
The person in the song is confronting a trial, but they’re doing so diligently “walking around these walls”, not dwelling in helpless, unfaithful surrender. The hero, as it were, is trying to be courageous, but struggling. The trial is lingering, drawn out, as the walls have not fallen. The first stanza begins the conflict, just like the hook in a short story. The tension is elevated with the word “yet” (a doubt, or question, maybe even hope for the way it was before).
As we progress through the song, the person experiencing the trial makes a decision for faith in God’s sovereign and steadfast love. The drama of the singer unfolds to triumph, even though the trial isn’t resolved. In fact the singer, seems to make a public proclamation of what he/she believes will come to pass. That’s the climax of the song’s story, and resolution to the conflict.
“I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe I’ll see You do it again”
In Mark 11:23 βTruly I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain, βBe lifted up and thrown into the sea,β and has no doubt in his heart but believes that it will happen, it will be done for him.
Steve Barhydt
I want to throw my two cents into the βyetβ controversy that seems to surround this song.
Let me begin by saying that I believe that this song is a wonderful, 10 out of 10, anthem to the faithfulness of our great God and could be sung in any church that sings βGreat is Thy faithfulnessβ with equal confidence. Iβll explain my passion for this song in a little bit.
Observation number 1: Failure is not the same as forsaking.
To forsake is an objective reality. You do not partially abandon someone.
However, failure is subjective. It is based on an expected outcome by the individual making the request.
If we believe that God will give us what we WANT simply because it we, His children, who ask for it, we will surely find that God will fail us. This, by the way, is the central tenet of the βWord of Faithβ movement. This IS a false teaching.
βAt the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the “force of faith.” It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of Godβs sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws.β https://www.gotquestions.org/Word-Faith.html
If, however, we believe that God will provide all our NEED (Phil. 4:19) AND we understand that He knows what we NEED (Matt. 6:8), we can rest assured that God will never fail.
Iβve been married for 39 years and have failed my wife on many occasions. Some were minor things. Others, not so much. However, even in the worst of my failures, I remained faithful to our vows and I never forsook her.
It is possible to fail someoneβs expectations and, yet, be faithful to them.
I believe that this is what was meant by the author of Hebrews in verse 13:6
βI will never leave thee, nor forsake thee–A promise tantamount to this was given to Jacob ( Gen 28:15 ), to Israel ( Deu 31:6, 8 ), to Joshua ( Jos 1:5 ), to Solomon ( 1Ch 28:20 ). It is therefore like a divine adage. What was said to them, extends also to us. He will neither withdraw His presence (“never leave thee”) nor His help (“nor forsake thee”) [BENGEL].β https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Hbr/Hbr_013.cfm?a=1146005 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary On the Whole Bible
I find it interesting that the author of Hebrews changed the word βfailβ to βleave.β Since the Holy Spirit inspired both authors, perhaps it was His way of explaining how we are to interpret the word βfail.β If this is true, we canβt use Hebrew 13:6 as a proof text against the use of the word βyetβ in this song.
Observation number 2: To connote doubt with the word βyetβ contradicts the entire context of this song.
In verse one we have the wordsβ¦
βWaiting for change to come
Knowing the battleβs wonβ
Not
βWaiting for change to come
the battle might be wonβ
The entire Chorus (other than the supposedly βtroublesomeβ βyetβ) is a statement of faith In Godβ¦
βYour promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
Iβm still in Your hands
This is my confidence,
Youβve never failed meβ
Verse 2 continues the songwriterβs affirmation that God WILL ultimately come through for those who trustHim
βI know the night wonβt last
Your Word will come to pass
My heart will sing Your praise againβ
not
βHow long will this night last
βYour Word might come to pass
My heart might sing Your praise againβ
The latter part of verse 2 gives us the satisfactory answer to the songwriterβs prayer
βJesus, Youβre still enough
Keep me within Your love
My heart will sing Your praise againβ
And is remarkably similar to Psalm 42:6β¦
βWhy, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.β
The bridge, which gives us the name of the song, is devoid of any hint of doubt. βYouβve done it before. Youβll do it again!β
βIβve seen You move, You move the mountains
And I believe, Iβll see You do it again
You made a way, where there was no way
And I believe, Iβll see You do it againβ
Although this could refer to the final resurrection, I believe it has a more immediate interpretation as to whatever the βwallsβ are in verse one and the prolonged βnightβ in verse two.
1 Cor. 10:13 (KJV) comes to mindβ¦
βThere hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.β
The word βtemptationβ comes from the Greek peirasmos which according to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3986&t=KJV
βb. specifically, the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy, etc.: 1 Peter 4:12; also an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from outward circumstances, Luke 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; α½ΟομένΡιν ΟΡιΟΞ±ΟΞΌα½ΉΞ½, James 1:12; an internal temptation to sin, 1 Timothy 6:9; of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand, Luke 4:13; of a condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from faith and holiness:β
Observation number 3: People who donβt like the word βyetβ in this song have either never read the Psalms or have chosen to overlook the harshness, even brutalness, contained therein.
Psalm 22 is an excellent example of this and offers a pattern to resolving the frustrations with our current undesirable circumstances into an abiding faith in God.
It starts with the wordsβ¦
β 1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.β
Could you imagine the uproar if a songwriter would pin these words for the first time today?!? This is a wee bit worse than βyetβ.
Now WE know that this was a prophetic, Messianic psalm. But when David wrote it, he was describing a contemporary event in his life that was causing him considerable distress. To us, centuries later, it was among Christβs words on the cross. To David, it was last Thursday.
By the way, we donβt know what that circumstance was. David, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, choose to leave the details vague. (I wonder if Vince would dock David a point for βobfuscating clarityβ π
Davidβs initial response is a plea to HISTORY vs3-5
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
But an appeal to HISTORY alone, although important, doesnβt cut it vs6-7
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
David then turns to personal MEMORY. MEMORY that includes both troubles and triumphs. Vs9-18
9But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
It is these MEMORIES that, in spite of his current trails, causes him to express his faith that God will βmake a wayβ for him in vs 19-25
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
In the rest of the psalm, David extends what he has learned through whatever this trail was to 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Did David really believe that God had βforsakenβ him? Based on the ending of this Psalm, absolutely not! Did he feel that way? Yes, otherwise he would not have written it. Was the Holy Spirit βokayβ with David expressing the feeling that God had forsaken him? Since the 22nd Psalm is in the Bible, we must concluded that the answer is YES.
This same βWhere are you God?β sentiment is seen in Psalm 10, Psalm 42, Psalm 74, Psalm 77)
It is found in Job 23:2-10 (one of my favorite passages in the Bible)
2even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
6Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
What is the parallel that I see between Psalm 22 and Elevation Worshipβs βDo It Againβ?
1) Both describe an unspecified and unfulfilled need on the part of the songwriter
2) Both appeal to the past to find strength in the present and to find hope for the future.
3) Both express the assurance that they have been in the hands of God during their lifetimes.
4) Both convey the belief that, in spite of current trails, they will continue to praise God.
So, why do I feel so strongly about this song?
In June of 2017, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was scheduled to have surgery on August 31. I personally prayed for a miracle that God would remove the cancer from my body. I went to the prayer team at my church (which includes church elders), was prayed for and anointed with oil. According to James 5:14-15, that should have been sufficient.
As I was wheeled into the operating room, I was still praying. Praying for God to direct the hands of my surgeon. Praying for his assistants. Praying for my wife out in the waiting room. As I went under the anesthetic my last thought was βGod, Iβm in Your hands.β
Due to some complications, I awoke 11 hours later in what should have been an hour and a half surgery. (Yes my poor lovely wife need all the prayers and support she could get.) The surgery, however, was a success.
A week or so later, the result of the biopsy on my prostate came back and not only was the cancer still there, it had reached the outer boundary of the gland and that meant I could still have cancerous cells inside my body. I would have to go through 37 radiation treatments (7 and a half weeks, Monday through Friday) to βclean upβ any remaining cancer. God had failed to give me the miracle that I wanted.
In spite of this disappointment, throughout the radiation therapy, as the technicians would put me into the machine, my prayer was consistently, βGod, Iβm in Your hands.β
Finally, at the end of December 2017, the radiation therapy was completed and, eventually, the tests came back negative. I was cancer free. Thank God.
Fast forward 5 months to my first ever colonoscopy (Yes, at 57 years old, I had put it off long enough) Once again, as I fell asleep with the anesthesia, the words βGod, Iβm in Your handsβ were the last thing I remembered.
When I awoke, my wonderful wife was by my side, as the doctor told us that he had found 7 polyps (of various sizes) and, although none of them βlookedβ cancerous to him, 7 was a lot and I would have to wait for the biopsy to find out if I had a new cancer to deal with.
Iβll be honest with you. I was scared. I was wondering if God was really listening to me. I even felt a little forsaken.
My colonoscopy had been on a Thursday. That Sunday morning we sang Elevation Worshipβs βDo It Againβ. I should say that the congregation sang it. I was wrapped up in my fear of the unknown and, in all honesty, was just βgoing through the motionsβ
That is until the words of the chorus βIβm still in Your handsβ hit me right between my fear-blinded eyes. The very words that I had prayed over and over again while facing prostate surgery and radiation therapy. Please remember that this song didnβt hit the Christian radio airways until Feb. 2018, so my prayer predated this song by at least two months.
What happened to my faith at that moment can only be described as an βexplosion.β You see, God had failed to give me the miracle that I wanted but had, instead, given me an experience, a personal MEMORY that was exactly what I needed. I will carry the words βGod, Iβm in Your handsβ with me the rest of my life.
Iβm 59 years old. My parents started attending a Bible-believing, Scripture-teaching church when I was 1 and a half. I was saved at 12 and attended a college whose focus was to prepare people for preaching the Bible. I know all the stories of Godβs goodness. I have taught lesson on all the stories to others. I have seen God move even before my cancer. But that Sunday morning, more than anything else that had come before, God made His goodness PERSONAL to me.
By the way, the polyps came back as the terribly named βpre-cancerousβ which is medical-speak for βnothing to worry about.β
In summary (yeah, I know, itβs about timeο) there is way too much controversy over the word βyetβ in this song. Many of the Psalms express far more βdoubtβ in the goodness of God when certain verses are taken out of context. Likewise, when the context of this song is taken into account you simply cannot conclude that it opens up the possibly of God completely failing us.
However, just as faith for salvation must be personal, even so confidence in Godβs goodness during the βyetsβ in our lives must ultimately be personal.
James 1:3-8 (NASB)
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
All of the Biblical knowledge in the world will not produce endurance in the individual. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Job, David, etc. may help strengthen our faith but, those stories alone, will not produce spiritual completeness in us. Only by holding onto God during the βyetβ moments in our lives will do that.
As I said at the beginning of my comment this is a wonderful song. 2020 has been a rough year. Whether it be Covid19 (either personal sickness, that of a loved one, or the just the uncertainty of what tomorrow will bring), the election, the civil unrest, etc. Whatever you are facing in your life at this moment you can rest assured that God is in control. That you, if you have placed your faith in Him,
are βstill in His Handsβ. That you, as an individual, loved by God can say βThis is my confidence, Youβve never failed me yet.β
Dave James
While this song was being sung at service today, I decided to sing “yes” in place of “yet”. In this, I am agreeing with the statement that He never fails.
Vince Wright
Dave,
Thank you for letting me know!
-Vince Wright
Charles Busada
Dave, that is an improvement, but the song still suffers from a much more fundamental problem. Nowhere in the New Testament do we read of our confidence is in what God does for us (but tell me where I’m wrong and I’ll recant). Rather, our confidence comes from God keeping his promise to Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, through his covenants and promises. God came through. “It is finished.” Our confidence is through our faith in Christ that we believe that He is who He says He is and He did what He came to do.
So our confidence is in Christ alone. The Bible is not us, it is about Christ. And the Bible does “apply to us,” it applies to Christ. Our blessing comes from us being “In Christ.” So our blessings are derived. It’s all about Christ and this song tends to tell us that it’s about Christ, but largely about me.
This Elevation Worship song cheepens it all by making our confidence all about us and not about Christ. It does not matter what happens to me, for I am In Christ. And, who is the judge here anyway? Are we judging God that he is good because he has never failed us? And how do we measure failure anyway. Did God fail the martyrs? Some may have thought so, and that would have been tragic. Most were honored to die for Him, even in the most terrible ways.
Shadrack, Neshack, and Abednego would not have sang this song as they went into the furnace. Their confidence was not in what God had done for them (implies that he will keep doing it). They said “even if he will not” they would trust in Him.
Changing a word is good, but there are so many better songs out there.
Dave James
Charles – I agree with your closing statement that “…there are so many better songs out there.” Believe me, if I was in charge of the songs chosen at my church, I’d toss out half of what’s played! (BTW, I’m not in the band; I run sound).
“Walking around these walls
I thought by now they’d fall”
I see this as observing all the obstacles in my life, that hamper a better relationship with Christ, are mostly still present. After all this time (44 years), I thought they’d be gone by now. Obviously, not a “Berean Test” (smiles).
My 0.02 worth…
Charles J Busada
Dave, I am in our band but have no control of the songs. A couple of times I just had to pass on playing because it would have been a joyless experience for me and I would not want the congregation to see this. How I pray that our bandleaders would see the incredible privilege and mandate that we put Godly words on our singers’ lips. After all, we are directing our worship to God as worship (as a noun) means an homage to one who deserves our bending the knee. So, it’s not about us, it’s about Him. And if and when we get this, I think that we will be more fruitful and happy Christians. I’ll pray for you, and please pray for me, for it really burdens me.
Charles
Elisama Lucena
As I am non native English speaker, I was always wondering about this “yet”.
I felt like: oh God, You’ll never fail, so why do they say “yet”?
haha
We have a Brazilian version of this song that says: My God has never failed [comparing to the “You have never failed me yet” part”].
I really loved the purpose of this website. I am sure that it will help me a lot to understand many lyrics parts I don’t understand.
I will share it with my cousin who loves christian music in English too.
God bless you!
Vince Wright
Elisama,
Thank you for your comments, your compliment, and for sharing with your cousin!
Perhaps the Brazilians caught wind of my review and, realizing the error, decided to omit it in their language? Ok, probably not, but I’m glad to see that they removed it nonetheless.
-Vince Wright
Pric
I just came across your website today and read your analyses on several songs (that I like and/or have doubts on the lyrics), also read many of the comments. First of all, thanks for doing that. I think it is very needed in the contemporary Christian world.
It is an interesting discussion on the word “yet.” I agree it seems to imply “God may eventually fail, just not yet” if one doesn’t read it carefully. But I also want to share my personal experience, as this song has encouraged me many times in life. I can also interpret the “yet” as an honesty comment/ thought of someone who is facing challenges and battling to still hold onto God’s faithfulness. At least in my desperation & doubt (which i am sure all believers will have experienced), I have tried to remind myself: “hey, look back to what God has done in your life so far, every trial you have faced, God has led you through. If you are still doubting this time, at least know that He has not failed you YET so far, so there is no logical reason to think he will not do it again. If you have to doubt, at least be fair and doubt after he really has had failed you.”
the “yet” was a word to help me reason when i talk to/remind myself. But still, i agree it can also be taken out from the song.
Vince Wright
Pric,
Thank you for your comment! I agree with the intent you communicated and glad that the song encouraged you.
-Vince Wright
Ken Carangue
Hi, I really appreciate the review and the comments. For me, I was really blessed by the phraseβparticularly βbut You have never failed me yetβ. This potion helps me relate to my own unfaithfulness and reminds me that unlike me or other people, God is and will remain faithful. Sometimes I feel Iβd loose my focus and forget that God is not like me.
I feel the message is that βGod has not failed so farβ from the perspective of an imperfect song writer. And encouraging the listener, who might be going through a difficult situation, not to give up. Maybe one of the intended listener is someone who is at a point in their lives were theyβre doubting if God will see them through their situationβand the song writer is saying βso far He has not failed me yet based on my experienceβ.
Another reason why I felt blessed by this song is because when the writer said βbut You have never failed me yetβ, it reminded me that though God does not give me my heartβs desires all the timeβand I get disappointed when that happensβstill He will follow through with His perfect plan for my life. My unfaithfulness will not make Him unfaithful.
Anyways, I am blessed by everyoneβs comments. Thank you all!
Vince Wright
Ken,
Thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated!
-Vince Wright
Jodi Schulteis
Ken, thanks for viewing βyetβ in a different way. I too have struggled with this word, however, upon reading your explanation, it occurred to me that the phrase could be incomplete so the individual worshipping might finish the phrase βYou have never failed me yet…β could be βYou have never failed me yet…..You take me backβ referencing the fact that we continue to miss the mark on a regular basis, yet He takes us back every time!
Jodi
John Demola
Thank you for doing what you do! I agree with your analysis of a good score but i would include it in a worship set with the word “yet” changed. Maybe “LORD”
Maybe even giving the flock an explanation.
But my main issue is the seeker friendly thing going too far. What is a new believer going to learn from this word “yet”? He or she may learn to doubt if God really is faithful. It is a wordly phrase put into the song intentionally. “How’s your car?” “Hasn’t failed me yet, knock on wood!”
The writer have easily used another word. A baby Christian can easily form their view of God from song. That is my main issue and if the writer didnt think of this, shame on him. And if he did and still wrote it? Well……
Thanks for listening.
tastywallet
John,
My pleasure! That is a worthy change, making it much clearer without losing any of its intended meaning. I’m not sure if it was meant to be more seeker-friendly, but you’re right. An unbeliever will probably get the wrong idea.
-TastyWallet
Charles Busada
We play this song in church, and I too am very uneasy with the word “yet.” It makes me think that the band is just theologically clueless. I hope not. But, the only thing that allows me to play along with it is a quotation by Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. When he was put to the stake to burn for his faith, he said this: “Eighty and six years have I served Christ, nor has He ever done me any harm. How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved Me?….I bless Thee for deigning me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ.
So, Polycarp spoke somewhat ambiguously here, (or the scribe who penned his words).
So, maybe “yet” gets a pass, but it is like a clanging cymbal in what otherwise is an average song for our era.
tastywallet
Charles,
Thank you for your contribution! You put my thoughts in a much better light than I could have. Well done!
-TastyWallet
Michael
What is left unsaid is not “yet, but”
What is left unsaid is “yet, and”
Not “yet, but You might”
but rather “yet, and You never will”
Chorus 2 ends with “You’ve never failed.”
The word “yet” is only included in Chorus 1.
It would be very easy to make Chorus 2 end with “You never fail.” if that makes you more comfortable.
Making it a statement of a characteristic of God. He never fails.
Making it impossible for the word “yet” to mean “but You might” because that would contradict the stated characteristic that He never fails.
Forcing the word “yet” to mean “and You never will” every time.
tastywallet
Michael,
Thank you for presenting your defense of reconciliation! I got the lyrics from https://genius.com/Elevation-worship-do-it-again-lyrics, which includes the word “yet” in both Chorus 2 and the Outro. Nonetheless, your logic works, causing me to re-evaluate my review. Thanks for your input! I updated the page and boosted the score.
-TastyWallet
Sage W.
I found a sort of biblical reference to “You never failed me yet.”
1 Samuel 7:12
12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”
Just read this today and found it interesting.
tastywallet
Sage,
That is fascinating! I read it in multiple translations and in context. It was in response to God’s deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines. I don’t think it will alter my review, but thanks for bringing that up!
-TastyWallet
Sage W.
Yeah for sure! I didn’t think that I would or should change your review. I just knew you would enjoy that.
Thanks,
Sage
Charles J Busada
I think that this verse shows a clear distinction in God’s covenantal relationship with Israel. God had made covenantal promises to Abraham, but, had not as yet given the Davidic covenantal promise of a Davidic king that would reign forever. In a sense, it even shows more clearly why “never failed me yet” is faulty. It is an error in distinguishing not only biblical theological events but in misunderstanding the huge distinction of works and grace.
John Gill put it this way: “saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us; this was but the beginning of their deliverance from the Philistines, and which was owing to the help of the Lord; and as he had begun to help them, they might hope and encourage themselves that he would go on to help them until their deliverance was completed: however, they with Samuel thought it their duty, which was right, to acknowledge what the Lord had done for them, and perpetuate the memory of it, ****though they could not be sure what he would do for them hereafter*****; yet as they were sensible of, and thankful for this instance of his goodness, they *****hoped for more******, and had their dependence on him for future success against their enemies.
Gayle M JONES
I am very late to this discussion. I have used this particular song when leading worship, during personal prayer and worship time, and when interceding for another.
May I respectfully majestic a few points?
1. The message of the song is stated to be “primarily focused on the faithfulness of Christ and that He has, in the past, never failed Elevation Worship”.
This is untrue. The song is written in 1st person *singular* posessive tense, not plural. This song is not claiming to have never failed Elevation Worship corporately, but rather this is an individual person *I/Me* praying and worshipping directly to God. It is Davidic in tone.
Even sung corporately, each individual is making this declaration for his/her own life.
Therefore,
2. The phrase “You’ve never failed me, yet” is completely valid and appropriate. As I am in the moment- dealing with my own personal struggle (health)- I can take comfort in knowing that God is the same God today that He was yesterday.
In singing this song, one is honestly confessing fear and maybe even some doubt. HOWEVER, “[God] made a way [last time] where there was no way. And I believe I’ll see [Him] do it again!”
I.e. verse 1- do you really think that Joshua didn’t wonder what the deal was on days 4-5-6 walking around Jericho? They couldn’t talk- all they could do was March, pray, and try to ignore the catcalls from the soldiers above.
There is such a raw honesty in being able to say out loud, “man, God, this is NOT the way I envisioned You working this out. I trust you- but… I’m just saying…”
Vince Wright
Gayle,
Thank you for your comments!
See my responses, below.
1. Yes! This is assumed when I state “Elevation Worship”, not as a collective entity, but each individual person. Perhaps I should have been more explicit?
2. The word “Yet” also carries with it a tone that, perhaps, God will fail somewhere down the road. That was my initial criticism when I reviewed this song; However, in Chorus 2, it says, “Youβve never failed”, without the word “yet”. I was convinced that this nullifies any concern I had with the word.
-Vince Wright
Charles J Busada
Gayle, I think the point is that “yet” has its problems. We need to be so very careful to remember that worship at church is a corporate experience. We assemble as individuals to speak “with one voice” to God in a church gathering. We have thousands upon thousands of songs and hymns to choose from. So, why do we choose a song that has problems? Our worship, our singing is a spiritual sacrifice to God. Our sacrifices should be without blemish, and this song has a blemish.
In a sense this song is complex and subjective. Even Vince’s response to you required him to really analyze the song. Worship songs should be clear and be easy to understand. In a sense, when we sing this song to God we are not affirming anything to God. We are singing a prayer of the songwriter based on his or hers or their experience. Their experience is a nothing. What matters is that God has given us great and precious promises and has shown the great application of this promise in the death, burial, resurrection, and assentation of Jesus Christ.
In my never-so-humble-opinion, this song fails on many points. People may love to listen to it on the radio, or sing it at home . . . that’s all well and good. But we need clarity in our churches or we are “clanging symbols”
It’s a good song, but not good enough to present to God on His day, in His house, by an assembly of His people in obeisance to His command. There are just better songs out there than this one, so why even do this one?
Shaheen
We had a lengthy discussion about this song with the worship team at my church, and in the end, we decided not to sing it. Your analysis and in-depth look at the lyrics was interesting to read, but for us, the issue was much bigger. I feel that the overall message of this song is to trust in what God can do (His miracles primarily) instead of trusting in God Himself. It has a very OT-feel to me. In the OT, much emphasis was put on God’s miraculous power in this world, in this life. However, the NT is written from a much different perspective. In light of what Christ has done for us, the things we experience in this life are *almost* meaningless – good or bad, struggles or difficulties. The presence of God in our lives is enough, whether the walls fall or not. The focus is on eternity, and being united with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to produce fruit in our lives even in the midst of trials. Never once did the Apostle Paul pray for God to “do it again” in any reference to the lyrics of the song. He never prayed to be released from prison, he never prayed for some miraculous healing, he never prayed for difficulties to be removed. It was the opposite – that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ, it was a privilege to be in chains for the Gospel; it seemed to be the highest honor for Paul to give his life in service to Jesus Christ. Paul was clearly filled and satisfied, not because of his circumstances and God intervening for some “positive outcome”, but because of the fulfillment he received from a relationship with God. In the end, this was the reason we chose not to sing the song. We felt like it was not a song that would mature people’s faith, but one that would teach people to put their trust in the wrong thing.
tastywallet
Shaheen,
Thank you for your commentary! I am happy to see other people taking seriously the task of critically examining music lyrics. I had never considered an Old Testament usage in the sense that it fails to magnify a New Testament understanding of one’s own relationship with God. The more I re-read the lyrics, the more I started to agree with your assessment. You are correct in stating that Paul did not pray for miracles, release from prison, or removal from circumstances; However, he did once pray for a thorn of the flesh to be removed. God’s response, as you know, is that His grace is sufficient. It is through weakness that God can move and be strong. I think that is what Elevation Worship is going for, but you’re right: it is an Old Testament view rather than the New Testament.
Know that I will be looking for this in future reviews!
EDIT: Upon re-evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that a New Testament view is inherent given the explicit references to Jesus and some of His actions.
-TastyWallet
Peacemap
OT and NT work together. Christ came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. So both of them continue together. One can have an OT view and it can still apply to NT. Much of the OT foreshadows things that happened in the NT. Much of the prophecies in the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament. So, be on guard about dismissing the Old Testament. Though, the Old Testament can never beat what Christ did, it still important and is their for our teaching as Paul mentions in Romans. Many false teachings going around trying to invalidate the Old Testament, and that it doesnβt apply anymore. OT + NT = Word of God. Canβt have one without the other. Aside from that, Iβve never really been akin to this song, this one and Reckless Love. While the youth looove them, I have honestly had to sit and think about what these songs are saying, and I personally donβt like both of them. We need balance on vagueness and clarity, sure. We should keep in mind God is not a god of confusion, but a God of order that does things with clear intent, and that His Holy Spirit cleanses our minds so that we have sound minds(clears our thoughts). I have experienced it many times where Iβm having troubled thoughts, and they are racing in my head, and then I get in Godβs presence; the Holy Spirit comes and wipes my mind clean, and Iβm able to think clearly. So, vagueness can only go so far before it is literally just causing confusion, something we should consider when we are trying to βreach an audienceβ.. really we should just have an audience of One, but we want people to like what we do. This has caused us to give up mentioning βGodβ specifically in our songs that we use in worship sets and replace it βYou, He, Him,…β so that we can connect with people. π€¦π»ββοΈ Just say it, βGod, You are faithful.β Itβs ALL over the psalms. Anyways, thatβs all for today. God bless you all my brothers and sisters in Christ!
tastywallet
Peacemap,
Thanks for your thoughts! We can certainly come to an understanding of the Old Testament in light of the New Testament; However, the issue that was raised is an inherently Old Testament view within lyrics, without any New Testament implied or stated. That is a return to Judaism, something we should avoid in our song choice.
In your defense, I went back and examined the lyrics, my review, and my commentary. I chose to edit my earlier comment to which you replied.
-TastyWallet
Charles Busada
I was thinking about this last night as I was reading Psalm 15 to my 102-year-old father. It is where David asks, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? . . . And the answer is basically “a person who is perfect.” This was it’s old covenant meaning. So, if this would be presented to the church in reading or song, it would be damaging in not correctly positioned to its fulfilled meaning). In the old covenant it meant, “do this and live.” In the new covenant its meaning is expanded to mean “Christ did this so we can live.” So, we do not, ought not, and dare not put OT scriptures in our songs unless we clearly show their fulfillment in Christ. “Do it Again” is sloppy writing and is either in need of a rewrite or the trash can.
This is why I love Isaac Watts’ songs. He set out to “make David speak (or teach David) the language of a Christian.” He made it a point to modify OT Psalms to interpret through the NT. Look how he turned Psalm 90 into “O God Our Help in Ages Past.” O for a careful theological representation of lyrics in our songs today . . . such a dirth in the land. Charles
tastywallet
Charles,
Thank you for your thoughts! I can agree with you to a point. The New Covenant should be our focus, viewing and interpreting the Old Testament in that context in terms of our worldview and everyday life.
Having said that, I thought that Verse 2 and the Bridge made that connection between Old Covenant and New Covenant. Verse 2 specifically mentions Jesus, while the Bridge make a statement “You made a way, where there was no way”, to which Jesus is its antecedent. Perhaps it could have been more clear.
I am a big fan of Isaac Watts’ songs, including Joy to the World, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and My Shepherd Will Supply My Need. What I do not appreciate is the modern “reimagining” of these great classics, usually adding a generic (and completely unnecessary) chorus to them.
-TastyWallet
Charles Busada
On Watts, we are completely together. But reimagining Watts has been going on for a long time. People love the “old” hymn “At the Cross” not knowing that the chorus of that song was written — I’m not sure, but probably close to 100 years ago. I just cannot see Watts’ approving of such a feathery chorus to his bleeding lyrics of of a Savior saving such a wretch with “and now I am happy all the day.” But, modern versions take out the word “wretch” anyway and replace it as “sinner such as I.” But, we digress.
Vince Wright
Charles,
He must be rolling in his grave to see his work ruined by such attempts!
-Vince Wright
Charles Busada
You know, I was thinking of something today and I would love some correction or feedback. These great old hymns are public domain (correct?). And so, I was thinking of “Amazing Grace.” We have scores of takes on that song now. Some are very good. I’m thinking Chains are Gone” as the chorus does not detract from the verses but adds to it. But the cost was 2 or three verses were dropped. But, “Broken Vessels” (I’ll get to that later). Nevertheless, this blatant use of great old hymns gives the new chorsed (ie Chris Tomlin) hymns more play because we are more familiar with them. So, in standing on the shoulders of giants we simply add a chorus and copyright the song. The great one who wrote the hymn gets nothing. Sure, he is long gone, but he still should get his cut. How to do this, well, take 50% of the song’s revenue and send it to a charity that is in line with the writer’s theology. Is this simply the Golden Rule. I think that what we do is akin to stealing. We steal the fame and the basic melody lines and put our names next to the Giant because we wrote a three-chord vacuous chorus. We need to call this out! (I’m mad.) Now back to “Broken Vessels.” That is a really nice song. It would be just as nice if Hillsong did not refer to Amazing Grace. They could have let their song stand on its own. And the beautiful Bethel “It is Well.” It would have been just as beautiful if they changed it to “It is Swell”, or maybe just something that did not pull off the fame of the Assad hymn that was forged in great faith over great sorrow. And Matt Redmonds version ripped of Assad even worse. Yes, I’m angry that we don’t stand up to this larceny in the guise that we’re making songs contemporary. Rather, follow Indelible Grace or Sovereign Grace who are keeping the hymns as written. Yes, many need a face lift as some tunes do not do them justice. But to add a chorus to “Joy to the World”! That song was ripped off and degraded. It is beautiful as written and composed. Leave perfection alone.
And in closing, please do not tell me that there is a new version of “A Mighty Fortress is our God” with a chorus. “God, be my fortress, be my fortress, be my strength and I praise you for it. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Halleluuuuuuujah, Amen”.
Amen
Vince Wright
Charles,
Yes, many of them are in public domain, but there are some that are not. It depends on the year it entered into copyright. For those that are public domain, it is perfectly legal to add a chorus, drop a few verses, and copyright your own version of a song in public domain, though I do agree it could be morally questionable. Disney built their empire off this concept, and I regularly watch/listen to their stuff because I think their version is (often) better. So, I cannot be to angry about it.
I disagree with the added chorus of “Chains are gone”. I don’t think it adds anything valuable that hasn’t already been stated in other verses. Amazing Grace is great on its own, with its verses. It does not require a face lift. But then again, I am an originalist for the most part. Except for Disney, of course.
-Vince Wright
Alexandru Ioan Ferdean
Wow. Brother, Shaheen that’s what the Church of Christ needs more! To focus on Him and on His presence in our lives! If that involves miracles, so be it, be we must be encouraged to seek Him first! You comment was amazing! And I’m very glad to see churches that seek Him first! Not His works!
Charles Busada
First a question. Is “Vince” and “Tasty Wallet” one and the same? Or is this like Clark Kent and Superman? Just wondering. But as Vince wrote the commentary I’ll address it to him.
You wrote:
“Walking around these walls
I thought by now theyβd fall
A euphemism forβ¦well, letβs think this through. What do walls do? They hold up roofs. They enclose a space. They provide shelter and security. They keep people out. Given Elevation Worshipsβ desire for the walls to fall, we can discern the barrier explanation. The βwallβ is some sort of obstacle that is preventing them from doing something.
It is not immediately clear what that obstacle is that is described, perhaps as an attempt to reach a wider audience with intentional vagueness making Scriptural application elusive. A listing, such as that given in Romans 8:31-39, would have clarified the obstacle. Still, we do know that God works all things for good (Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28).
The account of the fall of Jericho came immediately to the forefront (Joshua 6:1-21); however, that would be taking the account out of context to make a point, much like when pastors speak of the βgiantsβ in our lives, in reference to David and Goliath.”
Me speaking now: When I first heard a church band play this song they read the passage of Joshua 6 as if this was the meaning of the walls. In other words, falling walls are good. So, I thought that the idea of the falling walls was coming from the first person of the song, the singer. So, he is basically saying that these bad walls are still up and he has not, as yet, experienced victory. But he eventually will because God has not failed him “yet.”
So, is this a completely wrong interpretation of this song?
Vince Wright
Charles,
Great question! Yes, TastyWallet was the original name that I used before I decided to start using my real name. My articles were also authored as “TastyWallet”; However, that was much easier to update than going through each comment and altering my name. I didn’t think it was worth the effort to manually update comments.
-Vince Wright
Michael Lee
Good insight, Shaheen. I agree with your team’s final decision.
Dave
Oh wow! I didn’t realize how long my comment was until I saw it up there, ha! Yes, I appreciate your thoughts and think your evaluation criteria is great. And I would agree that too much vagueness in a “worship” song, is…well, not the kind of song that I would choose to include in my worship setlist. I’m not sure I subscribe to the notion that vagueness is necessarily anti-gospel (so to speak) though. Perhaps this is flawed justification(?), but I think vagueness can serve the worshipper well by leaving plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to tigger different things, issues, etc. in that person’s heart. In truth, I really am a lover of songs and hymns that explicitly deliver, in detail, the gospel message, including (and especially, of course!) words of adoration for God and Jesus, their character, etc, etc, and am often (perhaps to a fault sometimes) overly critical of worship music. [It’s remarkable how much new praise worship music does not even mention “God” or “Jesus” in the lyrics!] That said, I do believe, when done effectively, there is certainly room for both types of songs, provided it’s obvious enough that the song is directed toward the One deserving of our praise and worship. Your thoughts?
tastywallet
Dave,
It’s amazing how long one’s own ideas can emerge!
Generally speaking, I agree with your comments. I too can become overly critical and sometimes forget to see the forest from the trees. Personally speaking, clarity is extremely important to me, perhaps even to a fault. I spoke of balance earlier between clarity and vagueness. I admit that I fall a lot closer to the clarity portion of the spectrum that sometimes I forget about the power of intentional vagueness. It’s a lot more important for me to get this stuff right that sometimes, even a small amount of ambiguity can erode at the intention behind the message and lose people in the process.
While that does not change my mind for this particular review, I will take your comments into consideration for future reviews.
-TastyWallet
Dave
Thanks for your analysis. As someone who’s big on song analysis, I’m always interested in reading other peoples’ interpretations and perspectives. As a musician and songwriter also, however, I find it’s important to always try to maintain perspective on how intentional vagueness engages the listener. Consider how we respond to the words we hear or read, be it in conversation, lectures and/or other direct instruction, books, etc, and how words prompt us to make personal connections based on our own life experience. With that in mind, consider also that Elevation is a very “seeker friendly” church, and the writers are, in many cases tailoring their lyrical content to appeal to new or young believers, and certainly even (and maybe especially) those who are returning to their relationship with God. I do not believe that to be a bad thing. [1 Peter 2:2-3 comes to mind.] I don’t pretend to know just how exactly the Spirit moves and prompts us, but sometimes it feels like the Lord is leaving a trail of bread crumbs for us to follow. Not because He’s teasing or toying with us, but because we are feeble minded, and learn things slowly. Jesus often rebuked His disciples – the men closest to Him! – for their failure to understand and lack of faith. Take that into account when interpreting the inclusion of the word “yet” in the verse of the song. How often do we as followers of Jesus still experience doubt? My heart says “yet” (figuratively) all too often, and my pride makes me live in a way that says “God’s not going to do this,” or that I can do it (better) myself. Some of that is the work of the enemy speaking lies, usually in combination with my own fallen nature. We know God is faithful and true, but based on our earthly experience, our hearts can’t fully comprehend God’s ability to remain unchanged (or rather His inability to fail) and deliver on His promises. I think of the story of Abraham and Sarah, and I wonder how I would have dealt with all those years of waiting. I believe this song is an authentic reflection of the heart of the believer that is striving to follow Jesus and declare God’s promises in the midst of our own struggles, and despite our propensity to doubt. This song attempts (and succeeds, I believe), to be “real” about our journey with Jesus. Breaking down the song line by line, or by section is good and appropriate, but I try to return to and consider the song as a whole when making my final evaluation. Personally, I interpret these lyrics as a prayer – an honest conversation with God that acknowledges and praises Him for who He is, as we declare by faith His promises in the midst of wrestling with our own circumstances and sin, which often includes failure and unbelief.
tastywallet
Dave,
Thanks for your perspective, much appreciated! I get how intentional vagueness can help engage the listener, appealing to a younger “seeker friendly” audience; however, we have to be cautious not to go so vague that we lost sight of the message. It is a delicate balance between connection and clarity. At the very least, I hope my article gave you something worth pondering on.
-TastyWallet
Tim
yet
jΙt/Submit
adverb
1.
up until the present or a specified or implied time; by now or then.
“I haven’t told anyone else yet”
synonyms: so far, thus far, as yet, still, even now, up till now, up to now, until now, up to the present time
“he has not made up his mind yet”
2.
still; even (used to emphasize increase or repetition).
“snow, snow, and yet more snow”
synonyms: even, still, further, in addition, additionally, besides, into the bargain, to boot
“he supplied yet more unsolicited advice”
There are 2 meanings. They obviously mean the latter
tastywallet
It does not seem that obvious to me. In fact, when you compare the line with both examples you gave, the first lines up perfectly. The word “yet” is even positioned at the end of the sentence rather than the middle, which exists in the first definition and not the second. It also makes more sense grammatically within the context of that song to use the first rather than the second since increase or repetition is nowhere even implied within this stanza.
Michael Ramsey
I have heard that yet is a missed hear lyric. The real word is yeah. I don’t know i could be wrong
Charles J Busada
Michael, are you serious? Seriously, I don’t know if you are joking or not.