Hi church family,
Mike here. I’m going to be using the blog to talk about some of the songs that we sing during our worship times. The title is meant to be funny, but I mean to point out that there are some lines in certain songs that are confusing if you don’t look into the meaning behind them. At Centerpoint, we work very hard to evaluate the songs that we sing, looking specifically for the doctrinal statements that are made in each song. There are some things in these songs, however, that—while they don’t disqualify the song for corporate worship—need to be talked about and sometimes explained.
Today, we’re going to look at “Lord, Let Your Glory Fall.” Centerpoint has been singing this song since before I started attending. It’s a very familiar song with powerful lyrics, but honestly I’d never looked for the source of the verses. I knew they’d be from the Old Testament. I thought it probably had something to do with Elijah and Mount Carmel. Well, after talking about it with Louis, we discovered that I was mistaken. The song is really taken from 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:3, where we find the historical account of the dedication of the temple that Solomon built. I want to encourage you to read this passage in full, because it really showcases God’s awesomeness. I’m going to hit some of the highlights that we found.
Verse 1:
Lord, let Your glory fall
As on that ancient day
Songs of enduring love
And then Your glory came
And as a sign to You
That we would love the same
Our hearts will sing that song
God, let Your glory come
Let’s look at the text:
“[13] and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,”
the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, [14] so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:13-14 ESV)
In 5:13, we see that the songs the people were singing were about His enduring love. In response to the praise offered by His people, We see that God’s glory overwhelms them! The second half of verse 1 of our song transitions from historical account to a modern-day plea that God’s glory would come in the same way. We’re essentially saying, “God, we are about to sing of Your goodness and how Your love will endure forever. So, please come in power! Show Your glory!” And the Chorus is our chance to sing that.
Verse 2:
Voices in unison
Giving You thanks and praise
Joined by the instruments
And then Your glory came
Your presence like a cloud
Upon that ancient day
The priests were overwhelmed
Because Your glory came
Go back and read 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 again. The singers are singing in unison. *Note: I don’t believe the text is suggesting that it is wrong or sinful to sing in harmony. I think the point is that the singers were of one accord; they were united in praise. It also says it was their duty to make themselves be heard! These were probably not timid singers. Microphones were not necessary. We’ve already talked in verse one about God’s glory coming in power, but look at how it comes: It’s called a cloud. We’ve heard people talk about a service being “thick” with the presence of God. Well, the presence of God was so tangible on that day, you could actually see it! You’d better believe the priests were overwhelmed! They couldn’t even stand to minister anymore. Imagine if God’s revealed Himself so incredibly that in the middle of worship, our whole band had to stop because we literally could not stand to go on! This is what we want from God when we sing this song
Verse 3:
A sacrifice was made
And then Your Fire came
They knelt upon the ground
And with one voice they praised
We find this passage in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3:
“[1] As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. [2] And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. [3] When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
When the fire consumes the offering, it is a sign of God’s acceptance of the offering. Romans 12:1 says that our bodies are to be a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” It says that this is our spiritual worship. We don’t sacrifice animals anymore; we offer ourselves to God. And the only way this sacrifice can be acceptable to God is through Christ. Because we have His righteousness, God accepts our whole-hearted, honest praise to Him.
So, first the fire falls, and then God’s glory fills the temple. Notice what it says in the text: “the priests could net enter the house of the LORD.” They couldn’t enter because the entire temple was full to the brim with God’s glory. I love verse 3: After they see the fire come from Heaven, they “bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, ‘For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.’” When I read the part about them bowing, I imagine it as more of a throwing-myself-face-first onto the ground. It makes sense because why else would the author point out that there was pavement on the ground? They didn’t care how hard the ground was, THEY WERE WORSHIPING GOD!
Chorus:
You are good, You are good
And Your love endures
You are good, You are good
And Your love endures Today!
The chorus is taken directly from the song of the singers in 2 Chronicles 5:13. The word ‘good’ has multiple meanings in our culture. In this context, the people are using the word to describe God’s excellence. The singers in 2 Chronicles probably took their song from Psalm 136. Here we find that the psalmist repeatedly writes, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Read through this psalm and consider how each verse contains an act of the Lord that is worthy of praise. As another helpful exercise, try writing out some things that have happened in your life and follow it with “for His steadfast love endures forever.” It may help you recognize God’s goodness in all things.
Hopefully this has helped broaden your appreciation of these lyrics and capacity for worship as we sing them. It’s my desire that we know what we’re singing and why we’re singing it. Let this encourage you to seek after God in your own lives. Let this push you to abandon your inhibitions and worship God with everything you are, both at Centerpoint and during your own times of personal worship. He is so good! And His steadfast love endures FOREVER!
