Hillsong Worship (Feat. Brooke Ligertwood) – Resurrender

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?

God calls for us, those who are His Bride, the church, His temple, who have yielded to His will in repentance and faith, whom the Holy Spirit indwells, who have backslidden and veered off course, to yield once again to Him. He will renew once again as He did formally.

Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, Bridge 2 repeats the same four lines six times in a row.

Score: 10/10

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

The entire song either directly quotes Scripture or perfectly reflects it.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

You’re turning over tables
And calling for return
To our lives upon the altar
The things we did at first
You’re clearing out the temple
You’re cleaning out the dirt

In the same way that Jesus literally cleaned house in Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, and Luke 19:45-47, so too will Jesus cleanse us, living temples (1 Corinthians 3:16), from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

For we are Your territory

We belong to Him (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23, and Ephesians 1:5).

Lord, we are Your Church

We the church (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:25, Ephesians 5:29-30, Colossians 1:18, and Colossians 3:15).

[Chorus]

We are Your people
You are our God

Essentially rewords the first part of Psalm 95:7.

We are Your temple

See commentary on Verse 1, lines 1-6.

Make us holy like You are

Hillsong is leaning on God’s promise in 1 Corinthians 1:30.

[Verse 2]

You see a holy nation
A flock to consecrate
A chosen generation

An expanded form of 1 Peter 2:9.

A people called to pray

Prayer is how we communicate with God.  Jesus prayed to the Father (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) and we must follow His example (1 John 2:6).

So help us, God, to please You

A prayer to God similar to Hebrews 13:21.

Where only You can see

This is so, as God knows all things (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20).

For every moment matters in eternity

As supported in Ecclesiastes 3:11.

[Bridge 1]

Mark Your people with Your presence
Make us a place where You delight to dwell

That is, make us vessels to house the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).

May we heed Your hand’s correction

A prayer to God that we His people would accept God’s discipline (Deuteronomy 8:5-6, Job 5:17-18, Proverbs 13:1, Titus 1:8, Hebrews 12:4-11, and Revelation 3:19).

O Lord, our Shepherd, You do all things well

He is our Leader (John 10:4, John 10:16, and John 10:27-28) who does good (Exodus 33:19, Psalm 13:6, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 27:13, Psalm 31:19, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 84:11, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:29, Psalm 119:68, Psalm 145:9, Matthew 7:11, Mark 10:18, Luke 11:13, Luke 18:19, Romans 2:4, Philippians 1:6, James 1:17, and 1 Peter 2:1-3).

Your love as firm as it is tender

Righteousness, justice, mercy, and truth are the foundations of God’s throne (Psalm 89:14).

Your law is perfect and Your judgments true

As written in Psalms 19:7 and Psalm 19:9.

As we run to resurrender

This speaks to people who have surrendered 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), are backsliding (1 John 2:1), and require surrender again.

You will restore what we return to You
You are restoring as we yield anew

See Verse 1, lines 1-6.

[Interlude]

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, our God

Essentially quotes from the latter portion of Revelation 4:8.

[Bridge 2]

If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running

We follow Psalm 138:1.

God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender

See Bridge 1, line 7.

If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running (God, we need You)
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
So we resurrender

Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1-4.

[Outro]

If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
So we resurrender
If You’re calling, we’re coming
We’re not walking, we’re running
God, we need resurrender
We resurrender

Repeats/essentially repeats Bridge 2, lines 1-4.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

It mentions “God”, “prayer”, and “holy”, which cements this song as religious.  However, Verse 1’s closing line “Lord, we are Your Church” is the dead giveaway that this song is Christian.  Unbelievers know full well that Christians aren’t living up to God’s standards, even if they don’t know what the standards are.  They will effortlessly conclude that this song compels Christians, whom the Bible calls the “church”, “temples”, and “Your people”, to do as God commands.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that we follow Him by capitulating when we break His laws after having surrendered to His will.

Score: 10/10.

Closing Comments

illsong Worship’s Resurrender is excellent. It reminds us that, within our fleshy, mortal bodies, we are all susceptible to temptation. Sanctification is a process; a journey that leads to righteousness. Yes, we are His people. Yes, we are holy houses for the Holy Spirit to indwell. Yet, we struggle with sin and must surrender again and again. These reminders glorify God, easily interpreted by those who don’t believe.

Repetition aside, I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Resurrender (Live) (listen to the song)

Artist: Hillsong Worship (Feat. Brooke Ligertwood)

Album: These Same Skies (Live)

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2021

Duration: 7:03

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*Copyright © 2021 Hillsong MP Songs (BMI) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.