Koryn Hawthorne (Feat. Natalie Grant) – Speak the Name

Koryn Hawthorne is an American Contemporary Christian Music artist.  Her appearance as a finalist on the eighth season of The Voice in 2015 put her on the map.  She released two albums and one EP, including:

• Koryn Hawthorne – EP (2017)
• Unstoppable (2018)
• I AM (2020)

She won five awards, including a Billboard for Top Gospel Song (Won’t He Do It, 2019), two GMA Dove Awards for Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year (Won’t He Do It, 2018) and Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year (Unstoppable, 2019), an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Album (Traditional or Contemporary) (Unstoppable, 2019), and a Stellar Gospel Music Award for Music Video of the Year Won’t He Do It, 2019).

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Koryn-hawthorne-speak-the-name-lyrics.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

This song’s main focus is on the name of Jesus, that:

• He has the power to heal
• He sends the Holy Spirit to move within us
• His name above all others
• He causes storms to break
• His light drives out darkness
• His mercy rests on His followers, including Hawthorne
• He causes fear to go
• He is Hawthorne’s defense
• He is mysterious

Hawthorne invites unbelievers to taste and see that the LORD is good, hoping that some might receive Him.

Score: 10/10

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

The entire song is in agreement with the Bible.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1 and 2: There is an appointed time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Lines 3 and 4: Not that invoking Jesus’ name is required for God to act, but we can’t expect God to respond if we don’t ask (James 4:2), much less in the name of Jesus.

Lines 5 and 6: Probably references Acts 2:3, where the Holy Spirit rested upon the disciples of Jesus, who saw fire that rested upon them.  He moved in them, causing them to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4). So too He can move within us, Christ’s followers.

Lines 7 and 8: This is not limited to physical healing, but spiritual healing as well, referencing Jesus as the Great Physician (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31).

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: Hawthorne urges her audience to praise God (1 Chronicles 16:25, 2 Samuel 22:4, Psalm 96:4-5, Psalm 145:3, and Revelation 4:11).

Line 3: See Verse 1, lines 7 and 8.

Line 4: References the falling mountains in Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, and Mark 11:23.

Line 5: Confirms commentary on lines 1 and 2.

[Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: We should not be afraid to speak the name of Jesus, whose name is above all others (Philippians 2:9).

Line 3: Repeats line 1.

Line 4: Jesus calms the storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, and Luke 8:22-25).

Lines 5-8: Not literally all of heaven, but God ensures that the earth is filled with the name of Jesus through us (Matthew 28:18-20).

[Verse 2]

Lines 1-4: Hawthorne invites those who experience shame to come and see Jesus’ power (Psalm 34:8, John 1:39, John 1:46, and Revelation 3:20).

Line 5: Christ’s light makes darkness flee (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9).

Line 6: Some who hear about Jesus will receive Him, alongside His grace (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 7 and 8: Though I initially thought that this could be a Word of Faith sort of statement, that mentioning Jesus’ name causes healing, I realized that it’s meant to be a rewording of Verse 1, lines 7 and 8.

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: See Verse 1, lines 7 and 8.

Line 3: See Verse 2, line 6.

Line 4: God’s perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.

Lines 9 and 10: There is power in the name of Jesus (Mark 16:17, Luke 10:17, Acts 3:6, Acts 3:12-16, Acts 4:30, Romans 10:13, and Philippians 2:9-11).

Line 11: References Mark 1:24, Luke 4:34, Acts 3:14, Acts 4:27-30, 1 John 2:20, Hebrews 7:26, and Revelation 4:8.

Line 12: Jesus is Hawthorne’s refuge (Ruth 2:12, 2 Samuel 22:3-4, Psalm 3:3, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 18:30, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 34:22, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 61:3, Psalm 91:1-16, Psalm 118:8, Psalm 121:7-8, Psalm 138:7, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 30:5, Nahum 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, and 1 John 5:18).

Line 13: That is, His name is full of wonder.  He is uniquely mysterious (Exodus 8:10, Exodus 9:14, Deuteronomy 3:24, Deuteronomy 33:26, Jeremiah 10:6, 1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 7:22, 1 Kings 8:23, 1 Chronicles 17:20, Psalm 86:8, Psalm 89:6, Psalm 113:5-6, Jeremiah 10:7, Isaiah 40:18, and Isaiah 46:9).

Line 14: See Chorus, line 2.

Line 15: See line 10.

Line 16: I’m so happy to see Hawthorne explicitly invoke His name!

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will likely interpret this song as an invitation to experience Christ’s forgiveness, mercy, and healing. Hawthorne explicitly references Jesus, lending them to Christianity.

My chief concern is for unbelievers who think God’s healing is guaranteed now, not understanding that some people receive it now while others will in the next life. An “Even if God doesn’t heal me now, He is still good” sort of statement would be helpful.

Score: 8/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus that Hawthorne implores others to feast upon Jesus, that His healing, power, and forgiveness attract them to consider a personal relationship with Him.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Koryn Hawthorne’s Speak the Name is life-giving.  It calls upon those who don’t know Jesus, that they would taste and see He is good.  He offers forbearance, strength, and alleviation, bringing Him glory.  While I am concerned that some might think God’s healing is guaranteed now unexplained in the lyrics.

I recommend it for corporate worship.  Seeker-sensitive churches may want to consider an explanation of God’s healing before worshipping with this song.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Speak the Name (listen to the song)

Artist: Koryn Hawthorne (Feat. Natalie Grant)

Album: Unstoppable

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 4:53

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