Ryan Stevenson – With Lifted Hands

American Contemporary Christian artist Ryan Stevenson started his music career in 2003.  He released five albums and three EP’s, including:

• Running to You (June 12, 2007)
• The Undiscovered (2010)
• Yesterday, Today, Forever (EP, 2011)
• Champion of the World (EP, 2012)
• Holding Nothing Back (EP, 2013)
• Fresh Start (2015)
• No Matter What (2018)
• Wildest Dreams (2020)

In 2017, Stevenson won a GMA Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (Eye of the Storm).

Also, check out my review of The Gospel.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Ryan-stevenson-with-lifted-hands-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?

Stevenson lived a former life of self, drinking up the world’s offerings only to be left empty.  Realizing his mistake, He runs to God, discovering that His satisfaction lasts much, MUCH longer than anything in this world.  He forsakes folly and lives for God, knowing that he doesn’t deserve God’s forgiveness, much less His provision and gifts.  God knows Stevenson is mortal dust, seeing the Holy Spirit in him and not his former life of sin.  Stevenson cannot escape God’s love.  Not that he would ever want to run away.

Score: 10/10

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

All of it.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: The world will not satisfy our deepest hunger (Proverbs 13:25, Isaiah 55:2, Isaiah 65:13-16, Hosea 4:10, and Micah 6:14-16).

[Pre-Chorus 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Stevenson repents of his actions in Verse 1, begging God for forgiveness.  He concludes that only God can satiate his thirsty soul (Jeremiah 17:13, Zechariah 14:8-9, John 4:7-26, John 7:37-39, Acts 2:1-13, Revelation 6:9-11, Revelation 7:13-17, Revelation 21:6-7, and Revelation 22:1-5).

[Chorus 1]

Lines 1-4: Stevenson surrenders all to God (Psalm 43:5, 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), allowing God to do what He wants with his past and future.

Line 5: Stevenson worships with all his heart (Psalm 86:12, Psalm 103:1-2, Psalm 103:22, Psalm 119:10, and Psalm 138:1).

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: This is the very definition of grace: undeserved favor (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).

Lines 3 and 4: God’s love for Stevenson is so grand and vast that He takes the evil and turns it around for good (Genesis 50:20), knowing that he is dust (Psalm 103:14).

[Pre-Chorus 2]

Line 1: That is, God’s Holy Spirit lives in Stevenson (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).

Line 2: Combines both Stevenson’s former life of sin and present life as alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

Line 3: Stevenson responds by worshipping in song (1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 98:1, and Psalm 149:1).

[Bridge]

Lines 1-4: A simplified version of Psalm 139:7-12.

[Chorus 2]

Lines 1-3: Repeats Chorus 1, lines 1-3.

Lines 4 and 5: Essentially repeats Chorus 1, line 4.

Lines 6 and 7: Repeats Chorus 1, line 5.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will likely see a Christian interpretation, chiefly, because Stevenson compares the world to the Father, declaring the world as wanting and the Father as his need.  Stevenson’s everyday language and clear communication make it easy for those outside Christianity to interpret similarly (if not the same) as my statements in section 1.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God as Stevenson’s savior, rescuing him from his former life of worldly living and into surrender to His ways, with the Holy Spirit living inside him.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Ryan Stevenson’s With Lifted Hands is wonderful.  He formerly and regretfully lived like the world, resulting in emptiness.  He finds God more satisfying, willing to surrender all to follow Him, and unable (or should I say, unwilling) to escape from His love.  Though He doesn’t deserve it, God gave him many blessings, including His Holy Spirit.  This glorifies God.  Unbelievers should have little to no problem interpreting similarly.

I highly recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: With Lifted Hands (listen to the song)

Artist: Ryan Stevenson

Album: No Matter What

Genre:  Pop

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 3:38

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