If you listen to Christian music (especially on Christian radio stations), you’ve probably heard “Lift Me Up” by Blessing Offor. This new song is super catchy. Frankly, however, that’s one reason I felt the need to write about it. Glossing over the words is easy to do because the tune is so good, but the words are what sink into our hearts, minds, and souls. In this post, I’m going to specifically focus on the chorus because there’s so much to tackle there. Get ready for a hot take, friends.
A (Very) Casual Vibe
Would you lift me up
Would you lift me up
When the world gets cold
And it’s all too much
Sometimes I need somebody to remind me what I’m made of
When I’m breaking down
Running low on love
Need a hand to hold
Wanna feel your touch
Sometimes I need somebody to remind me what I’m made of
And lift me up
Honestly, “Lift Me Up” doesn’t strike me right. I dislike the vibe—not simply of the chorus but of the whole song. To me, it comes across this way: “Hey God, I feel sad. Would You mind making me feel better?” For example, the line that appears twice in a row in the chorus—“Would you lift me up”—feels more appropriate to ask a friend than the Creator, Savior, and King of the whole world. He’s so much more than a friend to talk to when we’re upset.
Yes, we can communicate with God anytime, anywhere. He wants us to bring our requests to Him in prayer. However, the way this song—especially the chorus—addresses God is too casual, in my opinion.
Additionally, some specific word/phrase choices in the chorus bother me. For example, the lines “Running low on love” and “Need a hand to hold” and “Wanna feel your touch” make me squirm—especially because (I assume) Blessing is saying these things to God. Again, He’s the Creator, Savior, and King, not a significant other.
What We’re (Truly) Made Of
The line in “Lift Me Up” that probably bothers me most—“Sometimes I need somebody to remind me what I’m made of”—appears twice in the chorus. It feels ignorant at best and egotistical at worst. The reality is that all human beings—including Blessing—are made from dust. The book of Genesis says, “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7 NASB1995).
Perhaps that reality escaped Blessing’s mind while he was writing “Lift Me Up.” But the truth is that we’re nothing without Christ. We’re alive because He gives us life. We’re saved because He sacrificed Himself to save us. We’re righteous because He covers us with His righteousness.
Instead of asking God to lift us up, maybe we should simply humble ourselves before Him, remember who He is (and who we are without Him), and thank Him for His mercy.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:10 NASB1995)
Lyrics from AZ Lyrics.
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