Photo by SHAH Shah
The song Let It Rain is written by songwriter and artist Michael Farren; However, Michael W. Smith released it first. Therefore, I will give Smith the title of this review and Farren a second entry on the Song Review Index.
Those of you who are actually interested in my boring introductions can read the opening of Ancient Words. The rest of us will quietly skip over the bread and move straight towards the meaty middle, not bothering to read my pitiful attempt at what some call humor.
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Michael-w-smith-let-it-rain-live-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?
It disseminates a request for God’s blessing upon us, narrates His rulership and reign over all creation, and describes His mighty demonstration of His strength.
Side Note: To those sensitive to massive repetition, Chorus repeats the same line 18 repeats throughout this song.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
All of the words are quoted or paraphrased from the NIV translation of the Bible.
[Chorus 1]
Lines 1 and 2: This phrase comes from Malachi 3:8-12 (particularly verse 10), which contextually refers to Israel robbing God, that they should bring in the full tithe owed to God and His people according to the Mosaic Law. In turn, God will bring a floodgate of blessings upon them. In New Testament context, it is the outpouring of God’s undeserved love for us, through Christ and His sacrifice for our sins (Romans 5:6-8).
[Bridge]
Lines 1-11: Quotes Psalm 97:1-6. It describes God’s sovereignty over all He has made, and His power demonstrated to us through natural phenomena.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
A quick Google search will turn up exact Bible quotes. Although they could easily think that the floodgates are about the Great Flood in Genesis 6-9, thinking that perhaps Christians wish death upon them. On second thought, that is probably my overactive imagination.
The Bridge’s quote of the Bible should seem obvious.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It magnifies God’s rulership over His creation.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Michael W. Smith’s Let It Rain is good. It correctly quotes/paraphrases from the NIV, easily interpreted by unbelievers.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Let It Rain (listen to the song)
Artist: Michael W. Smith
Album: Worship
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2000
Duration: 5:40
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Updates:
03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement. I moved my commentary to a side note and significantly raised the score for sections 1, 3, and 4. I also updated the Conclusion. This significantly raised the overall score, from 7.5/10 to 10/10.
01/27/2021 – In response to comments, changed introduction so that it no longer states this song was released so that Michael W. Smith could release it. I also fixed several spelling/grammatical errors.
Comments
Mark Sommerfeld
Interesting that Psalm 136 uses the phrase (KJV) “for his mercy endureth forever” a total of 26 times. In Luke 18:7 Jesus in His story of the widow and the unjust judge states that’s God’s people petition Him day and night and the inference is one of continuing repetition. The real question is not whether we find the song boring. The question is what does God think of His people persistently petitioning Him for what is needed. Yes there is a time and a place for repetition and a time for not doing it (Ecclesiastes 3:1-9) but your stated chief objection was that you find it boring. Many others do not find it boring and I wonder if God finds it boring when His people cry out in heartfelt sincerity to Him using this song.
Vince Wright
Mark Sommerfeld,
Thank you for your comments!
I’m perfectly OK with other people who don’t find it as boring as I do, and if that’s the case, then feel free to take the meat and throw away the bones.
-Vince Wright
Angie A
As an acquaintance of Michael Farren, I can attest that the song was NOT written for MWS. He shared at a conference a few years ago that he wrote the song during a youth lock-in at his church in Texas. It was a spontaneous moment of powerful worship.
Shelva Haworth
Yes…I can confirm this. I was there. It was a lock-in in our youth building PowerHouse at Church on the Rock in Texarkana, Texas. We were worshipping and it was just as Michael Farren said…spontaneous worship that came about. He and his band at the time were the worship leaders for our youth group. This song was a cry of all of our hearts that night. And Michael W. Smith heard it years later but only the chorus and decided to record it.
Nancy
Hello,
Where can one find the entire original song?
Delwyn X Campbell
I did not know that it was written for Michael W. Smith. I first heard of it by Bishop Paul S. Morton of the St. Stephen’s Full Gospel Baptist Church in September 2003, which was sadly ironic in the context of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, when New Orleans, and his church with it, got flooded out.
Mazile Bee
Nothing boring about what I just read!!! Be blessed!! Isaiah 53 confirms everything you wrote. Keep writing.
Dany
Hi there from Switzerland
We sang it today at church and it was a moment of free worship to sing along, to wait on the Lord or to pray. I mixed it with the chorus »we want to see you, show us your glory, we want to know you, Lord« (Jesus Culture). It’s important to sing it as the Holy Spirit shows it. Then it won’t be singing like a « two phrase mantra» which is monotone and boring. When the Spirit brings inspiration in a song then it gets suprising and fresh – like a spring rain!
Vince Wright
Dany,
I am happy that you had a great experience with this song. Thank you for sharing!
-Vince Wright
Shawn Kinimaka
This song is powerful. Even with its repetition. When a person is asking God for an answer and does not seem get the answer, We are told by God to seek Him and persevere and in our seeking we often repeatedly ask and to a point “cry out” in desperation. In our waiting we often realize how dependent we are and how much we need Jesus.
Yes, i see this song as repetitive and not as suited for a non-believer but for the believer i think men will be and are lead to cry out for Gods help during the repetitive portion of this song. Yeah, let it rain. 🤙🏻🙏🏼🌈
Vince Wright
Shawn,
Thank you for your comment!
It’s certainly a downpour!
-Vince Wright
Elisama Lucena
Oh I love this song. Don’t say it about how many times MWS repeats: let it rain. haha
The mix of the lyrics plus the melody gives me a different view that you have about it. =)
We have a Brazilian version [I may say that I don’t like versions]. They added 1 sentence to the song.
“I see a small cloud the size of a man’s hand, but this is a sign that Your rain is gonna come down” . And it goes: let it rain, let it rain, open the floodgates of Heaven, and let it rain”.
I see no reason for this sentence. They probably wished to make the song sound longer.
Vince Wright
Elisama,
Thank you for your comments!
I’m discovering that there is a huge split over my position on massive repetition. Some people don’t mind it as it helps them meditate upon God and learn/reinforce concepts. There’s also some who brought up Revelation 4:8, that the angels state the same thing, over and over again, day and night, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come”. Though I find it fascinating that the angelic beings aren’t singing.
Then there are others who see massive repetition as a possible sign of vanity (Matthew 6:7) or lazy songwriting. They find it annoying to hear the same phrase repeated over, and over, and over, and over……and over again. At least, I often do!
I happen to lean closer into the latter category and, yes, it’s a flesh issue that affects my reviews. After all, the things I write are my opinion/interpretation of what I think about the song in terms of its message, Scriptural accuracy, average unbeliever’s interpretation, and what it glorifies. For those who are not bothered by heavy usage of refrains, may I recommend a grain (or perhaps a pound) of salt? Christian apologist/philosopher Greg Koukl put it best when it came to examining his material: “take the meat and throw away the bones”.
Hopefully, I’ve given you plenty of meaty substance to consider. Feel free to toss aside the bony bits.
Finally, I agree with your last comment. I can’t think of a reason to include this addendum to the Brazilian version.
-Vince Wright
Christopher M Bailey
The spoken word in this song just brought a tearful sobbing smile to my face when I first heard it! I recognized the scriptures, read with such energy and with expectant authority! The repeats never became an issue as I’m to familiar with hillsong lol
The song is over when the repeats stop and I don’t want this song to end! Let it rain oh God! Undeserving and weak yet your love is indescriminantly poured out over your children. Praise God!