GospelFlava.com - Articles - Series: Song In Word - You Are Holy (Worship Of A Holy God)

SERIES: Song in Word

About This Series

Through the ages, the church has put scripture to music. With the recent impact of phat beats, deep grooves and head-bob motions accompanying melodies, we decided to switch it up a bit and examine the meaning of some of the hottest songs on Gospel radio. The aim is to break down the lyrics of a particular song as it relates to the Word of God —Song in Word.

In this segment, Troy McIntosh examines “You Are Holy”, the beautiful worship song written by Scott Wesley Brown and performed by Lisa McClendon on her Integrity Gospel debut, Soul Music. Troy McIntosh is a Chicago-based songwriter and artist.

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Worship Of A Holy God
from Lisa McClendon's performance of "You Are Holy"

When you consider our God, which of His qualities comes to mind first? Is it His love? Surely, it's difficult to overlook His selfless and everlasting love for us.

Troy McIntosh

What about His grace? He is undoubtedly full of mercy, care and forgiveness for each of us. Or perhaps the first quality that comes to mind is His provision.

Many contemporary songs shine the spotlight on His ability to give us what we need, when we need it. However, I believe that our God's essence is best captured in His holiness.

In a beautiful rendition of Scott Wesley Brown's "You Are Holy," on the recent project Soul Music, Lisa McClendon explores this unique and distinctive quality found only in our God.

Let's take a closer look at the lyrics of this timeless song of worship (lyrics are in orange text)

"You are Holy, Oh So Holy"
Holiness Inspires Awe
Many of us, myself included, use the term "awesome" in a somewhat careless and cavalier manner. I have even been known to refer to "tight" CDs, delicious meals, close football games, spirited church services, and getting money back on my federal income taxes as "awesome". So I must confess... I have overused and demeaned the true meaning of the word, but our God is truly awesome! "Awe" may be defined as an overwhelming sense of excitement, respect and fear.

In fact, whenever scripture records an experience between man and the Person of God, the human walks away completely overwhelmed and awestruck.

For example, when Isaiah experienced the holiness of God, he said "Woe is me, for I am a ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5).

Likewise when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, the text records, "Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified." (Mark 9:5-6)

And again, when Christ calmed a storm by a

The Song Basics

The Song: "You Are Holy"

The Lyrics:
You are Holy
Oh, so Holy
You are Holy
Oh, so Holy

What a privilege and an honor
To worship at Your throne
To be called into Your presence
As Your own

You are worth
Oh, so worthy
You are worthy
Oh, so worthy

What a privilege and an honor
To worship at Your throne
To be called into Your presence
As Your own

You are faithful
Oh, so faithful
You are faithful
Oh, so faithful

What a privilege and an honor
To worship at Your throne
To be called into Your presence
As Your own....

The Artist: Lisa McClendon

The Album: Soul Music (Integrity Gospel)

The Songwriter: Scott Wesley Brown

single word, we find that, "They became very much afraid and said to one another, 'Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'" (Mark 4:41)

These examples are not merely self-generated emotional experiences, but historical events recorded to demonstrate our frailty in the presence of a holy God. When we sing "You are holy, oh so holy" we worship a God who by His very presence evokes awe and wonder.

"I could search the heavens high, I could search the earth below but there's no one"
Holiness is "otherness"
Jesus said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). Thankfully, we can be assured that we will never be without His comfort and presence. But while God is close to us in His presence, His nature is totally foreign to us. In other words, with respect to His nature and essence, God is totally different and separate from us —He is "other". Theologians refer to this quality as the transcendence of God. This is a fancy way of saying that God is totally above, beyond and separate from His creation:

We are born —God has no beginning.
We depend on God for life —He depends on nothing; He is life
We sin and make mistakes —God is free from sin and evil. He never makes a poor decision or is driven by impure motives
We are created —God made everything out of nothing
We change —God never changes
We are flawed —God is holy

We do share some qualities with God (for example, the ability to love, will, intellect). However at the core of His nature God is separate, unique and different than every other being or thing that has ever existed. He is totally set apart, sacred, and unique from all created things. If it were possible, we could search the stars, the earth and below the earth and find that there is no one or no thing that compares to our God!

"What a privilege and an honor to worship at Your Throne to be called into Your presence as Your own"
Holiness is the requirement for worship
We do lots of things in preparation for Sunday worship service. We put on nice clothes and brush our teeth (hopefully). We take a shower and get a lot of sleep the night before. We may even spend some time in prayer and scripture reading. Everyone wants to be ready Sunday morning so they can "Gets their praize on!"

But actually, on our own we are still not holy enough to stand in the presence of God. So if holiness is required, why are unholy vessels given the privilege and honor of worship?

Thankfully, we can stand in the presence of a Holy God because we have a Holy Advocate: Jesus the Christ. Paul writes, "We are the circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ." We can only worship God when we are found in Christ.

We do not worship by trying harder, repenting of all of our sins, or cleaning up our act in an effort to please God-on the contrary, worship is a Spiritual act of service that is guided by a holy, Most High Priest. The

Lisa McClendon's Soul Music

McClendon maintains her partnership with the versatile Mo Henderson, as he collaborates on writing and production on the bulk of the project. McClendon, a prolific writer and poetess, tackles varying subjects and indeed bares her soul...

See album review.

writer of Hebrews states, "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." (Hebrews 9:24).

By the finished work of Christ, unholy, unworthy vessels are called into the presence of God because "we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all" (Hebrews 10:10). In a very real way, Christ ushers us into worship! (And you thought it was the Minister of Music and the "Ursher" board).

We serve an awe-inspiring, transcendent God that has provided an amazing sacrifice. Let us not take for granted the privilege of worship. Lord, You are Holy —Oh so Holy!

Study Questions

Isaiah 6:5 demonstrates that the prophet was overwhelmed with awe when He saw the Lord "High and Lifted Up". What about the Christ is overwhelming or awe inspiring to you?
Describe some of the ways God is separate and transcendent in relation to His Creation? In what ways have you taken holy, sacred things and treated them as commonplace, ordinary or routine?
Read Hebrews Chapter 9. Based on this text, what has Jesus Christ done to pave the way for a worshipful, personal relationship with a Holy God?
Consider the Lord Jesus Christ. How is Christ's holiness distinguished from the righteousness of the Pharisees? How is his holiness different from righteousness found in 21st century American Christianity? List some scriptural examples.
Romans 12:1 says that we should "present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship". Based on this text, what does it mean to be a "living and holy sacrifice"? What can believers do to humble and prepare themselves for corporate worship?

— Special to Gospelflava.com by Troy McIntosh —