I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the very modern hymns.
Today’s song is Who Else? from 2023.
We sing this one at the church that I currently attend. I like keeping up-to-date with the latest songs, and this is one of my favorites.
So what’s meant by Who else is worthy, only you Jesus? You get some idea from the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 5:2-4
2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
Revelation 5:9-10
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
Jesus is both man and God. The passage and the hymn contrast Jesus, the human, with all other humans. None of us are free from sin except Jesus. And even if someone was perfect, would their sacrifice be valuable enough to offer redemption to the millions who respond to the offer of salvation? Only Jesus, who is God and man, could accomplish what He did on Calvary. I think of lines from “There is a Green Hill Far Away”:
There was no other good enough to pay the price for sin.
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in.
He is our model, our example. He is God the Son, but much of the worship in Revelation relates to his accomplishments as a human. And of course, if He wasn’t God, it would be a wicked thing to worship Him. In the New Testament, when people act in a worshipful manner towards humans or angels, they are swiftly taken to task. But when anyone worships Jesus, it’s perfectly clear that it’s appropriate.
What’s meant by the line “There’s a song of praise that only I can bring”? Many hymns have puzzling lines. I think of the fact that though angels constantly worship God, humans are able to speak of their experience of being delivered from sin, and I suppose each of us has individual and unique experiences. When we sing together, God can see each of us as individuals and what our own hearts are saying as we sing the song. So, in a sense, there is a song of praise that only I can bring. Again, I think of lines from an older hymn:
1. Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the everlasting King
Anyway, who else sings Who Else? 😀Here are a few other instances of today’s hymn:
Hibernia Gospel 