Somehow, someway, the 2023 Easter Season is already here, and I don't know about you but it certainly snuck up on me. This year's playlist is full of praise for God's glory, power, and majesty shown through Jesus's resurrection from the grave, rendering death irrelevant and wholly defeated. These songs fill my heart with hope, joy, and awe as I prepare for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and I sincerely hope they do the same for you.
As is tradition, each song has a verse or passage of Scripture to go along with it for you to get some extra insight. Note: All Scripture is from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.
Risen Indeed by Andrew Peterson (written by A. Peterson)
Featured on Peterson's 2018 album Resurrection Letters, Vol. 1, this is a sweet song that walks us through that first Easter Sunday through the eyes of some of those who were there while still remaining relatable to us in the present day. It's a lovely reminder of God's faithfulness and that He keeps all His promises to His children.
And so the winter dies with a blast of icy wind/Like a mournful cry, it's giving up the ghost again/Another sheet of snow melts away to gold and green/Look at Peter go, he's racing to the tomb to see/Where has my Jesus gone/He is not dead, He is risen, risen indeed
Luke 24:33-34 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”
Christ Is Risen by Bethel Music & Hunter GK Thompson (written by B. Johnson, M. Brock, P. Wickham)
Featured on Bethel's 2019 live album Victory and featuring lead vocals from Hunter GK Thompson, this beautiful song takes it back to basics by referencing the classic hymn Amazing Grace, the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15, and the passage from I Corinthians 15 shown below while loudly declaring the truth of Christ's resurrection. This is a great song, like pretty much every other song on this album, and perfect for Easter time.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound/That saved a wretch like me/For I once was lost, but now I'm found/Was blind, but now I see/Hallelujah/Christ is risen from the grave/Hallelujah/Christ is risen from the grave
I Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Home by Chris Tomlin (written by C. Tomlin, E. Cash, J. Ingram, J. Marin)
Featured on Tomlin's 2016 album Never Lose Sight, this bop of a song reminds us that no matter what we face in this earthly life, we as God's children have a perfect home waiting for us in heaven because of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. Whether you love Chris Tomlin or not, the guy can write a catchy tune for sure, and this is one I enjoy singing along with year round.
This world is not what it was meant to be/All this pain, all this suffering/There's a better place waiting for me/In Heaven/Every tear will be wiped away/Every sorrow and sin erased/We'll dance on seas of amazing grace/In Heaven, in Heaven/I’m goin' home where the streets are golden, every chain is broken/Oh I wanna go, oh I wanna go/Home, where every fear is gone, I’m in your open arms/Where I belong, home
Hebrews 13:14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
Providence (Broke My Chains) by Citipointe Live & Jess Steer (written by J. Steer, C. Moore)
Featured on Citipointe's 2018 live album Mover Of Mountains and featuring lead vocals from Jess Steer, this has become a favorite worship song of mine over the last few years. How blessed we are to serve a God as faithful, loving, and powerful as ours!
-Nothing more I could find, to satisfy, to change my mind/Hold me close, oh hold me close/Defender of the widow mild, the broken heart, the hurting child/My only hope, You’re my only hope/You said, "Walk on the waves, for I am with you"/You said You’d never change, and I believe You/You broke my chains, they’ve fallen off/I call Your name, all fear is gone/Eternity is in Your hands, every promise, every plan/Your kingdom reigns, Your kingdom reigns
Psalm 103:19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.
Man of Sorrows (Passion) by Hillsong Worship (written by M. Crocker, B. Ligertwood)
Featured on Hillsong's 2021 EP At Easter and featuring lead vocals from Matt Crocker, this song takes inspiration from Isaiah 53, which prophesies Jesus' crucifixion roughly seven centuries before its occurrence. This is another really beautiful song that depicts Jesus's deep love for us.
Man of sorrows, Lamb of God/By His own betrayed/The sin of man and wrath of God/Has been on Jesus laid/Silent as He stood accused/Beaten, mocked, and scorned/Bowing to the Father's will/He took a crown of thorns/Oh, that rugged cross, my salvation/Where Your love poured out over me/Now my soul cries out, "Hallelujah/Praise and honor unto Thee"
Isaiah 53:3-5 He was despised and rejected - a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
O Praise the Name (Anástasis) by Hillsong Worship (written by M. Sampson, B. Hastings, D. Usher)
Featured on Hillsong's 2015 live album OPEN HEAVEN/River Wild and featuring lead vocals from Marty Sampson, this powerful song is named for the Greek word for resurrection, anástasis. The lyrics walk us through the weekend of Jesus's death (Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday) while rejoicing at the power of our Lord and Savior.
I cast my mind to Calvary/Where Jesus bled and died for me/I see His wounds, His hands, His feet/My Savior on that cursed tree/His body bound and drenched in tears/They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb/The entrance sealed by heavy stone/Messiah still and all alone/O praise the Name of the Lord our God/O praise His Name forevermore/For endless days, we will sing Your praise/O Lord, O Lord our God
Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Above All by Michael W. Smith (written by P. Baloche, L. LeBlanc)
Featured on Smith's 2001 album Worship, this classic worship song has been a favorite of mine since I was about eight years old. The fact that the Creator of the Universe, the King of kings, the Name above all names laid down His life in what was historically one of the most degrading and brutal ways a person could be killed and had US on his mind the entire time is one of the most humbling things on this earth.
Above all powers, above all kings/Above all nature and all created things/Above all wisdom and all the ways of man/You were here before the world began/Above all kingdoms, above all thrones/Above all wonders the world has ever known/Above all wealth and treasures of the Earth/There's no way to measure what You're worth/Crucified, laid behind a stone/You lived to die rejected and alone/Like a rose trampled on the ground/You took the fall and thought of me above all
Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
To all who celebrate, I wish you a happy Easter full of love, hope, and faith. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!
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