I am so privileged to review Sovereign Grace’s Worship God Live CD. I must say that my family and I have tremendously enjoyed this CD for the last several weeks. The church that I pastor is about an hour and half from where I live and we usually listen to either praise and worship music or Dr. Orrick’s The Baptist Catechism Set to Music. I have also noticed that Sovereign Grace has produced some Scripture Memory Cd’s that we may purchase in the future. So listening to Worship God Live has fit in perfectly with what we do anyway. To be honest, we have not listened to much else in the car on Sunday mornings not because I am reviewing the CD, but because it has been used of God to cause us to reflect on Him and His glorious majesty.

Now, for a little bit of background of how I came to hear of the music of Sovereign Grace. Up until the Together for the Gospel Conference, I had not listened to any of their music. Not because I deliberately chose not to. I had wanted to purchase Songs for the Cross-Centered Life for some time. I just had not done so. Then, at T4G, the CD was on sale for about $11 or $12, I cannot remember now. I purchased it and immediately fell in love with it. Then, the opportunity came up through Bob Kauflin’s blog, Worship Matters, to review this CD, of which, as I have already stated, I was all too eager.

I should also mention that I have no musical ability whatsoever. I can barely play the drums, but I play the radio in my car better! Therefore, I am thankful for people God has called out, such as these musicians on this album and others, to help me worship God.

Now for some of my initial impressions of each track, and then I will offer a summation at the end.

How Majestic: A wonderfully upbeat song based on the words of Psalm 8, a truly wonderfully Psalm that evokes awe inspiring worship of our Creator anyway!

Endless Praises: This is a good follow up and call to worship. Endless praises. This is what our life as a blood-bought believer in Jesus Christ is to be about.

Count it All Joy: The music is appropriate for the lyrics. As Christians, we are called to worship our God in the midst of joy and in the midst of trial and suffering. This song is a wonderful praise in the midst of the latter. I especially enjoy the last verse: “Lord I’ll count it all joy when then the weight of sorrow drives me to my knees. Every heartache and pain in Your mighty hands is forming Christ in me and I know that Your Word is true.” Powerful. May we be conformed to the image of our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ.

You are the Way: I love to sing about salvation. I don’t know why, exactly….but I do….with all my heart. I love to worship God for what He has done for me through His Son on the cross….which was intended for me. I love to sing about how Christ and His atoning work has brought us into right-standing with God and has removed God’s wrath from us. Therefore, I love this song. “The Father stood up from His throne, opened His arms, as He called out my name. Grace irresistible drew me, opened my eyes to see.”

His Forever: I like the progression of songs thus far. Well, for the last two. We have been saved only by God’s grace and because of His unchanging and never ending grace, we are His forever. This song has a high content of good theology….which I love. “The wrath of God that I deserved was poured out on the innocent. He took my place, my soul to save. Now I am His forever.”

Always Forgiven: “Anger and wrath, sure condemnation should be my portion, my just reward. Never have seen it, never will know it. Your lovingkindness enfolds my life.” I have noticed that my son loves the chorus as well. “All you have shone me is grace, love, and mercy. Now and forever I am Your child. Freely You pour out Your lovingkindness. Father of grace, You welcome me in.” This is what I want to instill in my five year old’s mind. God shows us grace through His Son and through Jesus, God pours out His mercy and grace and love. Again, a wonderful song with high theological content.

Jesus, Thank You: I refer to previous comments….I love to sing about salvation. “One Your enemy….now seated at Your table…..Jesus, thank You.” Enough said.

O God, Our Help in Ages Past: Another solid song.

Isn’t He Good: Now, before you get mad at me, let me say that there is a different between dislike and least favorite. The difference between is the two is not liking at all and liking the least. I like this one the least. I think it goes a bit long. As well, this is a song in which there seems to be an ecstatic end. Something that I am not condemning, theologically…..just not in agreement with pragmatically. It does not evoke in my any “extra” or “less” worship. Nonetheless…it is a good song.

Perfect Lamb of God: This is a song about the say of our Lord’s crucifixion. High theological content and if I could write a song about that day, I would want it to be like this one. I cannot quote the entirety of the lyrics here, so I won’t….but they are good.

Grace Unmeasured: I love the chorus of this song. It is a complete picture of our salvation, our sanctification (through a call to holy living), and our glorification in the end. The chorus states: “Grace paid for my sins, and brought me to life. Grace clothes me with power, to do what is right. Grace will lead me to heaven where I’ll see Your face and never cease to thank You for Your grace.” Amen! Even the verses of the song tend to move in progression of these three themes….I am not sure if that was intentional or not, but probably. That is how and why we praise our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

God Moves: This is an adaptation of William Cowper’s God Moves in a Mysterious Way. John Piper has stated that this is his favorite hymn and I have read (although I cannot pinpoint it at this moment so If you know where this is located let me know) that the words of this hymn hang above the mantle in his home. Since reading that, I have been interested in this hymn and what it communicates. The sheer awe of God’s sovereignty moves us to worship Him….so does this song. It is wonderful to cry out to our sovereign Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer that we trust in Him and His sovereignty.

Surrender All: The lyrics of this song are fitting to bring this album to a close (although there is one more track!). “Take all my hunger for all that’s forbidden, every desire and sin I keep hidden. Search me and know me. I want to bring to You a life that is holy and sanctified through You.” I have found this phrase from one of the verses in this song entering my prayer life more consistently. This is my desire, that my life be a holy and acceptable offering unto the God Who has redeemed me. It is both encouraging and convicting.

Receive the Glory: It is my understanding the Bob Kauflin wrote this song for the service in which C.J> Mahaney, former pastor of Covenant Life Church installed Joshua Harris as Senior Pastor. I want to be careful, as would Bob, that this song is not written about C.J., but about our God. May He receive the glory that is due His name. May He be glorified through our service unto Him. A wonderful and fitting close to worship….a commitment to live out what we sing. There is another least favorite part in this song in the ecstatic ending. (I am not sure why I use that phrase, that is the only way I know to describe it.)

As I said in the beginning….I love this CD. It causes me to worship my God and appreciate that. I encourage every Christian who loves to sing good theology to by this CD. You may get to the Sovereign Grace Store by clicking on the album cover above.