Photo by Ben Vaughn
Elevation Worship, much like Bethel and Hillsong, is a church-based worship band that competes for global Christian Music dominance and influence. With their home in Charlotte, North Carolina, and led by controversial pastor Steven Furtick, it’s hard to deny how successful their worship division has become.
They released many albums and EP’s.
They also won eight awards, including two Billboard for Top Christian Artist (2021) and Top Christian Song (Graves into Gardens, 2021), and two GMA Dove awards for Spanish Language Album of the Year (Aleluya (En La Tierra), 2020) and Worship Recorded Song of the Year (The Blessing (Live), 2020).
Also, check out my other Elevation Worship reviews.
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Elevation-worship-same-god-lyrics.
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 artist‘s theology by visiting Resources.
1. What message does the song communicate?
Elevation Worship calls upon the God of Jacob, Moses, Mary, and King David, that He, along with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, would:
- Keep His covenantal promises as He did with these heroes of faith
- Hear Elevation’s cry, that they would stand on His firm foundation
- Would grant tenacity, answered prayers, and salvation
- Never change
- Increase our sensitivity to His presence
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
The entire song is in accord with the Bible.
[Verse 1]
Lines 1-3: God made a covenant with Jacob (known later as Israel), that his descendants would be like the dust of the earth, and that the people of the earth would be blessed through him and his offspring (Genesis 28:10-15). We see God’s love endure through each generation of Israel throughout Scripture, with its final fulfillment in Christ (Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-34).
Lines 4 and 5: The same God of Jacob is also the God of Moses, who split the sea in two (Exodus 14:21, Psalm 66:6, Psalm 78:13, Psalm 136:13, and Isaiah 51:10).
Lines 6 and 7: That is, God will keep His promises to Elevation Worship. However, we must understand that God will fulfill His promises on His timetable, not theirs (2 Peter 3:9).
[Chorus]
Line 1: Verse 1, lines 6 and 7 explain the sense in which Elevation needs God.
Lines 2 and 3: Essentially repeats line 1.
Lines 4 and 5: The term “Rock of Ages” comes from Augustus Toplady’s 1776 hymn of the same name. Though not found explicitly in the bible, it derives from Isaiah 26:4, which is about God as an everlasting foundation. 1 Corinthians 10:4 calls this rock “Christ”. He is the firm foundation to which Elevation Worship stands (Deuteronomy 32:4, 1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 18:31, Psalm 28:1, Psalm 62:2, Psalm 94:22, Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 7:24-27, Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11, 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, Ephesians 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:19, and 1 Peter 2:6).
Line 6: Essentially repeats line 5.
Side Note: Subsequent iterations repeats these lyrics a second time.
[Verse 2]
Lines 1 and 2: As with Jacob and Moses, Mary’s God came to her through the angel Gabrial, who delivered the news that the Holy Spirit would conceive within her the God-man Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). His favor was upon her humble state (Luke 1:48).
Line 3: As stated by Jesus in Matthew 19:26.
Lines 4 and 5: The God of Jacob, Moses, and Mary is also David’s God, who gave him courage when he faced the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-51). Though Elevation Worship doesn’t face this nine-foot Philistine, they have their own “giants” of sorts that require the courage that God provides.
[Interlude (1)]
Line 1: Essentially repeats Chorus, line 5.
Line 2: That is, God’s faithfulness never changes (Lamentations 3:22-23 and 2 Timothy 2:13).
[Bridge (1)]
Line 1: God hears the prayers of the righteous (Psalm 66:17-20, Jeremiah 29:12-13, John 9:31, 1 Peter 3:12, and 1 John 5:14).
Line 2: God doesn’t change (Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, and James 1:17).
Line 3: Yes He does, but we must understand that they will be answered according to His will (John 14:13).
Line 4: Repeats line 2.
Line 5: God is our provider as He was throughout Scripture (Genesis 2:15-16, Genesis 9:3, Genesis 22:8, Exodus 16:1-36, Psalm 18:2, Psalm 34:10, Psalm 81:10, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 107:9, Proverbs 10:3, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 6:25-30, Matthew 7:7-8, Matthew 21:22, John 14:13-14, John 14:26, John 15:1-10, John 15:16, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8, and 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Line 6: Essentially repeats line 2.
Line 7: See commentary on line 3.
Line 8: Repeats line 2.
Line 9: As the Great Physician (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31), Jesus performed many miracles throughout His ministry and will continue to do them, though keeping in mind my commentary on line 3.
Line 10: Repeats line 2.
Line 11: Salvation offered to Jesus’ contemporaries is available to us today, as people whom God desires to be saved (Psalm 86:15, Lamentations 3:22-23, Romans 2:4, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, and 2 Peter 3:9).
Line 12: Repeats line 2.
[Interlude (2)]
Lines 1-4: Combines Chorus, line 6 with part of Bridge (1), line 2, and Hebrews 13:8.
Lines 5 and 6: Essentially repeats Bridge (1), line 2, though applied specifically to Jesus.
Line 7: Scripture gives us examples where Jesus was worshipped, including 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.
Line 8: Essentially repeats lines 5 and 6.
Lines 9 and 10: Essentially repeats Chorus, lines 1 and 2.
[Bridge (2)]
Line 1: According to Luke 4:18, Jesus fulfilled Isaiah 61:1 in that He came to free the captives, pointing to freedom from the consequences and slavery of sin. He offers this freedom to us today, who are alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).
Line 2: Repeats Bridge (1), line 2.
Line 3: An example of Elevation Worship’s statement in Bridge (1), line 9. Elevation Worship experiences this same healing touch that the lepers felt back then.
Line 4: Repeats Bridge (1), line 2.
[Interlude (3)]
Line 1: Essentially repeats Bridge (1), line 2.
Line 2: Essentially repeats the latter half of Bridge (2), line 3, though with a pronoun shift from “I” to “we”.
Line 3: Essentially repeats Bridge (1), line 2.
Line 4: Essentially repeats Interlude (2), line 10, again with the same pronoun shift as line 2.
[Verse 3]
Line 1: The Holy Spirit is God (See CARM article for rationale and Scripture).
Line 2: Scripture describes the Holy Spirit as “living water” that we drink (Isaiah 44:3, John 4:14, John 7:37-39, and 1 Corinthians 12:13). Elevation Worship’s prayer to “fill me again” is about increased sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading. We do this by:
- Aligning our desire with God’s (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 2:29, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and 2 Corinthians 7:10).
- Studying Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Obeying God’s commandments (Matthew 25:34-40, John 14:15, John 14:21-24, John 15:10-14, 1 Peter 1:14-15, 1 John 2:3-5, 1 John 4:19-20, 1 John 5:2-3, and 2 John 1:6).
- Spending time with God in prayer, alone just like Jesus did (Matthew 14:1-13, Matthew 26:29, Matthew 26:42, Mark 6:30-32, Mark 14:36, Luke 4:1-2, Luke 4:14-15, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12-13, Luke 22:39-44, and John 18:11).
Lines 3-6: Elevation Worship asks us to pray the same as line 2.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
They will immediately recognize its Christian roots, name-dropping Biblical figures such as Moses, David, Mary, and Jesus. Elevation Worship prays to God for help. Though lengthy, the majority of its lyrics are plain English, intermixed with these aforementioned Biblical characters and titles for God that requires little thought, including “Rock of Ages” and “Almighty River”.
Though I’ve been hard on Elevation Worship in the past, suggesting that their lyrics might misdirect unbelievers into the belief that all their prayers will be answered affirmatively, they sing about answered prayers without the qualifier “all”, leading unbelievers to conclude that God answers prayers, but maybe not all of them with a “yes” as they expect.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies the unnamed Father and named Son and Holy Spirit as One who hears the righteousness, makes good on His promises, and provides our needs on His timetable.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Elevation Worship’s Same God is Biblical. It asks God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to hear and answer our prayers, dependant on Him to respond according to His will and faithfulness. This glorifies God. Unbelievers shouldn’t have issues interpreting similarly.
Though not my favorite, this song is appropriate for corporate worship.
Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Same God (listen to the song)
Artist: Elevation Worship (Feat. Jonsal Barrientes)
Album: LION
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2022
Duration: 8:02
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Comments
Christen
This comment was a response to Elizabeth. It doesn’t appear to make that clear.
Elizabeth
I feel ‘Same God’ is appropriate for individual worship time, like songs you might hear on the radio and then sing when by yourself – having personal conversations with God, or beseeching Him about something personal. However, I’m not convinced this song, or similar such songs, should be a regular corporate worship song. After all, shouldn’t our collective worship to Almighty God be sung unto Him rather than the focus being upon us? Extolling His virtues is great and appropriate! I just struggle with churches singing self-focused songs that are popular on the radio or streaming platforms which focus on something besides the LORD, during times of corporate worship when those times should appropriately be all about and unto Him.
Christen
Amen!
David Jones
I love this song, and we use it regularly, but I do not use the outgoing verse that includes “fill me again.”
I take that to mean that if I need to be “refilled” with the Holy Spirit it implies that He has left me. The Holy Spirit is the “living water,” and once we drink from that fountain we will never thirst again and therefore we will not need to be refilled.
Youbin Lee
I do think the lyrics are Biblical, but I question the general theme that could be easily misunderstood through this song. The song centers around crying out to God to split the ocean (sea) for us just like he did for the Israelites and asking God to help us face our own giants. I feel like a song like this fails to put the focus on God, but rather puts the focus on solving the problems we have at hand. It’s a very fine line, but I feel that the song isn’t really praising God for who He is, but instead, making the point like “Hey God, I know you are the God that did these miracles and amazing things back in the days and you are the same, so why shouldn’t you do the same for me? Please help me with these issues I have.” I believe it can easily mislead people and reemphasize a Christianity that doesn’t have God as the ultimate goal, but rather a God who is used as a means to achieve our own goals. I guess it really depends on the person singing this song and his/her own hearts’ intentions, but can a song that only reveals one side of Biblical truth (crying out to our great God to help us in our lowly state and need) but not the other (even if He doesn’t do so, His ways are indeed higher than ours and He is still the same God) be considered spiritual solid food and not milk? Just some thoughts as I personally struggle through to determine what songs are helpful and worshipful.
Elizabeth
Well put.
Arbaniabud Mawthoh
Great review… Whenever I see the word ‘Come’ as in ‘Come and fill me again’ I see it as portraying the Holy Spirit is on the external and not in the internal… I’d like to hear what your take on this is… Thank you…
Steve Barhydt
Arbaniabud Mawthoh,
I will not presume what Vince’s thoughts on this are but I have answered this quandary elsewhere on this website, I quote one of those here… (https://www.thebereantest.com/bryan-katie-torwalt-holy-spirit)
We believe that God is omnipresence!
However, there are times when our perception of His presence is heightened. (Either emotionally or physically Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-47, Acts 11:15-18, Acts 19:5-6) It is this type of experience that the singers of this song are longing for.
Why? Because there is power and sustenance in the presence of God
2 Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
It is this awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit that “fills the atmosphere” and is the “evidence” that He is truly among us.
To quote from John Piper, (https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-does-it-mean-to-live-in-gods-presence)
So in summary, God is yes, to be sure, omnipresent in some of his influences like his sustaining all things at all times, holding every electron and every sub-nuclear particle in its place. But he makes his influence more manifestly felt and experienced in particular ways and particular times, and this is what we are referring to when we say with the psalmist, “For me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works” (Psalm 73:28). Here is Psalm 145:18: “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” That doesn’t mean that God traveled some distance. It means he is near in the sense that he exerts his influence for our good in special ways and causes us to experience the sweetness of his reality in special ways.
(End of quote)
Throughout the Bible there are references that indicate both the omnipresence of God and instances of His specific presence…
Quotes are from the KJV unless otherwise referenced
1) In the Garden of Eden (Gen, 3:8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
2) Mount Sinai Exo. 19:10-11 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
3) Entering into the promise land Exo. 33:11-15 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
Skipping ahead to the New Testament…
4) The promise of the Holy Spirit John 14:16-17 ESV And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,[fn] to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
5) The outpouring of the Holy Spirit Acts 2; Pentecost was unique only in that it was the first time that the Holy Spirit was poured out in this way. It was never meant to be “a singular event in history”
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 4
31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 10
44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts 11
15And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Acts 19
5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
6) The exercise of the Gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 14:24-25 ESV But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
I could go on and on but I think that the point is made that although God is omnipresent there is also a palpable presence of God that believers in Him have experienced since the beginning of time.
It is this conspicuous, perceptible presence of God that we long for.
How does one experience this type of the presence of God?
James 4:8a Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
The phrase “Draw nigh” comes from the Greek eggizō which according to Strong’s Concordance means…
ἐγγίζω engízō, eng-id’-zo; from G1451; to make near, i.e. (reflexively) approach:—approach, be at hand, come (draw) near, be (come, draw) nigh.
David Guzik has a wonderful commentary on this verse (https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Jam/Jam-4.cfm?a=1150008)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you: The call to draw near to God is both an invitation and a promise. It is no good to submit to God’s authority and to resist the devil’s attack and then fail to draw near to God. We have it as a promise: God will draw near to us as we draw near to Him.
i. “When a soul sets out to seek God, God sets out to meet that soul; so that while we are drawing near to him, he is drawing near to us.” (Clarke)
ii. What does it mean to draw near to God? Spurgeon considered a few ways:
· It means to draw near in worship, praise, and in prayer.
· It means to draw near by asking counsel of God.
· It means to draw near in enjoying communion with God.
· It means to draw near in the general course and tenor of your life.
iii. In one way, this text illustrates the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant. In the old covenant, God told Moses to not come any closer to the burning bush and take off his shoes. Under the new covenant, God says to the sinner: “Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you.” Now the ground between God and the sinner has been sprinkled with the blood of Jesus, and we can come close to God on the basis of that blood.
iv. This also shows what God wants to do for the sinner. It doesn’t say, “Draw near to God and He will save you” or “Draw near to God and He will forgive you,” though both of those are true. But what God really wants is to be near man; to have a close relationship and fellowship with the individual.
v. From the rest of the chapter we see the results of drawing near to God:
· Drawing near to God helps us to resist the devil.
· Drawing near to God helps us to become pure.
· Drawing near to God helps us to sorrow for sin.
· Drawing near to God helps us to speak well of other people.
· Drawing near to God helps us to think of eternal things.
In conclusion, even though God is everywhere, all the time, there is a special sense of His presence that believer’s can have if they seek for it.
(End of quote)
It is by worship, singing songs such as this one (amongst other things) , that we both prepare ourselves for His presence (“Draw nigh to God”) and invite His presence to be with us (“He will draw nigh”)
When Charismatics / Pentecostals pray for the Holy Spirit to “fall” or “come”, this is what we are referring to.
Enough about the nature of God’s omnipresence being both simultaneously everywhere and specifically localized, let’s take a closer look the offending phrase “Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere”
The first ting to note is that it does not necessitate a physical manifestation “like some sort of gaseous cloud” (Although you will be hard pressed to find a scripture that says it can’t happen again.) It a more poetic way of saying, as Vince put it, “a request for increased sensitivity of the Holy Spirit’s Presence.”
The concept of the Holy Spirit being like a “Flood” is seen in Isa. 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Another quote from David Guzik https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Isa/Isa-44.cfm?a=723003
Fear not … For I will pour water on him … I will pour My Spirit on your descendants: This is a glorious promise to a humble, returning Israel. God will not simply give them His Spirit; He will pour out His Spirit on them as if water was poured over them.
i. This is a freedom in the giving of the Spirit. This is a flow in the giving of the Spirit. This is abundance in the giving of the Spirit. This is an evident giving of the Spirit. God wants to pour His Spirit upon His people! If you experience a few drops, God wants to pour. If you are bone dry, God wants to pour. If you know the pour, God wants to keep pouring! We must learn to stop saying “when” as God pours!
ii. “Without the Spirit of God we can do nothing; we are as ships without wind, or chariots without steeds, like branches without sap, we are withered; like coals without fire, we are useless; as an offering without the sacrificial flame, we are unaccepted. I desire both to feel and to confess this fact whenever I attempt to preach. I do not wish to get away from it, or to conceal it, nor can I, for I am often made to feel it to the deep humbling of my spirit.” (Spurgeon)
iii. “I believe that, at this present moment, God’s people ought to cry to him day and night that there may be a fresh baptism into the Holy Ghost. There are many things that are desirable for the Church of Christ, but one thing is absolutely needful; and this is the one thing, the power of the Holy Ghost in the midst of his people.” (Spurgeon)
iv. Who receives this gift? I will pour water on him who is thirsty. When we are thirsty for the outpouring of the Spirit, ask for it and receive it in faith, we can expect to be poured on. God is looking for dry ground to pour out floods upon!
(End of quote)
What about “atmosphere”?
From the Macmillan Dictionary it can be literal “the air inside a room or other place” or, figurative “the mood or feeling that exists in a place and affects the people who are there”
It is the second definition the songwriter’s are referring to in my opinion. When I’m in a church service, worshiping the Lord, I want the presence of the Holy Spirit to be so real that It changes “mood or feeling that exists in a place” and “affects the people who are there.”
Is this a Biblical concept? Absolutely!
Although I quoted this scripture above, I’m going to do so again 🙂 This time from the NKJV
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Do you want to look and behave more like Jesus? Spend time in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
********************end of quote******************
Additionally when we look at Eph 5:18
‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
The Greek word for “be filled” is “pleroo” https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4137/kjv/tr/0-1/
πληρόω plēróō, play-ro’-o; from G4134; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.:—accomplish, × after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.
This word is in the present tense meaning that is it an ongoing, continuous action not a “once and done” event.
Sorry for the lengthy post but I trust that it answered your question.
Josh
What I am a bit concerned about this song is in the bridge – “you are a healer now.” Which is true, but I raise a concern if unbelievers or new believers would take those words as promises.
Eric
The song is not fully biblical. Your review says “sea”, but the lyric is “ocean”. The problem With the song is that God didn’t split the ocean, he split the sea, in Fact it was the Red Sea specifically. The Bible says in Exodus and is referenced across the Old and New Testament that it was the Red sea that God split when the Israelites were exiting Egypt. The Red sea is a sea and not an ocean. The fact that one lyric is false makes it a song that is not theologically sound. This is what has happened in all of Elevation Worship songs. They sprinkle in a little biblical fact and yet some of the song is not theologically accurate. The church is blinded by the enemy allowing false teachings in the church through heretics like Furtick and others. Church we have to see what the Bible says and examine the scriptures as the Bereans did in Acts 17, as this website refers. We as the church should examine what is said is true. If any of it isn’t true, then it’s false.
Vince Wright
Eric,
Thank you for your comment!
You are correct. Somehow I read “sea” into it when it says “ocean”. I updated my review.
-Vince Wright
Andy
If we are going to accuse others of false teachings and heresy and insist that we “examine the scriptures as the Bereans did in Acts 17” then we should probably actually do that by looking at the actual language the Old Testament was written in.
The Hebrew word for ‘sea’ is transliterated ‘yam’.
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_3220.htm
There is actually no Hebrew word for ‘ocean’. The Hebrew word we translate ‘ocean’ is transliterated ‘tehom’ which literally means “the deep” or “the depths”.
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/strongs_8415.htm
Given we are talking specifically about Moses and the Red Sea, we should go to Exodus and examine the Hebrew text.
If we go to Exodus 15, we see Moses and the Israelites, ironically, singing a song to the Lord about what He had just done for them at the Red Sea. Interestingly enough, we find both of the Hebrew words, yam and tehom, used in this chapter.
Yam (sea) is used ten times in the chapter and tehom (the depths/ocean) is used twice. Even more interestingly is that the both times tehom is used, it is done so concurrently with yam.
In Exodus 15:4-5
4Pharaoh’s chariots and army He has cast into the sea (yam); the finest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea (yam). 5The depths (tehom) have covered them; they sank there like a stone.
In Exodus 15:8
8At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up; like a wall the currents stood firm; the depths (tehom) congealed in the heart of the sea (yam).
So here we have, from the actual Hebrew scriptures, a song written down and sung by Moses, about God’s deliverance of Moses and the Israelites from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, where Moses uses the Hebrew word that we translate as ‘ocean’ twice in reference to the Red Sea.
You can decide what to do with that information. But whatever you decide, you must be consistent. Either Moses is a heretic or the lyric in question from Same God is accurate and true.
Vince Wright
Andy,
Thank you for your comments!
Though not a scholar myself in the Hebrew language, I have a fairly firm grasp of the English language. When we use the word “ocean”, we are referring to the four great bodies of water: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic. However, I learned something new today! Turns out, the Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean (See https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Red_Sea). No Hebrew required! Elevation was correct after all.
I reversed my edits.
-Vince Wright
Joe
Nice! I introduced this one last month and it went over quite well. The people were belting the chorus out the first time we used it and I tagged it with a traditional arrangement of the hymn “I Need Thee Ev’ry Hour.” After its three debut runs I will bring it back around for it’s first regular rotation soon. In reading this thread I had contemplated what the options were. Changing the word “ocean” to “sea’ didn’t really work for the musical flow of the lyric and of course to put it in writing on the screens might be a copyright issue. Keeping it as is and ready to roll it again soon. Great discussion!
Vince Wright
Joe,
Awesome! Lesson learned from this exchange: make sure that the sea is not part of an ocean before editing.
-Vince Wright
Debbie C.
You are absolutely correct Eric!!!
Joe F
So many 10s. I agree completely! Elevation Church and Steven Furtick “controversies” aside, this song is so biblical and worshipful. I cannot wait to introduce this one. I do everything from memory without a music stand so it’s going to be a real bear to master. Well worth it. Thanks for the reinforcement!
Vince Wright
Joe,
My pleasure!
-Vince Wright
justinerwin
I was curious what your take would be on this. Our church introduced it not too long ago, and the congregation really took to it. Admittedly, I chuckled thinking of Matt Chandler’s “You’re not David!” when listening to verse 2.
Great review!
Vince Wright
justinerwin,
I am glad you like it!
-Vince Wright
Roxanne Starbuck
Just curious if this is splitting hairs- I love the song but then got to this – ‘a’ You were a savior then- do you think the “a” makes it to general– why not use ‘the” You were the savior then- now I know we know they are singing about God– I just thought that little “a” could change the song. but again, splitting hairs? I was happy to see you didn’t write about is but thought I would ask your thoughts. He was not just “a” Savior- he was and is “the” Savior. Just a thought-and I could be reaching, but it jumped out at me.
You were a savior then
You are a savior now
You are the same God
You are the same God
Vince Wright
Roxanne,
Thank you for your inquiry!
Technically it’s correct. He is *a* savior. It’s in the singular. Maybe the word “the” is more precise, as it closes the door to the possibility of other saviors. But, I think it would be splitting hairs to dock points over it. Its singular usage doesn’t teach/lead others into multiple Saviors.
-Vince Wright
Roxanne Starbuck
Great- thank you
Vince Wright
Roxanne,
My pleasure!
-Vince Wright
Sandra Norman
Roxanne, I agree with you 100 percent. “A” implies more, “The” is specific. I worship The Savior, The King of kings, The Lord of hosts. Not down with a king of kings, a lord of hosts, a savior.