NEW MUSIC
PHIL WICKHAM Song Focus - “ Battle Belongs ”
The majesty and glory of God is at the thematic forefront of such tracks as “ Worthy of All ”, “ Holy Is Our God ” and “ In Your Presence ” which is a creative look at what God does within our hearts and minds as we sit at the feet of Jesus and intentionally focus on Him . drum march with ethereal guitars and pads before Wickham ’ s delicate tenor reminds us in verse one that when we see obstacles such as battles , mountains and shadows , God sees mountains moved , His love surrounding us and victory .
“ Worthy of More ” is the definition of a vertical worship song with it ’ s well written chorus , memorable melodies and proclamation of the power and wonder of God . The hope-filled explosion of the Gospel and the victory won on Easter are obvious in the powerful and energetic “ Our God Is Alive ” which is a song that will be sung this coming April all across the globe .
2nd Chronicles 2 tells the story of the battle between the Moabites , Ammonites and God ’ s people under King Jehoshaphat . When Jehoshaphat hears of the massive hoard that is coming to destroy them , he cries out to God asking Him to show them what to do . God ’ s sends his sprit to a Levite man who tells the people not to be afraid and that the battle is not theirs , it is God .
The introductory quiet chorus follows as the instruments fade and we get the central focus of the song as Wickham sings ; “ So when I fight , I ’ ll fight on my knees with hands lifted high . Oh God the battle belongs to You .” It struck me as so perfect for our current circumstance when everything seems to be falling apart around us to remember that we need to trust that the battle is indeed not ours , but God ’ s .
There are also a few well-known covers as Matt Maher ’ s “ Lord I Need You ” and Chris Tomlin ’ s “ How Marvelous ” both get a slight facelift with new intros and turn arounds . The album wraps up on a quieter note with the intimate “ Your Thoughts ” as Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey passionately sings about how God fervently thinks about His people and how He is always with us .
This is probably my favorite Austin Stone album to date mostly because of the singability of these songs . Although I have always have appreciated how Austin Stone writes their music for their congregation specifically , many of their previous releases tended to be difficult to emulate or sing . This album seems to be written for a larger audience and that is a welcome change . There are some truly great moments here and songs that your church will love .
He tells them not to fight , but to stand firm , watch the salvation of the lord on their behalf . Instead of their army , God ’ s people send out their worshippers to the front lines who worshipped the Lord and sang , “ Give thanks to the Lord , for His love endures forever ” over and over again . The horde was defeated that day and God delivered His people just as He said He would .
This story serves as the foundation for Phil Wickham ’ s new single , “ Battle Belongs ”. Phil says of the song ; “ On that day God moved on behalf of His people and He is still moving and battling on behalf of His people today . We don ’ t have to grab a sword or a shield and go into a battle because whatever we face , whatever we fight , He is bigger , He is stronger and the battle is His .”
The song itself begins with an almost military
Verse 2 brings a little more guitar work and rhythmic toms into the musical mix as we hear about God ’ s faithfulness throughout history . The final line before chorus two really captured my heart ; “ When all I see is a cross , God , you see the empty tomb ”.
Chorus 2 follows similar to the first and the bridge pulls in Romans 8:31 before speaking of how God goes out before us and wins every battle . The bridge is pretty typical musically beginning quietly before building and the launching into a final triumphant chorus .
We are all facing huge battles in our lives these days . A pandemic , rioting , social and racial injustice , fires , unemployment and political unrest just to name a few . If ever there was a time to cling to the fact that our God fights and wins every battle for us , it is most definitely now .
Gerod Bass Worship leader in Tacoma , WA . Mentor with Worship Catalyst . Singer , songwriter , guitarist with a passion for impacting lives for the sake of the Gospel . www . oslc . com