Hillsong UNITED – Whole Heart (Hold Me Now)

Hillsong Church is a megachurch founded in 1983 in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, Australia.  It was formerly led by Hillsong Founder Brian Houston.  Hillsong possesses a massive discography, spanning across four music ministries.  These include Hillsong UNITED, Hillsong Worship, Hillsong Young & Free, and Hillsong Kids.

Hillsong has won several awards within their Hillsong UNITED and Hillsong Worship artist groups.  As of this writing, there are no awards for Hillsong Young & Free or Hillsong Kids.

Also, check out my entire list of Hillsong reviews and Christmas songs, Seasons and Prince of Heaven.

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?

Hillsong was marred by lawbreaking, rescued by Jesus from their broken state of spiritual death.  Their life is filled with Godliness, yielding to Christ with their mended heart.  They seek God’s love, finding undeserved favor and His warm embrace.

Side Note: To those who are annoyed by massive repetition, Chorus repeats the same six-line phrase four times in a row in-between Post-Chorus 2 and Post-Chorus 3.

Score: 10/10

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

This song completely aligns with God’s inspired Word.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Hold me now
In the hands that created the heavens
Find me now
Where the grace runs as deep as Your scars

Jesus holds Hillsong amid their faithlessness (Psalm 73:21-23, Psalm 139:7-12, and 2 Timothy 2:13).  He is the same One who created the heavens (Genesis 1:1, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 8:3-8, Psalm 33:6, Psalm 96:5, Proverbs 3:19, Isaiah 37:16, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 66:1-2, John 1:1-3, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, and Revelation 4:11).  Also, references the scars left behind from Jesus’ crucifixion, as seen by Thomas and the disciples in John 20:26-27.

You pulled me from the clay
You set me on a rock

Essentially quotes from Psalm 40:2.

Called me by Your name

This is not inconceivable considering that Paul was called by Jesus in His name in Acts 9:4-5.

And made my heart whole again

Jesus makes Hillsong’s stony heart into flesh (Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, and Hebrews 8:10).

[Verse 2]

Lifted up
And my knees know it’s all for Your glory

Hillsong’s praise and worship glorify God (Psalm 19:1-4, Psalm 66:4, Psalm 103:22, Psalm 148:7-11, Psalm 150:1-6, Isaiah 55:12, Luke 19:40, and Revelation 5:13).

That I might stand
With more reasons to sing than to fear

Reasons are listed in Verse 1, lines 5-8, alongside other places in these lyrics.  Fear does not come from God (2 Timothy 1:7).  Thus, Hillsong has no reason to be afraid (Psalm 118:6 and Hebrews 13:6).

You pulled me from the clay
Set me on a rock
Called me by Your name
And made my heart whole again

Repeats Verse 1, lines 5-8.

[Chorus]

So here I stand
High in surrender
I need You now

Hold my heart
Now and forever
My soul cries out

Hillsong surrenders 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).

[Post-Chorus 1]

Once I was broken
But You loved my whole heart through
Sin has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds me now

As summarized in Romans 5:6-8 and Ephesians 2:8-9, the grace Hillsong receives is from Christ, who died while they were lawbreakers.

[Verse 3]

And that grace
Owns the ground where the grave did
Where all my shame remains
Left for dead in Your wake
You crashed those age-old gates
You left no stone unturned
You stepped out of that grave
And shouldered me all the way

Christ resurrected from the grave (Matthew 28:1-20, Mark 16:1-20, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29, Acts 1:3, Acts 3:15, Acts 4:33, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8), making it possible for Hillsong in spiritual deadness to become alive again (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Post-Chorus 2]

Once I was broken
But You loved my whole heart through
Sin has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds me now

Repeats Pre-Chorus 1, lines 1-4.

Healed and forgiven
Look where my chains are now
Death has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds that ground

See commentary on Pre-Chorus 1 and Verse 3.  “Chains” represent spiritual bondage, freed by Christ.

And Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now

Essentially repeats Pre-Chorus 1, line 4.

[Post-Chorus 3]

Once I was broken
But You loved my whole heart through
Sin has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds me now

Healed and forgiven
Look where my chains are now
Death has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds that ground
And Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now
Your grace holds me now

Healed and forgiven
Look where my chains are now
Death has no hold on me
‘Cause Your grace holds that ground
And Your grace holds me now

A longer version of Pre-Chorus 2 without any added lyrics to examine.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will likely interpret this song as Christians who believe their God saved them from their brokenness.  They surrender to His ways.  Why the Christian God?  Verse 1 gives it away by calling Him the “hands that created the heavens” and that He bears the scars, pointing to the cross.

The word “sin” is defined as “brokenness” in Post-Chorus 1.  They will likely interpret “death has no hold on me” as eternal life with God.  The rest should be a breeze.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It surrenders God as this song preaches Hillsong’s testimony, that they migrated from spiritual death to spiritual life through God’s grace.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Hillsong UNITED’s Whole Heart (Hold Me Now) is Biblical.  It calls us to yield to God’s will, forsaking our former life of folly, and cleave to Jesus, whose grace and forgiveness heal us.  This glorifies God.  Unbelievers should have few issues interpreting similarly.

This song is appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Whole Heart (Hold Me Now) (Live) (listen to the song)

Artist: Hillsong UNITED

Album: People (Live)

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 7:30

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*Copyright © 2019 Hillsong MP Songs (BMI) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.