Phil Wickham – Tethered

Contemporary Christ artist Phil Wickham started in 2002 at the ripe young age of 18.  He released nine albums, including:

• Give You My World (2003)
• Phil Wickham (2006)
• Cannons (2007)
• Heaven & Earth (2009)
• Response (2011)
• The Ascension (2013)
• Children of God (2016)
• Living Hope (2018)
• Christmas (2019)

He received a Dove award in 2019 for Worship Recorded Song of the Year for his song Living Hope.

Also, check out my reviews of The Secret Place, Messiah / You’re Beautiful, Christ Is Risen, Your Love Awakens Me, Great Things, Living Hope and This is Amazing Grace.

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?

Rather than avoiding God’s creation as signposts to demonstrate God’s power and greatness of love through sacrifice, he chooses to surrender, intertwined with Jesus and basking in His warmth and beauty.

Score: 10/10

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

The entire Bible and this song are in agreement.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

I don’t wanna miss the beauty
Of Heaven all around me
Your power and Your mercy
The greatness of Your love
I don’t wanna lose the wonder
Of being in Your presence
Of knowing such a friendship
To be with You, my God

This entire Stanza is summarized in Philippians 3:8-10 put in the form of avoiding loss.  Wickham doesn’t explicitly state it, but he references the cross as the “greatness of [God’s] love ” (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

[Pre-Chorus]

Everything I am
I throw into Your hands

Wickham surrenders 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).

[Chorus]

I just want my life to ever be entwined with You
Tethered to Your heart

Wickham wishes to abide in Jesus the same way that Christ abides in the Father (John 15:1-11).

I just want my soul to ever stand in awe of You

Much like David in Psalm 27:4 and Psalm 65:8, Wickham is captivated by God’s wonders, desiring to stand forever in His Presence and gaze upon His beauty.

Tethered to Your heart
Ooh, tethered to Your heart

Repeats line 3, which includes a Casper the friendly ghost reference.

[Verse 2]

What more could I desire
What greater thing to treasure
I’m convinced there’s nothing better
Than living in Your love
Caught up in the wonder
Of being in Your presence
Of knowing such a friendship
To be with You, my God

See commentary on Verse 1.

[Interlude]

Tethered to Your heart, yeah
Tethered to Your heart

Essentially repeats Chorus, line 3.

[Bridge]

Draw me closer
Take me deeper
I wanna be where You are
I wanna be where You are

Wickham expresses His desire for closeness with God.  See commentary in Verse 1.

Draw me closer
Take me deeper
I wanna be where You are
I wanna be where You are
Draw me closer
Take me deeper
I wanna be where You are
I wanna be where You are

Repeats lines 1-4.

[Chorus 2]

I just want my life to ever be entwined with You
Tethered to Your heart
I just want my soul to ever stand in awe of You
Tethered to Your heart
Ooh, tethered to Your heart
Ooh, tethered to Your heart

Essentially repeats Chorus, including its final Casper references.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

I find it difficult to imagine that unbelievers will miss intimacy with God as the most likely interpretation.  Wickham explicitly mentions God by name and talks about closeness with Him in various ways, a uniquely Christian concept. Wickham’s language is not riddled with Christianese, but written to everyday people who will easily comprehend it.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God and the One whom Wickham is intimate, drawing us to do the same.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Phil Wickham’s Tethered is an excellent song.  This song is about relational closeness with God, captivated by His beauty, power, and love.  These bring glory to God.  Unbelievers will most likely interpret similarly.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Tethered (listen to the song)

Artist: Phil Wickham

Album: Living Hope

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year:  2018

Duration: 4:43

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*Copyright © 2018 Hickory Bill Doc (SESAC) So Essential Tunes (SESAC) Tempo Music Investments (BMI) Phil Wickham Music (BMI) Simply Global Songs (BMI) Sing My Songs (BMI) Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.