Photo by Cullan Smith
To put it succinctly, Maverick City Music is the audience on stage. Recently, they have collaborated with other artists such as Elevation Worship, Chandler Moore, and Brandon Lake to produce music.
They released seven EP’s and eight albums, including:
- Maverick City Vol. 1 EP (2019)
- Maverick City Vol. 2 EP (2019)
- Maverick City Vol. 3, Part 1 (2020)
- Maverick City Vol. 3, Part 2 (2020)
- You Hold It All Together (EP, 2020)
- Maverick City Christmas (EP, 2020)
- Move Your Heart (EP, 2021)
- Jubilee (EP, 2021)
- Como En El Cielo (Spanish, 2021)
- Old Church Basement (with Elevation Worship, 2021)
- Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition (2021)
- Tribl I (with Tribl, 2021)
- Venga Tu Reino (2021)
- A Very Maverick Christmas (2021)
- Breathe (EP, 2022)
They won three awards last year, including one Billboard Music Award for Top Gospel Album for their album Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 and two GMA Doves: New Artist of the Year and Worship Album of the Year (Old Church Basement).
Also, check out my previous Maverick City Music reviews.
UPPERROOM is a church-based band, much with the same structure as Hillsong, Elevation Worship, and Bethel Music. Their church of the same name is based in Dallas, Texas.
They released thirteen works, including:
- God You Are (2014)
- Live from Upper Room (2016)
- Made for More (2016)
- Center of Your Love (EP, 2017)
- Moments (2018)
- Moments II (2018)
- Moments: Color 003 (2019)
- Moments: Design 004 (EP, 2019)
- To The One (2019)
- Santo Espíritu (Te Amamos) (2020)
- Land of the Living (2020)
- Arbor (2021)
- Move Your Heart (EP, 2021)
Also, check out my reviews of You Remain, You Satisfy, I Thank God, Move Your Heart, Getting Ready, and Surrounded (Fight My Battles).
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Maverick-city-music-and-upperroom-rest-on-us-lyrics.
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?
Maverick & UPPERROOM pray that the Holy Spirit, who once moved over the pre-earth waters and filled the early disciples of Jesus like a violent wind and tongues of fire, moves around, onto, and inside them. They are immersed in His Presence and love.
Side Note: To those annoyed by massive repetition, almost the entire song repeats this same message over and over again. Bridge essentially repeats the same three lines six times. Following this is the final iteration of the Chorus, containing the same five-line phrase four times in a row.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
This song completely reflects Scripture.
[Verse 1]
Lines 1-3: Maverick and UPPERROOM’s prayer is that the Holy Spirit surrounds them as He did in Genesis 1:2. They also pray that He rests on them as He did to the early followers of Jesus in Acts 2:3.
Line 4: Repeats line 3.
Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.
[Chorus]
Line 1: Another prayer, that the Holy Spirit would descend like a dove (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, and John 1:32).
Line 2-4: The Holy Spirit stirs Maverick and UPPERROOM, making them feel alive, detecting His movement in their present place.
Line 5: The Holy Spirit lives inside Maverick and UPPERROOM (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).
Lines 6-10: Essentially repeats lines 1-5.
[Post-Chorus (1)]
Line 1: Another prayer, that the Holy Spirit would fill Maverick and UPPERROOM.
Lines 2 and 3: Essentially repeats line 1.
[Verse 2]
Line 1: References Acts 2:1-4, which describes the Holy Spirit who came to rest upon the early disciples of Jesus as a rushing wind and fiery tongues.
Line 2: Allegorizes heaven as the Holy Spirit.
Lines 3 and 4: Repeats Verse 1, line 3. Background vocals ask the Holy Spirit to come and claim to feel His flame.
Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.
[Post-Chorus (2)]
Line 1: That is, for Maverick and UPPERROOM to become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. They do this by:
- Aligning our desire with God’s (Psalm 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Ezekiel 11:19, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 2:29, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and 2 Corinthians 7:10).
- Studying Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Obeying God’s commandments (Matthew 25:34-40, John 14:15, John 14:21-24, John 15:10-14, 1 Peter 1:14-15, 1 John 2:3-5, 1 John 4:19-20, 1 John 5:2-3, and 2 John 1:6).
- Spending time with God in prayer, alone just like Jesus did (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).
Line 2: Essentially repeats line 1.
[Bridge]
Line 1: Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 3.
Line 2: Maverick and UPPERROOM explicitly state their desire for the Holy Spirit implicit throughout the rest of these lyrics.
Line 3: Repeats line 2.
Lines 4-18: Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1-3.
[Outro]
Line 1: Indeed! After all, if He didn’t, He wouldn’t do it.
Line 2: Expands on Post-Chorus (2), line 1, adding the word “baptize”, which means “immersion” (see Verse 1, line 2).
Line 3: Essentially repeats line 2.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Unbelievers should easily grasp Maverick and UPPERROOM’s message, even if they don’t know what it’s like to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God that Maverick and UPPERROOM desire to be baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Maverick City Music & UPPERROOM’s Rest On Us is simple. They want the Holy Spirit to fill them, both inside and outside them, bringing Him glory. Unbelievers should easily interpret this, even if they haven’t experienced it.
Those who don’t mind massive repetition may consider it for corporate worship. It’s not for me though.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Rest On Us (listen to the song)
Artist: Maverick City Music & UPPERROOM (Feat. Eniola Abioye & Brandon Lake)
EP: Move Your Heart
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2021
Duration: 5:38
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Comments
Danette Reeves
I have not yet read all of the comments, but will. My issue with this song is about “when You move You make my heart pound”. The word “when” bothers me for God is always working in my life. But Holy Spirit does not always make my heart pound. He can, but so can a demon. Sometimes Holy Spirit moves me to be quiet, or sometimes to tears. I do not like that we try to make our relationship with God a “feeling” experience…such as You make my heart pound. I, personally, would rather our corporate worship be focused on who God is instead of how we feel.
Jenna
Yep, completely agree. This is one of my main concerns with this song, though not the only one. We sing it a lot in the youth group where I have served for years, and a lot of other emotion-heavy songs as well. I just don’t think it’s an accurate picture of how the Spirit works (also, the Spirit lives in those who are believers; the imagery of him floating into a room doesn’t really sit well with me)
Jolee
I feel like it could be for corporate worship even though it is really long. but, Elle Limebear sang that song. she did a “long version” and a radio version which is just 3 minutes. they can just use Limebear’s version for corporate worship. If we sang that at my church, (we never did, yet) I can picture tons of people worshipping God and singing nice and loud.
Mikey
I see all of your points and maybe I am missing something but what verse in the Bible can we point to that says the Holy Spirit can rest on us if we are already saved? We are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) How can he “come rest on us” if he already dwells within us? This to me brings a lot of confusion for those who already have the Holy Spirit within the congregation. To me according to Acts 2, it makes sense for those who don’t have the Holy Spirit, but Mav City are professing believers already sealed with the Holy Spirit, so what verse can we look to saying that the Holy Spirit rests on us that already have the Spirit within us? Thanks
Mitchell Hunt
A fair question. It seems that many promises are already in effect, and faith in and understanding those would help us skip asking God to do something He has already done.
Vince Wright
Mikey,
Great question!
The only time I’ve seen this occur in Scripture was during Pentecost. In Acts 2:3, it says that “tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them”. According to Gill’s commentary, this fire is the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind that in John 20:22, Jesus had breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit prior to this momenteous event.
-Vince Wright
Mikey
Hi Vince, yes I totally understand that that but in that context they had not had the Holy Spirit yet. So for the body of believers (who already have the Holy Spirit in us) why would we be singing for the Holy Spirit to rest on us if it already has? This seems to contradict biblical pneumatology and ecclesiology in worship. Thoughts?
Vince Wright
Mikey,
Thank you for your comments! I already said that according to John 20:22, Jesus had breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit prior to this momentous event. I’m not sure what else you want me to say.
-Vince Wright
Spirit and Truth Ministries
Another thought.
Luke 11:13 say God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
If that helps.
Mikey
Vince,
The song is asking for the Holy Spirit to come rest on us. If I already have the Holy Spirit and he has already rested on me. Why would I ask him to rest on me again? It makes it seem as if we need to attract the Spirit as we sing. Or as if the Holy Spirit is not always living within us, constantly sanctifying us. But it gives of the impression that we need for him to come rest on us constantly not just at the point of conversion.
Rebecca
Im sorry if this isn’t a comment inside the scope of the berean test. Since i don’t know what the Berean test is, but here is my comment.
When the song says Holy Spirit come rest on us you’re all we want… am I wrong but are we, as believers, to Only want the spirit of God and Not Father God or Jesus? Worship the Father, (Jesus in the Father) with the Holy Spirit. Worship In Spirit and in Truth not worship the spirit and the truth.
My other thoughts were previously posted by other people so I’ll leave my comment at this.
Danette Reeves
This is the same struggle I have with many songs! I have tried to search scripture out on this topic and have not been successful.
Jenna
This is also my concern and confusion with the song— of course that encounter with the Spirit happens when we’re first saved, but yeah, the continued emphasis on him “entering the room” and “falling on us” (as songs often say about the Spirit, not just this one ) when he already lives inside believers confuses me as well! I also hear it a lot in the youth group where I serve, so I don’t know that it’s super helpful for the students, especially since it highly emphasizes emotion (“you make my heart pound,” etc); so keep in mind that that’s also informing my perspective!
Mikey
Vince,
The Spirit rested on the believers at Pentecost once. But the Spirit did not continue resting on them each Sunday. Once you have the Spirit you always have it. No need for the Spirit to be continually “coming and resting on you” so why would a group of believers who already have Him living inside them ask for the Spirit to rest on them again?
Cheers,
Mikey
Rebecca Williams
You nailed it. This is my exact issue with the song. It is so catchy, so poppy, so “exciting,” and builds climatically… all of which makes me really want to do it as a worship leader.
However, when each of us become Christians, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. So why are we asking Him to come rest on us if He already is indwelling us? It doesn’t make sense… kind of insulting? “Hey God! Come here, please? Come come do this!” and He’s like “Uh… pretty sure I’m already in you, moving, using you every day — in the mundane and not exciting things…”
I also agree with the repetition leading to a trance-like state. I experienced that at a Jesus Culture conference once earlier in my faith, and only years down the road can I look back and analyze that moment.
I really WANT to lead this song, but spiritually in my heart, I can’t.
Lauren
HI! I find all these comments valid for sure but the way I see it is that we need to constantly ask for Holy Spirit’s guidance, help, etc. Holy Spirit has specific roles as quoted in scripture and I think at times we need to call upon Holy Spirit just like we call upon God and Jesus (given that they are 3 in 1). Does that make sense? So while yes, we are given access to Holy Spirit as believers we are not automatically always given the “gifts” (both the gifts of the spirit and in general gifts) without praying for them and I think that’s really what the song is getting at. So, if you live just thinking, “I have Holy Spirit resting” on me that’s fine, but, if you seek after Holy Spirit in the same way you seek after God and Jesus ( because again, they are 3 in 1 ) you will find more. The roles of Holy Spirit according to scripture:
comforter/advocate/helper
teacher/guide
He convicts us
empowers us
blesses us with spiritual gifts
intercedes for us
etc.
All these things we can pray for more of and seek after. That’s the heart of this song.
Isaac
Rebecca,
You’re so right in that it’d be redundant to ask the Spirit to do something to dwell within us when it’s already there. But, if you consider that “resting” is also associated with “empowering,” we’re also asking the Holy Spirit to move us, empower us, give us courage, and embolden us, just as it did the disciples at Pentecost. If we only look at this song in terms of movement, it can seem like we’re saying “come here,” but really we’re saying ”be the fire on my shoulder and give me strength and courage.”
Just my thoughts.
Frances Arrol
Hi, I just want to say I came across this webpage and I appreciate your analysis and I am so glad I found it. However, the line “you make my heart pound when you fill the room.”
Does the Holy Spirit make your heart pound? My heart usually pounds after I’ve done something strenuous like a run or something like that. I don’t think my heart ever started pounding when I’ve feel His presence. Am I missing something? Am I not as filled?
I can’t recall any place in the scripture where it says the Holy Spirit make sure heart pound when he feels the room. I’m just curious what you think about that or maybe I’m missing something. I thank you so much again for your website and your analysis verse by verse.
Vince Wright
Frances,
Thank you for your submission!
Maverick and UPPERROOM are describing their experience with the Holy Spirit. I don’t think all experiences of the Holy Spirit are recorded in Scripture, but I don’t find this unbiblical either.
-Vince Wright
-Vince Wright
Gary Merriman
So, I read through the responses to this post and have to conclude that most people do not understand a Pentecostal Theology. Likewise, there is a lack of distinction between both the soteriological and charismatic activity of the Spirit’s work. Understanding these unique activities of the Spirit’s work and the different emphasis that both Paul and Luke place on the Spirit’s work, helps understand the Pentecostal position (and by extension, why we have no problem with the phrase Rest On Us). There is a wonderful little scholarly work by Roger Stronstad that is worth looking into called The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke: Trajectories from the Old Testament to Luke-Acts
Cliff
Hi Vince,
Just wanted to bump my comment from earlier in response to rpeasley’s thoughts. I’m interested in your reply on the matter!
Cheers,
Cliff
Vince Wright
Cliff,
Thanks for the reminder!
This is a request for increased sensitivity to feel the Holy Spirit’s Presence. There are certain practices we can do to increase this sensitivity, including:
Does that help?
-Vince Wright
Abbs
Biblically, the Spirit moves in us in two ways. He dwells within us and sanctifies us personally and individually (Romans 8:9-11), and He also moves within the church as a body as we are gathered together (Matthew 18:20, Acts 2:1-4). The Spirit is already within you if you are saved, but it is also appropriate and biblical to pray for His presence to rest on you in the context of corporate worship.
My biggest reservation is the phrase “You’re all we want.” Can we honestly, genuinely declare that? Would we stand on stage during a sermon and testify that God is absolutely the only thing we want in life? Probably not. There are plenty of other things we want. It may be true to declare that the presence of God is what we most want, but not the only thing we want. I have changed the lyrics of my own originals to fix this problem, from “my one desire” to “what I most desire.”
I’m curious if anyone else has noticed extreme or unreasonable declarations or commitments made in worship music.
Vince Wright
Abbs,
Great question!
The Psalms are full of such declarations. Allow me to provide a few examples. I’m sure there are more, but I came up with three of them quickly:
-Psalm 34:1: “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
-Psalm 23:1: “The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need.”
-Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;”
Could we honesty say with 100% certainty that we will always bless God, shall lack nothing, and never fear evil? Probably not. However, we can honestly declare that we intend to do these things. These are our resolve.
We could also say the same about following Jesus. According to 1 John 2:6, if we declare that we abide in Jesus, we must live like He lived. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life. Could we live that way? Probably not. How many of us call ourselves Christians, which means “little Christ” or “follower of Jesus”? How many of us say we love Jesus and violate John 14:15 by not obeying His commandments? Should we stop calling ourselves Christians and stop saying we love Jesus if we can’t do it perfectly? I don’t think we want to go down that road.
It’s difficult for me to dock Maverick and UPPERROOM for making absolute declarations when the Psalmists do the same. Similarly, it’s difficult for me to suggest that we should cease calling ourselves Christians or declaring we love Jesus if we don’t obey Him perfectly.
-Vince Wright
Dave
Vince, your very thoughtful and scripture based responses are much appreciated. I think it is easy to pick on things that do not align with our personal preference, style or genre. Repetition may be one of those. The messaging and nature of this song is scriptural, and intended to be sung with joy, in spirit and truth. This is one of those songs that could serve in many roles, with many styles, and could even be used as a bridge from one worship moment to the next. The best worship moments follow spirit led direction. This song has those qualities. Thanks again for what you do. Blessings and best wishes. Dave
Vince Wright
Dave,
Thank you for your comment!
I have a planned update in the future, where I will be adding an “Other” category for the “Corporate Worship” column. This indicates songs that, though they do not proclaim to God His value and worth (or at least, do not do so directly), could still be useful during a church service. Perhaps this song could fit underneath that category.
-Vince Wright
Wendy Lampier
I hear complaints of repetitive verses in songs often, but I have to ask…why?
Doesn’t the Bible say to meditate upon God’s word? Isn’t repeating the same truths and prayers over and over another form of meditating on and with word? I’ve honestly never understood the problem with this is music and it never crossed my mind until the Christian community made an issue of it. Genuinely curious
Mitchell Hunt
I appreciate your comments on massive repetition. It seems that it is a poor substitute for actual substance that might be written into a song, and tends toward trancelike mindlessness rather than active engagement with God.
rpeasley
Hi Vince, really appreciate all of your thoughtful review. There are a couple things in this song that are problematic for me.
First is the contradictory nature of the the chorus – is the Spirit there or isn’t he? “So come down” vs “You’re here and I know You are moving”
Second: What is the metric the author uses to know that the spirit it moving? Is it because everyone is excited and participating? “You make my heart pound” seems to emphasize the emotional experience, seems to suggest that the metric is emotion, energy, participation. If that is the metric then the spirit has moved in a lot of secular music events. Also, it would seem to trivialize the power and work of the spirit.
Third: this point could just be perspective or interpretation but in verse 2 the author says “open up the gates, let Heaven on in come rest on us” This seems to reflect a mixed understanding of the spirit. All throughout scripture we see the spirit of God coming on people and empowering them in mighty ways whether it be acts of strength like Samson or prophesying boldly like Elijah (and we even see the spirt of God act on individuals bent against God as in the case of Saul who when he was seeking to kill David the spirit came on him and he began to prophesy – 1 Samuel 19). The game changer in history is Jesus’ promise that he would send his spirit who would be our helper, who would live in us. The promise for believers is the gift of the spirit no matter what gift of the spirit the spirit may gift us – a little word play fun there 🙂 Wouldn’t the spirit living in us be “heaven” living in us? If so, then why would we need to “let Heaven in”. This just seems to muddy the waters.
Musically I really like this song, it connects with me, it has feeling and energy but seems to be focused more on a feel good worship time than a change the world and use me, work through me to do it.
Vince Wright
rpeasley,
Thank you for your comments!
First, I can see why you say they contradict. However, it also says in Chorus:
“When You fill the room
You’re here and I know You are moving”
The phrase “when you fill the room” speaks of a future event, not the present moment.
Second, there is no metric mentioned. The author is describing their personal experience when the Spirit moves.
Third, my take is that the author wants increased sensitivity to experience the Spirit’s Presence. Yes, the Spirit is always inside us, but there are moments we can’t detect it, much like Jacob did in Genesis 28:16.
-Vince Wright
Cliff
Hi Vince, thank you for the write up as well as taking the time to reply to comments. I just wanted to follow up on rpeasly’s second point.
It’s a bit concerning for me that there’s no verse reference for lines 2-4 of the chorus. One person’s response to the Spirit may not apply to the next. When we start letting personal experiences dictate song lyrics, how do we know where to draw the line between absolute truth and subjectivity? If it’s not rooted in the Bible, how can we be sure it’s true at all?
Mitchell Hunt
Another thing to consider is the idea that God comes to a building, when Acts 7:48 says,”Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says.”It seems like another example of covenant mixing. If God is omnipresent, (He is), and dwells in His people (He does), then accepting that in faith and practice will help us get right to the point in worship.
Scott Park
Although God is omnipresent and he is with us wherever we go, I think the song is making a reference to the times where the Spirit was moving powerfully. An example would be in Acts 2, where the “place they were meeting was shaken”, and also in Acts 4, where the same thing happens. In both occasions, the “presence of God” was able to be felt in a more obvious and powerful way, especially in Acts 4, where even though the Holy Spirit already descended on them they were again “filled with the Spirit”. So I don’t think it’s wrong that they ask for God to “come rest on us” because they’re not denying that God is present in our midst; they’re simply asking for a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit within the body of Christ.
Onnica Hutchings
I agree with all of this. As a musician, if my church chooses to play this song then I will play it, but it does not sit well in my heart. I do realize some songs are the milk to draw in new Christians, but at some point we need to get to the meat. Contradicting theology is not the meat and just because there’s a scripture to match verses and choruses doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Satan knows the whole Bible and twists it out of context. I can only pray that when we play songs like this that God is using it for good.