Wednesday 3 February 2016

Theology in worship continued: 14. “It Is Well”, Bethel (featuring Kristene DiMarco)

Today's next song from worshipleader.com's list ranks 14th. It's another top quality live audio performance, but how does the trinity fare? Are the other two - Father and Spirit - necessary? Is there another centre of focus outside of the Father, Son and Spirit? I think so. Let's listen, read, then comment.


Grand earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
Seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard

Chorus
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well

And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well with me

Verse 2
Far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can't see

And this mountain that's in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea

Chorus
Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well

Bridge x3
So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name

It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul
It is well with my soul

It is well it is well with my soul x3
ahhhhhhh (softly)

Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You Lord
Through it all, through it all
It is well with me.

We still have quite a long way to go in the worshipleader top-hits, but I think we can already start to see a trend emerging here with the most successful and engaging worship songs: there is a highly prominent "me" and a highly prominent "you" (sometimes a "him", here the transition to third person is fairly clearly indicated through the transition to the bridge). It is about a salvation through the most perfect relationship imaginable between two persons: ME and ... presumably, Jesus. So nothing much to commend here or to criticise. On this blog we love it when Jesus is lifted high, we cannot worship sufficiently enough or with enough sincerity! But the concern is about a hidden Father or silent Spirit, about whom the Scriptures are highly vocal and excited. Musically lovely. Biblically, very little to say as it is not a focus for this song.

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