1. In the Garden

Here’s what hymn-writer C. Austin Miles had to say about writing “In the Garden.”

“One day in April 1912, I was seated in the dark room where I kept my photographic equipment, and also my organ. I drew my Bible toward me and it opened at my favorite book and chapter, John chapter twenty.

I don’t know if this was by chance or by the work of the Holy Spirit. I will let you the reader decide. That story of Jesus and Mary in John 20 had lost none of its power and charm.

It was as though I was in a trance, as I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary’s life when she knelt before her Lord and cried, ‘Rabboni.’ I rested my hands on the open Bible, as I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in white, with head, bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came unto the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look in, and ran away.

John, in a flowing robe, appeared looking at the tomb. Then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John. As they departed, Mary reappeared leaning her head upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing there, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him, with arms outstretched, and looking into His face cried, ‘Rabboni.’

I awakened in sunlight, gripping my Bible with my muscles tense, and nerves vibrating, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed, the lyrics exactly as it is sung today. That same evening, I wrote the tune. It is sung today as it was written in 1912.”

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

2. Blessed Assurance

With more than 8,000 songs to her name, Fanny Crosby was one of America’s most prolific hymn and gospel writers. Despite spending her life blind, Crosby was indefatigable. She also wrote more than 1,000 nonreligious songs, four books of poetry, and two autobiographies.

In 1873, Crosby was visiting a friend who played a tune she had been working on. After playing the melody a couple of times she asked Crosby, “What does this tune say to you?” Crosby thought about it for a moment and responded, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!”

Ms. Crosby then began dictating the worshipful lyrics to her friend, and “Blessed Assurance” was born.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

3. I Love You, Lord by Laurie Klein

This is one of my favorite songs to use within our church presentation software. When Laurie wrote it, she was a new mother and wife struggling to get by. Her family was living in a mobile home as her husband attended school and she felt pretty isolated—a feeling compounded by not even having the money to make long-distance phone calls to friends or family.

Depleted and empty one morning during her quiet time, she grabbed her guitar and said to the Lord, “Would you give me a song you would like to hear?” And “I Love You Lord” basically wrote itself.

I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
Oh, my soul rejoice!
Take joy my King
In what You hear
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear

4. Unbroken Praise by Matt Redman

“Unbroken Praise” was the last song to be written for the album that bears its name. Here’s how Matt Redman tells the story of its origin:

“I’d been playing around with the phrase unbroken praise and it seemed that there might be a song in there. To me, it’s all about bringing God an offering of worship that’s as worthy of Him as possible. So the song talks about praise unending, praise unfailing, praise untainted. It talks about surrender and devotion, of bringing the overflow and outpouring an offering of our hearts and lives.

That last point is the one thing that this song really tries to hammer home; we need to back up the things we sing. My favorite line on this whole record comes from this song’s bridge: ‘let my deeds outrun my words, but let my life outweigh my songs.’

Ultimately that’s what worship is all about. It has to mean surrender, some degree of life change. If it doesn’t, our worship is just singing.”

Unbroken praise be Yours, God, forever
All my praise be Yours, God, forever
Lord take this life, let it become Your throne
Unbroken praise be Yours

Unbroken praise be Yours, God, forever
All my praise be Yours, God, forever
Lord take this life, let it become Your throne
Unbroken praise be Yours

5. Louder by Matt Redman

“I wrote Louder with my friends Jonas Myrin and Jason Ingram,” Matt Redman says. “I was thinking of it as a call to worship. The chorus comes from Psalm 66:2’s instruction to ‘make His praise glorious,’ and I love the way that two other translations put it: the English Standard Version calls on us to ‘give Him glorious praise’ and The Message urges us to ‘sing songs to the tune of His glory, set songs to the rhythm of his praise.’

We can choose to make His praise joyful, to make it reverent, or all sorts of things, but one thing we have to do is make it glorious. Why? Because God is glorious. His praise can’t be anything but.”

There’s a song that cannot be contained
There’s a shout that breaks through every chain
God, we won’t be silent

There’s a faith that rises through the flames
There’s a joy that chases the dark away
God, we won’t be silent

And the greater the storm
The louder our song

6. Revelation Song by Kari Jobe

“Revelation Song” represents a type of worship song that is built around a specific biblical passage. The song is birthed out of Revelation 4:8: “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’”

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Holy, holy is He
Sing a new song to Him who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You

7. Let Your Glory Fall by Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe had a dream that she couldn’t quite interpret, and one day the interpretation came to her in the words of Ephesians 5:25–27: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

“Let Your Glory Fall” was written out of her outcry for the church to be purified and ready for her bridegroom and is still one of the best pieces of worship music around.

Only now will I come
Before your throne, holy one
By your thunderous grace
Spirit flood, come flood this place
Oh, let it rain
Oh, let it rain

Let your glory fall
Overwhelm my soul
Let your presence flood my life, oh lord

8. He Lives by Chris Tomlin

Written as an Easter Song, “He Lives” addresses the reason we worship, which is the resurrected glory of Christ. We worship God because he lives in eternity, in the world, and in us. This is a perfect song for worship leaders preparing for Easter!

All glory to Him upon the throne
Forever exalted and seated high
The Lamb of God He has overcome!
He is alive, He is alive!

He lives reigning in power
He lives, name above all names
Hallelujah now forever
Hallelujah Christ is risen!
He is risen

9. For All That You’ve Done by Rend Collective

How can worship not arise from hearts that have been accepted because of God’s infinite mercy and not because of our own righteousness. If we have anything over the heavenly host, it’s that we’ve experienced the everlasting grace of a forgiving God.

You know our failures and regrets
You always led us home
Redemption’s arm has raised us up
Our triumph in the storm

For all that You have done for us
For every battle won
We’ll raise a song to bless Your heart
For all that you have done

10. Holy Ground by Passion

Moses saw God’s majesty in the burning bush and when he asked for God to reveal His glory to him. On this side of the cross, we experience God’s glory differently. It takes its residence inside of us and we experience it in a way that Moses never could.

Passion’s Holy Ground is a song about worship where we ask God to show us His glory—as it’s manifested within us, making our hearts holy ground.

Here as we wait
Seek Your face
Come and make Your throne upon our praise
Here in this place
Have Your way
The moment that we see You, we are changed

Show us Your glory
Show us Your glory
In wonder and surrender we fall down
Show us Your glory
Show us Your glory
Let every burning heart be holy ground

What are your favorite worship songs about worship?

We hope you enjoyed our list of worship songs! We’d love to hear from you. Tell us what Christian music reflects the wonders of worship to you!  While you’re at it, check out our free trial of MediaShout 7 church presentation software.
Check out our other posts about worship songs:

• 10 Worship Songs about Love
• 10 Worship Songs about Grace
• 10 Worship Songs about the Bible
• 15 Worship Songs about Prayer