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.
Also, check out my reviews of Open the Eyes of My Heart, Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) and Above All.
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Paul-baloche-our-god-saves-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?
In the name of the three persons of the Trinity, we can come together and worship, drawn to God’s salvation, daily mercies, and lifted out of our former lives filled with mourning.
Score: 10/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
The whole song is Scriptural.
This song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge structure. Therefore, I assigned stanzas to each paragraph.
[Stanza 1]
Lines 1 and 2: Describes the trinity, stating that we come before all three persons.
Lines 3 and 4: As His children, we come together to worship Him with all our hearts (Psalm 86:12, Psalm 103:1-2, Psalm 103:22, Psalm 119:10, and Psalm 138:1), where we call upon Jesus and daily rely upon His undeserved favor (Lamentations 3 22-23).
[Stanza 2]
Lines 1-4: Repeats Stanza 1.
Line 5: Repeats Stanza 1, line 4.
[Stanza 3]
Lines 1 and 2: See commentary on Stanza 1, lines 3 and 4.
Lines 3 and 4: The world will witness when our lives are transformed as we forsake sin and live for Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24). The phrase “lifted on your wings” likely derives from Isaiah 40:31.
[Stanza 4]
Lines 1 and 2: There is hope in the name of Jesus (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). Also, see commentary on Stanza 1, lines 3 and 4.
Lines 3 and 4: Repeats lines 1 and 2.
[Stanza 5]
Line 1: References Psalms 30:11-12.
Line 2: Repeats Stanza 4, line 2.
Score: 10/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Despite its heavy reliance on Christian terminology, unbelievers should easily conclude that we worship God as a trinity of persons who saves us from our former miserable lives. Trinitarian terms, combined with “Lord”, “Savior”, and God all point them towards a Christian worldview.
Score: 10/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God as the One who saves us, prompting us to worship.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Paul Baloche’s Our God Saves is great. It invites us to worship all three persons of the Trinity because God saved us from our former lives filled with mourning, bringing Him glory. Unbelievers should find this interpretation easy to come by.
I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.
Final Score: 10/10
Artist Info
Track: Our God Saves (listen to the song)
Artist: Paul Baloche
Album: Our God Saves
Genre: Rock
Release Year: 2007
Duration: 5:03
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Comments
Robert in Florence
This is spot-on. Thanks
Michelle
Your write up on Paul is a little confusing…
Vince Wright
Michelle,
Thank you for your comment!
Are you talking about introduction? What confuses you about it?
-Vince Wright