Paul Baloche – Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)

Contemporary Christian artist Paul Baloche began his career in 1989, serving three years as a worship pastor for Community Christian Fellowship Church in Lindale, Smith County, Texas for 26 years.  He left in 2015 to be closer to family.

Throughout his career, Baloche released sixteen live and studio albums, including:

• He is Faithful (1992)
• First Love (1998)
• Open the Eyes of My Heart (2000)
• God of Wonders (2001)
• Offering of Worship (2003)
• A Greater Song (2006)
• Our God Saves (2007)
• Live in Asia (2009)
• Glorious (2009)
• The Same Love (2012)
• Christmas Worship (live) (2013)
• Live (2014)
• Christmas Worship, Vol. 2 (2015)
• Your Mercy (2016)
• For Unto Us: Christmas Worship Live From London (2017)
• Behold Him (2020)

Baloche won a Dove Award for Inspiration Recorded Song of the Year for his work on A New Hallelujah.  Although he did not receive any award for Above All, Michael W. Smith’s cover won Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year in 2002.

See my review of Above All.

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?

Christ is our source of desire, admiration, and power.  When we turn to Jesus for help, fears are gone. Lives are restored.  Hope is found.  We respond to His salvation with worship, asking to experience more of His Presence.

Score: 10/10

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

The entire song aligns with Scripture.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

This song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge format.  Therefore, I assigned stanzas to each paragraph.

[Stanza 1]

Praise is rising, eyes are turning to You, we turn to You
Hope is stirring, hearts are yearning for You, we long for You

General statements that communicate that some desire God (Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1, Psalm 73:25, Psalm 119:20, Psalm 119:81, Psalm 143:6, Isaiah 26:9, Amos 8:11, John 4:13-14, John 6:35, John 7:37, Revelation 21:6, and Revelation 22:17)

‘Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day

That is, our power comes from God (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).  By “seeing”, we fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

When we come to God, we find rest for our worries, problems, and fears (Matthew 11:28-30).  We have no reason to fear (Genesis 15:1, Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 94:19, Psalm 115:11, Psalm 118:6, Isaiah 35:4, Isaiah 41:10-13, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 54:4, John 14:25-27, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 13:5-6, 1 Peter 3:13-14, 1 Peter 5:6-7, and 1 John 4:18).

[Stanza 2]

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us

This word comes from the Koine Greek term “hósanna” and appears in Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:10, and John 12:13 to exclaim Christ as “help” or “save, I pray”.  Christ is the Savior who takes away our sins (Isaiah 53:7-11, Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, Galatians 1:4, Galatians 3:13, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 3:5, and Revelation 1:5).

Worthy of all our praises

This is a great reason to praise God (1 Chronicles 16:25, 2 Samuel 22:4, Psalm 96:4-5, Psalm 145:3, and Revelation 4:11).

Hosanna, Hosanna

Repeats line 1.

Come have Your way among us

That is, we surrender to God (Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).

We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

This is not a statement against God’s omnipresence.  Rather, the request is for increased sensitivity to experience God’s Presence.

[Stanza 3]

Hear the sound of hearts returning to You, we turn to You

See commentary on Stanza 1, lines 1 and 2.

In Your Kingdom broken lives are made new, You make us new

Describes the transformation process from deadness in sin to made alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

‘Cause when we see You we find strength to face the day
In Your presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Repeats Stanza 1, lines 3 and 4.

[Stanza 4]

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Repeats Stanza 2.

[Stanza 5]

‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away
‘Cause when we see You, we find strength to face the day
In Your Presence all our fears are washed away, washed away

Repeats Stanza 1, lines 3 and 4.

[Stanza 6]

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Repeats Stanza 2.

[Stanza 7]

Hosanna, Hosanna
You are the God who saves us
Worthy of all our praises
Hosanna, Hosanna
Come have Your way among us
We welcome You here, Lord Jesus

Repeats Stanza 2.

[Stanza 8]

Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna, Hosanna

Repeats Stanza 2, line 1.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The concept of praise, word “Hosanna”, and explicitly naming Jesus all point to a Christian worldview.  Unbelievers will likely interpret this song as Christians who depend on God for strength and hope, abandoning their autonomy to follow and worship Him.  The only thing that may not comprehend is what is meant by “saves us”.

Score: 8/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus as the object of our worship.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Paul Baloche’s Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) is a great song.  It praises Jesus as our source of hope, redemption, and stability.  We abandon self to follow Him, bringing Christ glory.  Its simplicity in language eases unbeliever interpretation to similar conclusions, though perhaps not understanding what is mean by “saved”, easily rectified with a Gospel presentation before or its use.

I highly recommend this for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) (Live) (listen to the song)

Artist: Paul Baloche

Album: Live

Genre: Rock

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 6:17

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*Copyright © 2006 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) / Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.