Photo by Yachuzz X1
Elevation Worship is a church-led band that was created in 2007. They join Bethel Music and Hillsong as the “big three” that has the biggest reach in modern Christian music. They released many albums and EP’s.
They also won nine 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.
Leeland is a Christian rock band started by Leeland Mooring in 2004, though Mooring has been writing music since 2000, when he was 11 years old. Leeland released seven albums and one EP, including:
- Sound of Melodies (2006)
- Opposite Way (2008)
- Love Is on the Move (2009)
- Majesty: The Worship EP (2010)
- The Great Awakening 2011)
- Leeland Live: Christ Be All Around Me (2014)
- Invisible (2016, under Bethel)
- Better Word (Live, 2019)
Leeland won four Grammy’s and eight Dove awards for his work, including Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album, New Artist of the Year, and Worship Song of the Year.
Also, check out my review of Lion and the Lamb.
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 and Leeland are bewildered about why God is so good to them. There is something in them that God sees that they do not. They know that they don’t deserve forgiveness. They know that they are unworthy of His grace. Yet, He lavishes it upon them.
In response, Elevation and Leeland worship Him through song, spreading the good news about Jesus to others, and compelling others to do the same.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Yes, yes it lines up.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
Why are You so good to me?
An excellent question!
Why are You so good to me?
You must see a treasure hidden underneath
Why are You so good to me?
Whatever this treasure is that is mysterious to us, He was willing to pay for it (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15-26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9).
Lines 2 and 4 repeat line 1.
[Verse 2]
Oh, this is more than I deserve
This is more than I deserve
Overwhelming grace I could never earn
This is more than I deserve
Grace is undeserved favor (Luke 18:9-14, Acts 13:39, Romans 3:20-30, Romans 4:1-7, Romans 8:3, Romans 9:16, Romans 9:31-32, Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:10-12, Galatians 3:21, Galatians 5:2-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 3:3-9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 6:1-2, and James 2:10-11).
Lines 2 and 4 essentially repeat line 1.
[Chorus (1)]
In the morning, I will sing of how You love me
The Israelites also sung about God’s love (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 98:1, and Psalm 149:1).
In the evening, I will bless Your name
As summarized in Psalm 34:1.
It’s amazing when I think of the way You saved me
That is, through sacrifice (see commentary on Verse 1, lines 2-4).
Every breath I breathe is for Your praise
Elevation and Leeland surrender to God (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).
Oh-oh
I let the beginning of Verse 2 go earlier, but this is clearly a call to Casper the friendly ghost!
[Verse 3]
I love how You loved me first
This points to 1 John 4:19 and how much Elevation and Leeland love this concept.
I love how You loved me first
Repeats line 1.
You called me from the grave and pulled me from the dirt
That is, from darkness into life with Jesus (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).
I love how You loved me first
You called me from the grave and pulled me from the dirt
I love how You loved me first
Repeats lines 1 and 2.
[Chorus (2)]
In the morning, I will sing of how You love me
In the evening, I will bless Your name
It’s amazing when I think of the way You saved me
Every breath I breathe is for Your praise
Repeats Chorus (1).
Hallelujah
The word ‘Hallelujah” is a compound Hebrew phrase, with “hallelu” meaning “a joyous praise in song” and “jah” or “yah”, which refers to the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Put together, we are singing “we joyfully praise God in song” when we use this word.
Has He saved you?
Has He set you free?
Yeah
So we testify, come on
These are excellent questions posed to Elevation and Leeland’s audience! They also instruct those who answer yes to tell others (Matthew 28:18-20).
[Bridge (1)]
Oh, how great the love of the Father
Oh, how great the gift of the Son
Oh, how great the power of Jesus
What a Savior, what a Savior
It was through the Father’s love that gave us the gift of Jesus (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10) which has the power to save (Isaiah 53:7-11, Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, Galatians 1:4, Galatians 3:13, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 3:5, and Revelation 1:5).
Oh, how great the love of the Father
Oh, how great the gift of the Son
Oh, how great the power of Jesus
What a Savior, what a Savior
Repeats line 1-4.
Come on
Let’s go audience!
Oh, how great the love of the Father
Oh, how great the gift of the Son
Oh, how great the power of Jesus
What a Savior, what a Savior (Hey)
Repeats line 1-4, alongside the food that horses eat.
I was lost in sin and You found me
Hallelujah, You saved my soul
I was dead and gone and You raised me
What a miracle, what a miracle
Covered in previous lyrics.
Yeah
Yes.
[Chorus (3)]
In the morning, I will sing of how You love me
In the evening, I will bless Your name
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh
It’s amazing when I think of the way You saved me
Every breath I breathe is for Your praise
Repeats Chorus (1) lines 1-4, alongside more calls to Casper.
Come on
If He’s done it for you
Why don’t you testify, this evening?
Come on, lift your voice
Sing it, how great
See commentary on Chorus (2), lines 6-9.
[Outro]
It’s amazing
You are my miracle, Jesus
I love how You loved me first
Oh, I love how You loved me first
You called me from the grave and You pulled me from the dirt
I love how You loved me first
Various previous lyrics repeated.
Amen
Let it be done.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unbelievers will quickly conclude that it’s Christian given that it explicitly mentions Jesus by name and that it speaks of His love for others through what He did. The word “hallelujah” also helps. They should easily think that Christians worship God and Jesus because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
Jesus as Savior.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Elevation Worship & Leeland’s – What A Miracle is grateful. They don’t understand why God loves them so much, yet, willing to receive His grace and praise Him for it. They also push others to seek Him and testify of what He’s done. These bring Him glory. Unbelievers will have little trouble interpreting this one.
I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: What A Miracle (listen to the song)
Artist: Elevation Worship & Leeland (Feat. Chris Brown)
Album: What A Miracle (released by Elevation Worship)
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2024
Duration: 5:53
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2024 Housefires Sounds (ASCAP) Capitol CMG Genesis (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com), Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) / Cashagamble Jet Music (BMI) / Be Essential Songs (BMI) / Little Ruddy Fellow Songs (BMI) / Bell Music Publishing (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Comments
S P
First of all, I think 99% of this song is spot on. However, I have been bothered since the first time I heard this album over the line “You must see a treasure hidden underneath”. I feel as if a theme in songs within this album is consistent with a skewed gospel understanding, where we have something intrinsically good and powerful within us. It teeters far too often on the Word of Faith side of things, which is not surprising given the teachings of the church are similar.
Here’s what I mean in regards to this song:
My understanding is the reference to hidden treasure comes from Matthew 13:44, where Jesus says “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
However, the writers of this song flip the parable so that rather than the Kingdom of Heaven being the treasure that we gain, we are the treasure that God gains. But is there anything that God lacks? He doesn’t need us or our treasure. There’s nothing good inside me. Instead, while I was an enemy of God, Christ died for me.
If my church were to sing this song, I would struggle with that line.