Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music – Names

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. 

Maverick City Music is essentially a congregation that sings together.  They released seven EP’s and ten albums, including:

• Maverick City Vol. 1 EP (2019)
• Maverick City Vol. 2 EP (2019)
• Maverick City Vol. 3, Part 1 (2020)
• Maverick City Vol. 3, Part 2 (2020)
• You Hold It All Together (EP, 2020)
• Maverick City Christmas (EP, 2020)
• Move Your Heart (EP, 2021)
• Jubilee (EP, 2021)
• Como En El Cielo (Spanish, 2021)
• Old Church Basement (with Elevation Worship, 2021)
• Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition (2021)
• Tribl I (with Tribl, 2021)
• Venga Tu Reino (2021)
• A Very Maverick Christmas (2021)
• Breathe (2022)
• The Maverick Way Complete (2023)
• The Maverick Way ep (2023)

They won three awards, including one Billboard Music Award for Top Gospel Album for their album Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 and two GMA Doves: New Artist of the Year and Worship Album of the Year (Old Church Basement).

Also, check out my previous Maverick City Music reviews.

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?

The Father/Jesus are:

• Healer
• Companion
• Present
• Comforts
• Trustworthy
• Eternal
• All-encompassing
• Constantly loving
• I AM

In response, Elevation and Maverick trusts both the Father and Christ while they revere Him.

Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, Bridge contains the same two lines seven times in a row, though with slightly different variation near the end.

Score: 10/10

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

Yes, yes it does.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

You are the medicine
The only cure for everything I feel within
Redeeming what was lost and all that could have been
Oh, this is a healing kind of love

Jesus is the Great Physician (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31) and Redeemer (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, 1 Corinthians 6:20, Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:9, and 1 John 2:2).

[Verse 2]

You are the truest friend

Though conditioned upon obedience, He is friend (John 15:14-15).

Staying through the night when I was at my end
Comforting my heart till it was light again

He comforts (Psalm 23:4, Psalm 71:21, Psalm 119:50-52, Psalm 119:76, Psalm 119:82, Isaiah 51:3, Isaiah 57:18, Isaiah 61:2, Isaiah 66:13, Zechariah 1:17, Matthew 5:4, Matthew 11:28-30, and 2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

Oh, this is a faithful kind of love
Yes, it is

He is faithful (Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 33:4, Psalm 91:4, Psalms 119:90, Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 2 Timothy 2:13, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Peter 3:9, and 1 John 1:9).

[Chorus]

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Immanuel, God with us, You’re here with me
Wonderful Counselor
The government is resting on Your shoulders

Quotes from Isaiah 9:6 and comments that God is present with them (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20).

[Verse 3]

You are the final word
You alone decide when every page will turn

Describes God’s sovereignty over creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11).

So I will trust Your timing, I will rest secure

Elevation and Maverick recognize that God will respond on His timing, not theirs (2 Peter 3:9).

Oh, this is a steady kind of love

Most likely borrows from Lamentations 3:22-23.

Oh-oh-oh-oh, You are

Filler that calls to Casper the friendly ghost followed by affirmation.

[Interlude]

Oh, and I am too
Oh, I am

Lest we forget that “I AM” is one of the names of God (Exodus 3:14 and John 8:58).

It’s who You’ve been to me, I’ll remember
I’ll remember who You’ve been for all my life, all my days
You’ve been so faithful

See Verse 2, line 4.

[Bridge]

Your names say it all, they say it all

The culimation of all the names of God and their associated meaning paints an accurate picture of who God is.  For a full list, see https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/namesofgod.html.

I stand in awe of You

Also known as the fear of the Lord or deep reverence or respect for God.  This is the beginning of:

1. Wisdom (Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 15:33, and Isaiah 33:6)

2. Knowledge (Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 2:5, and Isaiah 33:6)

3. Prolonged life (Psalm 34:8-14, Proverbs 10:27, Proverbs 14:27, and Proverbs 19:23)

4. Salvation (Isaiah 33:6)

5. Confidence (Job 4:6 and Proverbs 14:26)

6. Blessing (Psalm 112:1 and Psalm 128:1-4)

7. Hatred of evil (Proverbs 8:13)

8. Cleansing from sin/Righteousness (Exodus 20:20, Psalm 19:9, Proverbs 14:2, and Proverbs 23:17)

9. Wonder (Psalm 33:8-9)

10. Obedience (Deuteronomy 14:23 and Colossians 3:22)

Your names say it all, they say it all
I stand in awe of You
(You say)
Your names say it all, they say it all
I stand in awe of You
Your names say it all, they say it all
I stand in awe of You
Your names say it all (They say it all), they say it all
I stand in awe of You
Your names say it all, they say it all
I stand in awe of You
(We stand in awe, of all You are)
Your names say it all, they say it all
I stand in awe of You
(We stand in awe of You)

Filler notwithstanding, repeats lines 1 and 2 six more times.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

It’s a list of attributes of God with a smattering of actions.  Despite its heavy Christianese language, all is easily understood.  “Prince of peace” will be their dead giveaway that this is Christian.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies the Father and Jesus as a laundry list of things recorded in section 1.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music’s Names is God-centered.  Though not many names are listed, I AM is a prominent example that is stated, alongside several attributes and acts of God/Jesus.  This includes Sovereign, loving, friend, present, healer, everlasting, and comforter.  These bring Him glory.  Unbelievers will have little to no trouble interpreting this one.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track:  Names (listen to the song)

Artist: Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music

Album: Old Church Basement

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2021

Duration: 7:00

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

*Copywright © 2021 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) / Maison Publishing (ASCAP) / All Essential Music (ASCAP) / Be Essential Songs (BMI) / My Magnolia Music (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.