MercyMe – To Not Worship You

MercyMe is an American Contemporary Christian band.  Beginning in 1994, they released an impressive 19 albums, including:

• Pleased to Meet You (1995)
• Traces of Rain (1997)
• Traces of Rain Volume II (1998)
• The Need (1999)
• The Worship Project (1999)
• Look (2000)
• Almost There (2001)
• Spoken For (2002)
• Undone (2004)
• The Christmas Sessions (2005)
• Coming Up to Breathe (2006)
• All That Is Within Me (2007)
• The Generous Mr. Lovewell (2010)
• The Hurt & the Healer (2012)
• Welcome to the New (2014)
• MercyMe, It’s Christmas! (2015)
• Lifer (2017)
• Inhale (Exhale) (2021)
• Always Only Jesus (2022)

They received 12 awards for their work, including 1 Billboard, 8 Doves, 1 ASCAP, and 2 American Music.  They were also mentioned 10 times on Billboard’s magazine Decade (2000–2009).

Also, check out my reviews of Greater, Word of God Speak, Flawless, Happy Dance, I Can Only Imagine, and Even If.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Mercyme-to-not-worship-you-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?

MercyMe is experiencing doubt amid unanswered questions, and requires God to remind them of how they have changed.  Yet, they take time to calm down and focus on the One who holds creation in order, resurrected from the dead, and makes all things new.  Recognizing their unworthiness, they remember that Christ is holy, eternal, and deserves their adoration and worship.  He is their source of power and hope.  They call for creation to join them in song to praise their Maker.

Score: 10/10

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

The whole song completely reflects God’s inspired Word.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: MercyMe is like any other human: they want certainty amid chaos.  Unanswered questions cause them to doubt, making them unstable in their faith (James 1:6-8).

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: MercyMe uses breathing as a technique to re-focus their attention from their doubts and worries to fixing their eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

[Chorus]

Lines 1-4: Jesus is sovereign over creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11).

Line 5: He rose again (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).

Line 6: As promised by Christ in Revelation 21:5.

Lines 7 and 8: MercyMe knows their place.  Jesus is the master and they are to worship Him (Matthew 2:11, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 28:8-9, Matthew 28:16-17, Luke 24:50-53, John 12:13, and John 20:28).

[Post-Chorus]

Line 1: Calls out to Casper the friendly ghost.

Lines 2 and 3: Essentially repeats Chorus, lines 7 and 8.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: The doubt described in Verse 1 prompts MercyMe to ask God to remind them that they are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Line 3: MercyMe is right: They do not deserve God’s favor, yet, He still offers it nonetheless (Genesis 15:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:15-21, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 9:14-16, Romans 11:5-6, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Titus 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, and James 2:23).

Line 4: A rhetorical question with an obvious answer: He saved MercyMe not because He saw something special in them, but because He loves them (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: Quotes from the song of the four living creatures in Revelation 4:8.

Line 3: Repeats line 1:

Line 4: He is MercyMe’s:

• Song (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 98:1, and Psalm 149:1)
• Hope (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, and 1 Peter 1:3-6)
• Strength (Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 22:19, Psalm 28:7-8, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 118:14, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 33:2, Isaiah 40:29-31, Habakkuk 3:19, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 6:10, and Philippians 4:13)

Lines 5-8: Repeats lines 1-4.

Line 9: All creation praises Him (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).  While I am uncertain if all creation is capable of singing, it is nonetheless requested by MercyMe, and I don’t see how that is unbiblical to merely make the request.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The phrase “conquered the grave” is the dead giveaway that this is a Christian song.  This song is mostly written in everyday language, though contains a smattering of oft-used Christian phrases, including “makes mountains move”, “make all things new”, and “holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty” (though worded differently) that unbelievers should easily recognize.  Their likely conclusion is that, although Christians like MercyMe have doubts, they set those doubts aside and focus on Jesus, who is their hope and might, made them different, and source of worship.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus as the Holy One who created MercyMe.  As their only hope, He rescued them from their doubting and fears, cleans them up, and compels them to worship Him.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

MercyMe’s To Not Worship You is wonderful.  They remind us that, although sometimes we have doubts, that we should remember His sacrifice, forgiveness, and love for us.  In turn, we should doubt our doubts, focus on Jesus, and worship Him.  These bring Him glory.  Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: To Not Worship You (listen to the song)

Artist: MercyMe

Album: Always Only Jesus

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2022

Duration: 3:46

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