Album: Blessed Be Your Name – The Hits
Year: 2008
Title: Blessed Be Your Name
Whether the sun is shining on you today or your road is marked with suffering, we can choose to say, “Blessed Be Your Name”.
I’d like to close out a week of faithgazing and faith-puzzle playing with a recording that Chris Tomlin himself dubbed “…the definitive recording of one of the most all-encompassing songs in the entire world of Christian music.”
How’s that for a Worship Smoothie introduction?!
When you hear South African Christian band Tree63‘s rendition of “Blessed Be Your Name” (originally written by Matt Redman), you are gonna agree.
Before I even hear the lyrics sung, the awesome drumming rhythm and striking guitar lead already had me head bobbing, soul singing, and hip swaying.
The lyrics just kill me, they are so good. The whole song is a maddening prayer for the best and worst of days we find ourselves in.
The First Time I Heard This Song
I still remember the first time I heard it introduced by my church’s worship leader, Jake.
They say there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. Heck, I wasn’t even in a tunnel.
I had fallen into a dark, bottomless pit. Numb with pain and despair, I sat at church that Sunday morning.
When this song started playing, I thought it was going to be a happy praise song. Oh, great.
Preparing to mechanically sing, the wind got knocked out of me. It wasn’t all about sunshine and puppy dogs.
It sang of pain and suffering as well. Right down my alley.
God Is Still Good
As I listened to the happier parts of the song, I flashed back to sunnier days God gave me.
I was reminded God has been good to me. Even though times were bad, I knew in my heart, He was still good.
Period. End of sentence. End of discussion.
I rose to my feet. With tears pouring out of my shattered heart, I sang.
No doubt, the poor people sitting next to me had to witness the dire kleenex emergency I was in (C’mon, you’ve sat next to me before, right?).
I didn’t care.
Today, I happen to be walking through a sunny patch of my faith journey. Life has returned to abundance and it’s a season of fruitfulness.
But the painful, long stretch of desert has left it’s mark on me.
I know I’m never, but a breath away from being brought back to the place of offering.
Wherever you are on your faith journey …
Blessed be your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
… I’d like to come alongside you today and play us this song. Let’s sing, loud and strong.
Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say…
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Happy Friday! And may the weekend be a wonderful time of respite. Rain or shine.
What stretch of your faith walk do you find yourself in today?
What do you think of Tree63’s rendition of “Blessed Be Your Name”?
Lyrics to Blessed Be Your Name - By Matt Redman (Sung By John Ellis of Tree63)
Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name
Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name
17 Comments
Yes. The story of my life, the words catching on the tears in my singer’s throat as I am moved beyond what I can choose to say or sing, as my heart rises to take shelter in the Rock that is higher than I… Thank you. You remind me to worship today, and I do not worship enough.
So much to say about another life giving, refreshing post of yours but today I will just choose to say…..Blessed be the name of the Lord!
I think those dark moments leave lasting marks on us as a reminder during the fruitful times to help us keep things in perspective.
The last desert I walked through [or rather crawled through] changed my life forever. Sometimes it’s like learning who you are all over again, recreating who you want to be, and being more open to God’s desires for you.
Thanks for the post!
Bless you for your honesty and sharing your emotion… 🙂 And, thanks for reminding us of a great song…
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Bonnie, as usual we are on the same ‘page’. I absolutely love this song and it just touches you so deeply if you let it really sink in.
Thanks, and happy Friday to you!
@Kelly: “..my heart rises to take shelter in the Rock that is higher than I” What a beautiful response. A singer and a writer, I see, you are. And most of all, a worshipper in tears like me. Welcome, Kelly!
@Doug: Thanks, Doug. Hope you’re having a great Friday.
@Ginny: “Sometimes it’s like learning who you are all over again, recreating who you want to be, and being more open to God’s desires for you.” A great way to put it. It’s a time of being recreated. Thank you!
@Russell: So wonderful to have you here, bro! I loved your Foo Fighter’s post. Thanks, Russell.
@Bridget: No doubt, we’re spiritual sisters. Yes, this is a great song to let sink.
I rejoice alongside you today. Yes, there are desert places. And I’ve known the sting of desert sand across my face. But the High Places are worth the pain. Sometimes, like the character “Much-Afraid” in Hinds Feet on High Places, we have to go low before we can be taken to the High Places. He is Worthy to be Praised.
@Kathleen: “we have to go low before we can be taken to the High Places.” Thank God we have the hope of going high. Thanks, Kathleen!
Just stumbled on your blog recently – L O V E it! I check it at work when I’m feeling stressed. 🙂
I love this song too, and wonder if it’s not a coincidence you picked it this week. Not even an hour ago I was walking and praying and thinking about this song. My church is doing a series on “when life dumps on you” – how to handle the hard times. They want to record me talking about my dad dying suddenly 2 years ago and how God worked in that. I’m praying about whether or not I should/could do it. In my thoughts, this song kept coming to mind! How cool is that??
@stacey: Hey, Stacey! Very cool. Uh-oh, I think all this sounds like more than coincidence. 😉 If you end up sharing, drop me a line; I’d like to pray for you. I’m sorry your father passed away unexpectedly and I’m encouraged to hear you have a testimony to share. Great to have you here. Welcome!
This song is on my “best of” list on the iPhone. I am definitely in a desert place in at least one area of my life. It makes me cry sometimes to hear it, but reminds me how ever-present God is in my journey. I have read, and can relate, to “Much Afraid.”
But, God is also there in every smile on my little girl’s face, in the joy I have in being her Mommy, and I remember again how GOOD God is.
Bonnie – I like it when Bloggers tell “real” stories about themselves. I feel like we get to know each other that way, rather than just giving spiritual platitudes and advice all day long. This was nice.
I always sang along to this song, the part that says “You give and take away,” never thinking it was anything other than the way it is supposed to be. For them, for me, for all of us. It’s part of our time on earth. Let’s try to be honest about our journeys, and lift each other up through it all.
@Catherine: I agree. This is definitely a “best of” song. Thanks for sharing your journey in the currently faith walk you’re in, Catherine. I know I speak on behalf of everyone here, we are so encouraged by your love for your daughter. God is good to your daughter through you. May He shine goodness into your heart in doing so.
@Bradley: Thanks for the encouragement, Bradley. And for your transparency. It definitely takes the veil away and keeps us all closer when we can be honest. Amen, bro!
Even after hearing and singing this song countless times, it still has the power to knock the wind out of me. The upbeat melody belies the ability of these words to violently rock my world, driving me to my knees and bringing me yet again to surrender in the face of the Almighty. He spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, and He speaks in every thrum of this melody to the heart aligned with His.
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I always liked that song.
Be blessed