A Thousand Hallelujahs
Stuck in the house this week (yes, Covid has finally caught up with me; thankfully it seems mild so far), I’ve been so blessed by this new song from Brooke Ligertwood. I know the Hillsong big arena productions are not to everyone’s taste, but this song is pure worship. Lyrics that honour God and glorify Jesus, with music to make your heart soar.
VERSE 1
Who else would rocks cry out to worship
Whose glory taught the stars to shine
Perhaps creation longs to have the words to sing
But this joy is mine
CHORUS
With a thousand hallelujahs
We magnify Your Name
You alone deserve the glory
The honour and the praise
Lord Jesus this song is forever Yours
A thousand hallelujahs
And a thousand more
VERSE 2
Who else would die for our redemption
Whose resurrection means I’ll rise
There isn’t time enough to sing of all You’ve done
But I have eternity to try
BRIDGE
Praise to the Lord
To the Lamb
To the King of heaven
Praise for He rose
Now He reigns
We will sing forever
The song isn’t very long, and yet we still manage to go from the creation, via the death and resurrection of Jesus, to our future eternity with Him! I love this sense of being in an eternal stream of praise to our Creator Saviour God. A stream that runs unbroken from eternity past, through all the myriad events of human history, including right here right now, and flowing on to our promised unending future life in the kingdom of King Jesus.
I’m sure composers and music analysts would have more to say about the musical content of the song, but I would just argue that it combines the simplicity of a tune that is easily learnt and sung by the congregation, with a spiritual connection to the words that just draws you heart and soul into the presence of God.
I like verse one, with the biblical reference to creation singing praises and even the rocks crying out, but for me the heart of the song is verse two: despite its brevity, it manages to remind us of both the death and resurrection of Christ. And the words “Who else…” speak afresh of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice made once for all, the way and the truth and the life, our precious new and living way into the life of God.
Finally the bridge and the chorus draw us into the eternal worship of heaven that we see so clearly described in Revelation 5 and 7, as we join with the uncountable multitudes in praise of our God, and of the Lamb. This seems to me to be a song that any church congregation would benefit from learning, and be blessed by using in its sung worship – why not give it a try?
