Matt Redman – 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)

Ah yes, who could ever forget about Matt Redman?  Well, unless you’ve been living under a rock the past 19 years or so.

Speaking of 19 years, his music career started at St Andrew’s, Chorleywood, in Hertfordshire.  With the assistance of evangelist Mike Pilavach, they founded Soul Survivor in 1993, a global youth outreach based in Watford, that grew out of worship sessions with Redman when he was 15 years old.  He was the worship leader for Soul Survivor at 19 years old!  In our day in age where the average 19-year-old is beginning college, playing video games, and catching up on social media.  A worship leader position at 19 is quite impressive!

With 13 separate studios under his belt, Redman is worth an estimated 5 million USD.  He won a plethora of Dove awards, two for today’s song review 10,000 Reasons: Song of the Year and Contemporary Christian Performance of the Year.  He also won two Grammy awards for the same song: Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance.

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.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Originally co-authored by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin, 10,000 Reasons is based on Psalm 103:1-5, briefly describing five reasons why we should praise and worship God, morning and evening, until the day we die.  The number “10,000” is an obvious exaggeration for effect.

There is one explicit reference to Jesus at the end of the song serving as perhaps an afterthought; However, there is so much content that directly points to God that explicit mention is unnecessary for clear communication.  These include His holiness, lovingkindness, slowness to anger, great name, kind heart, and goodness (because only God is good [Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:9]).  The use of “Jesus” at the end adds some icing to an already beautiful and delicious cake.  He is the object of our worship, and rightly so.

Score: 10/10

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

All of it is Biblically sound.  Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Chorus]

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul
Worship His holy name

Redman quotes directly from Psalm 103:1.  My usual version, NASB, says “bless His holy name” while other versions use “praise”.  The word “worship” is an equivalent term that does not change the meaning of the original source material.

Sing like never before, O my soul

An equivalent line based on Psalm 40:3 and Psalm 96:1-2, Redman, with all that is within him, sings differently than he was before, a “new song” on his lips.

I’ll worship Your holy name

A slight differentiation of line 1 that personalized worship of God, Redman shifts his audience from the people around him to God, migrating from description of praise to action of worship.  Psalm 30:4 and Psalm 97:12 both describe praising the name of God.

[Verse 1]

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

We should praise God all day, every day (Psalm 34:1 and Psalm 113:3).  His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

[Verse 2]

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger

The first instance of Redman describing attributes of God.  The first two listed here are His lovingkindness and slow to anger, as recorded in the second half of Psalm 103:8.  Also, see Exodus 34:5-7, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 86:15, and Joel 2:13.

Your name is great and Your heart is kind

Two more attributes Redman ascribes to God: the greatness of His name (Psalm 8:1, Psalm 8:9, Jeremiah 10:6) and the goodness of His heart through action (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).

For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing

Repeated ideas from Verse 2, line 2 and Chorus, line 3.

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

The number “ten thousand” is hyperbole given that Redman only lists five reasons, namely love, slow to anger, great name, kind heart, and goodness; however, these are legitimate reasons to exalt God.

[Bridge]

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come

That is, on the day I die.

Still, my soul will sing Your praise unending

We will praise God regardless of life or death (Romans 14:8, Philippians 1:20, Philippians 2:17, 1 Corinthians 3:22-23, and 1 Thessalonians 5:10).

Ten thousand years and then forevermore
Forevermore

There are plenty of Scriptural examples of Biblical individuals expressing their eternal praise, including Nehemiah 9:5, Psalm 30:12, Psalm 52:9, Psalm 86:12, Psalm 89:1, Psalm 115:18, Psalm 145:1-2, Psalm 145:21, and Revelation 5:9-13.

[Outro]

Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name
Jesus, I will, worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name

Repeats line 3 and 4.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Given how much this song references God and the explicit name-drop of Jesus at the end, it would be difficult for an unbeliever to think that the object of affection as described by Redman would be anyone other than Jesus Christ without resorting to purposeful misinterpretation.  They may not agree with the evidence presented; However, that does not reflect on the clarity of the message given to outsiders.  After all, only the Holy Spirit can convince people (John 16:8).

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

If it is not obvious at this point that this glorifies God, send me your address so that I can beat you over the head with my Bible!  Then, I will give you 10,000 Reasons why this song does not glorify anything other than God.  At least, I can try to spout out 50.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

For a song that I despised upon first hearing, 10,000 Reasons has grown on me over the years.  Although it speaks of how God is rich in love, this song is rich in its beautiful message dictating that we worship God and why we do it.  With his biblically accurate words, Redman sends a clear message to Christ-followers and unbelievers regarding our devotion to Jesus, bringing glory to God.  Its lyrics will be sung for years to come!

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) (listen to the song)

Artist: Matt Redman

Album: 10,000 Reasons (Live)

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2012

Duration: 4:16 (radio version), 5:42 (live)

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

*Copyright © 2011 Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com excluding Europe which is adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family. Songs@integritymusic.com) / Atlas Mountain Songs (BMI) worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

04/26/2022 – Added commentary to the end of Chorus to include Scripture to support worshipping God’s name.