Meredith Mauldin & UPPERROOM (Feat. Elyssa Smith) – You Remain

Meredith Mauldin is most widely known as Android #18 in the Dragon Ball series.  She also voiced Maria Ross in both Fullmetal Alchemist animes.

She has written music for UPPERROOM and will release her solo debut EP with UPPERROOM ,The Turning, on July 29th, 2022.

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 other UPPERROOM reviews.

Lyrics can be found at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j40d4MGIjjOzoFxjFiYOpQi213lPSKrA_UQM2TNSy24/edit.

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?

Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s main theme contrasts their limited lives with God’s eternality.  His salvation, Presence, and guidance are forever, whereas their life decisions, present scenario, and worldly possessions shift from moment to moment.  Mauldin & UPPERROOM sacrifice their earthly goods to serve God, willing to lay down their heavenly reward to be with God forever.  They know that all their things belong to God, inherited by others after they pass from this life.  Stuff is rubbish compared to knowing God intimately.  Though none of Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s gratitude could repay all that God gave them, they choose to worship anyway.

Score: 10/10

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

The entire song flows forth from Scripture.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Though there’s a time for everything to change (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), God does not (Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, and James 1:17).

Line 3 and 4: If we stray from the straight and narrow path (Matthew 7:14 and 1 John 2:1), God will provide the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Lines 5 and 6: This is so because God is omnipresent (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17, and Hebrews 4:13).

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: God guides Mauldin & UPPERROOM, calling them to follow unafraid (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20).

[Chorus (1)]

Line 1: Mauldin & UPPERROOM join the twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:10-11, that though they are rewarded with the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8), laying their crowns down indicates that God is more important than their heavenly reward (Philippians 3:8-10).

Line 2: Much like the Apostles in Acts 5:41, Mauldin & UPPERROOM rejoice because they were counted worthy to sacrifice for Christ.

Line 3: Much like Job stated in Job 1:21, Mauldin & UPPERROOM will leave this earth with none of their earthly possessions.

Line 4: God remains because He is eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Job 36:26, Psalm 48:14, Psalm 90:2-4, Psalm 102:12, Psalm 102:26-27, Proverbs 8:23, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 41:4, Habakkuk 1:12, John 17:5, Romans 1:20, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 1:11-12, 1 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 3:8, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 11:17, and Revelation 22:13).

[Verse 2]

Line 1: That is, Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s life sacrificed to God (see Chorus, line 2).  After all, all the stuff in the world belongs to God (Deuteronomy 10:14, Psalm 24:1, Psalm 50:12, Psalm 89:11, Psalm 104:24, Job 41:11, and 1 Corinthians 10:26).  Who can truly steal what belongs to Him?  If God is on their side, what can man do to them (Psalm 118:6 and Hebrews 13:6)?

Line 2: None but God could pay for our sins (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12).

Lines 3 and 4: References the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Specifically, the robe and the ring in Luke 15:22, pointing to royal adoption as sons and daughters of the Most High (John 1:12-13, John 14:18, Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:1-8, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 4:5-7, Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:11-22, Hebrews 9:15, and 1 John 3:1-3).  The royal robes received are undeserved (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 5: Despite worship painfully inadequate to repay God for His lovingkindness, Mauldin & UPPERROOM will sing anyways.  He is worthy of praise (1 Chronicles 16:25, 2 Samuel 22:4, Psalm 96:4-5, Psalm 145:3, and Revelation 4:11).

[Chorus (2)]

Lines 1-4: Essentially repeats lines 1-4.

Lines 5 and 6: Treasures are rubbish compared to knowing God (Philippians 3:8-10).

Lines 7-11: Essentially repeats lines 3 and 4.

[Bridge]

Lines 1-3: I’m reminded of the ending to Shindler’s List, where Oskar Schindler responds to the good news that many Jews were saved from the Nazis because of him.  He responds with “I could have saved one more”.  Mauldin & UPPERROOM share this same desire, that they want to live a life without regret (2 Timothy 4:7).

Lines 4-6: Essentially repeats line 1.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Those outside Christianity will find these lyrics easy to interpret.  Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s language is everyday, with the word “Jesus” contextualizing their object of worship.  Unbelievers will conclude that Christians believe God is better than things, that He exists forever and guides them, and that Christians are honored to sacrifice for Him.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God as Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s most prized possession, who will remain after all is said and done.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Meredith Mauldin & UPPERROOM’s You Remain is excellent.  It reminds us that life’s seasons are constantly changing, yet, God is always here.  Sacrificing for God is always worth it, especially when we consider that all our belongings are already His.  Our relationship with Christ is our most cherished possession, whose guidance keeps us on the straight and narrow path, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers should easily interpret similarly.

I highly recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: You Remain (listen to the song)

Artist: Meredith Mauldin & UPPERROOM (Feat. Elyssa Smith)

Album: The Turning

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2022

Duration: 6:09

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