Photo by Mic Narra
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.
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 this artist’s theology’s potential blessings and dangers by visiting Resources.
1. What message does the song communicate?
It describes the great exchange, that Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin so that Elevation Worship could be free of its deadly consequences. In response, Elevation Worship worships Christ. He is worthy of their adoration, whose name is above others. His glory radiates wherever He goes.
Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, Chorus’ second and third iterations repeat the same three-line phrase four times in a row. In between Choruses, Bridge repeats the same four-line phrase six times in a row.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
The whole song is in alignment with Scripture.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
It was my cross You bore
So I could live in the freedom You died for
And now my life is Yours
Describes the Great Exchange, where the Son of God trades Elevation Worship’s error for His righteousness (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24). They are free (Psalm 119:45, Isaiah 58:6, Isaiah 61:1, John 3:16-21, John 8:31-36, John 10:10, Acts 13:38-39, Romans 6:1-23, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 8:20-21, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 1 Corinthians 7:21-23, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 2:4, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 3:22, Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13, Colossians 1:21-23, Hebrews 2:14-15, and 1 Peter 2:16).
And I will sing of Your goodness forevermore
In response, Elevation Worship will forever sing His praises (Psalm 89:1).
[Chorus]
Worthy is Your name, Jesus
You deserve the praise
Worthy is Your name
Jesus is worthy of praise (1 Chronicles 16:25, 2 Samuel 22:4, Psalm 96:4-5, Psalm 145:3, and Revelation 4:11).
Worthy is Your name, Jesus
You deserve the praise
Worthy is Your name
Repeats lines 1-3.
[Verse 2]
And now my shame is gone
I stand amazed in Your love undeniable
Your grace goes on and on
Elevation Worship is in awe in Christ’s love that brought about 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).
And I will sing of Your goodness forevermore
Repeats Verse 1, line 4.
[Bridge]
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
Borrows from Psalm 57:5 and Psalm 108:5.
You alone deserve our praise
Not exclusively Jesus, as He as the Father are one (John 10:30). See Chorus, lines 1-3.
You’re the name above all names
As stated in Philippians 2:9.
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
You alone deserve our praise
You’re the name above all names
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
You alone deserve our praise
You’re the name above all names
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
You alone deserve our praise
You’re the name above all names
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
You alone deserve our praise
You’re the name above all names
Be exalted now in the heavens
As Your glory fills this place
You alone deserve our praise
You’re the name above all names
Repeats lines 1-4.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unbelievers will quickly identify it as Christian, given that Jesus is explicitly stated throughout this song. It also speaks of the cross, heaven, and grace. The whole thing is written in everyday language, using metaphors that are easy to digest. They should easily interpret similarly to my statements in section 1, though perhaps without the specific theological terms used in said section.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies Jesus as the One who is deserving of adoration and praise because He bore the sins of the world, granting eternal life to those who want it.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Elevation Worship’s Worthy is BIblical. It describes Jesus’ trading our sorrows for His righteousness, whose lovingkindness brought grace and freedom to those wanting to receive Him, bringing Him adoration, glory, and praise. Unbelievers should have little to no issues interpreting similarly.
This song is appropriate for corporate worship.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Worthy (listen to the song)
Artist: Elevation Worship
Album: Hallelujah Here Below
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2018
Duration: 6:12
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Comments
Pieter
I think saying Jesus bore my cross contradicts Jesus instruction to take up our cross. Perhaps theologically you can argue against that but I think Jesus would look at you and say “what are you talking about? thought what I said is pretty obvious.”
Steve Barhydt
Pieter,
You are conflating the ‘cross of our condemnation” with the ‘cross of our discipleship’.
Let me explain…
1) The Cross of our Condemnation
a) Everyone is a sinner
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
b) Sinners are condemned to death
Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV) Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
c) Jesus Died for sinners
Romans 5:6-8 (KJV)
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
d) He did so on the cross
I Peter 2:24 (NASB) and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.
Therefore it is 100% Biblical to say that Jesus bore our cross of the condemnation for our sins.
2) The Cross of our Discipleship
The words of Jesus that you refer to are found in… (emphasis mine)
Matthew 16:24 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto HIS DISCIPLES, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
First of all, Jesus is talking to His disciples not unbelievers who need to be saved.
Secondly, this is in the overall context of His pending death on the cross and Peter saying that ‘Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee’ Matthew 16:22
The meaning of this is really quite simple.
Jesus is saying ‘I (Jesus) have a cross to bear that will redeem you from your condemnation. However, you each (the disciples and, by extension, us) have your own cross to bear if you wish to follow me’
We must accept that Jesus bore the ‘cross of our condemnation’ otherwise we will die in our sins.
We, however, must bear the ‘cross of our discipleship’ for ‘whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.’ Matthew 16:25
There is a theological (Biblical) proof that your statement ‘I think saying Jesus bore my cross contradicts Jesus instruction to take up our cross’ is incorrect.
It troubles me when you say ‘Perhaps theologically you can argue against that but I think Jesus would look at you and say “what are you talking about? thought what I said is pretty obvious.”’
If your thought is not Biblically supportable, it is wrong and you should change your thinking.
Jolee
we sang this song at church last week. I loved it.