Words of Worship: Humility

humility (noun) - freedom from pride or arrogance; the quality or state of being humble

Synonyms: acquiescence, compliance, demureness, humbleness, lowliness, meekness

Antonyms: arrogance, conceit, egotism, haughtiness, imperiousness, loftiness

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but rather seeing yourself clearly before God and others. In a world that constantly urges us to prove, promote, and protect ourselves, humility invites us to rest in the truth that our worth comes from God, not from applause or achievement. Jesus modeled this perfectly not by demanding status, but by serving, listening, and loving without seeking recognition. Humility softens our hearts, makes us teachable, and opens the door for grace to shape us.

This week's post includes seven songs that discuss humility along with Scripture references that inspired them and that I was led to with each entry. All Scripture passages are from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.

The Invitation Medley: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus / I Surrender All / I Have Decided to Follow Jesus by Anthem Lights (arranged by C. Grimm, J. Stamper)

Featured on Anthem Lights's 2018 album Hymns, Vol. II, there’s a recurring call to come, to surrender, and to lay our burdens at His feet throughout these three classic hymns. We often think humility means silence or suppression, but Jesus shows us it’s honest surrender: “God, this is what I feel, but I trust You more.” Bring God your real prayers: the ones you hesitate to say out loud. Lay them down, just like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Humility isn’t losing your voice; it’s aligning your heart with God’s will and trusting that His way is always better.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus/Look full in His wonderful face/And the things of earth will grow strangely dim/In the light of His glory and grace/All to Jesus, I surrender/All to Him, I freely give/I will ever love and trust Him/In His presence, daily live/I surrender all/I surrender all/All to Thee, my blessed Savior/I surrender all/I have decided to follow Jesus/I have decided to follow Jesus/I have decided to follow Jesus/No turning back, no turning back

Mark 13:35-36 He went on a little further and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

A Thousand Hallelujahs (Live) by Brooke Ligertwood (written by B. Ligertwood, S. Ligertwood, P. Wickham)

Featured on Ligertwood's 2022 live album SEVEN, the chorus of this song echoes, “Praise to the Lord, to the Lamb, to the King of Heaven.” Sometimes God allows humbling moments not to harm us, but to realign us. They remind us that our strength, success, and identity are not self-made, but God-given. Pride centers life around us, but humility recenters it around Him.

Who else would rocks cry out to worship/Whose glory taught the stars to shine/Perhaps creation longs to have the words to sing/But this joy is mine/With a thousand hallelujahs, we magnify Your name/You alone deserve the glory, the honor and the praise/Lord Jesus, this song is forever Yours/A thousand hallelujahs and a thousand more

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.

I Surrender All by Carrie Underwood (written by J. Van DeVenter, W. Weeden)

Featured on Underwood's 2021 album My Savior, we see that humility begins with surrender. To stretch out your hands is a posture of release. It means letting go of control, pride, and the need to have all the answers. It’s not partial, it’s not selective; it’s everything. When we truly surrender, we don’t become weaker; we become steady. We stand firm not because of our strength, but because we’re no longer carrying what was never ours to hold. Humility says, “God, I trust You more than I trust myself.”

All to Jesus, I surrender/All to Him, I freely give/I will ever love and trust Him/In His presence, daily live/I surrender all/I surrender all/All to Thee, my blessed Savior/I surrender all

Job 11:13-15 If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.

Came to My Rescue (Live) by Hillsong UNITED (written by D. Thomas, M. Sampson, J. Davies)

Featured on UNITED's 2006 live album United We Stand with vocals from worship leaders Marty Sampson and Annie Garrett, there is a line in this song that says, “I called, You answered, and You came to my rescue.” That’s the beauty of humility: when we lower ourselves before God, we discover He’s already reaching down toward us. God doesn’t respond to prideful performance, but He does respond to surrendered hearts. Humility begins when we stop pretending that we have it all together. Coming before God honestly (broken, open, surrendered) is where restoration starts.

Falling on my knees in worship, giving all I am to seek Your face/Lord, all I am is Yours/My whole life, I place in Your hands, God of mercy, humbled, I bow down/In Your presence, at Your throne/I called, You answered/And You came to my rescue/And I want to be where You are

Ezra 9:5 At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the Lord my God.

Love Like This by Lauren Daigle (written by L. Daigle, J. Ingram, P. Mabury)

Featured on Daigle's 2018 album Look Up Child, we see a question rooted in humility: Why would God even notice me? Humility isn’t just recognizing our smallness, it’s being in awe that God sees us anyway. True humility doesn’t push God away. It draws us closer, with a quiet amazement that says, “I don’t deserve this kind of love, but I receive it.” Don’t just focus on how small you feel. Let that lead you to something greater: a God who pays attention, who stays near, and who loves you with a love unlike anything else.

When I am a wasteland/You are the water/When I am the winter/You are the fire that burns/When I am a long night/You are the sunrise/When I am a desert/You are the river that turns to find me/What have I done to deserve love like this/What have I done to deserve love like this

Job 7:17 What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?

Open the Eyes of My Heart (Live) by Michael W. Smith (written by P. Baloche)

Featured on Smith's 2001 live album Worship, this prayer is simple but powerful: “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, I want to see You.” We live in a world that tells us to trust what we see and what we know. Humility says, “God, show me what I can’t see. Teach me what I don’t know.” When He does, we begin to understand something deeper: the hope we have, the calling on our lives, and the greatness of His power. Humility isn’t blindness; it’s the beginning of truly seeing.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord/Open the eyes of my heart/I want to see You/I want to see You/Open the eyes of my heart, Lord/Open the eyes of my heart/I want to see You/I want to see You/To see You high and lifted up/Shining in the light of Your glory/Pour out Your power and love/As we sing holy, holy, holy

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called - his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

(I Need You Now) by Mosaic MSC (written by A. Figueroa, C. Dennard, R. Aholoka)

Featured on Mosaic's 2022 album This Is How I Thank The Lord, there’s a simple, honest cry in this song's title. It's humility in its purest form: not polished, not impressive, just dependent. Humility is recognizing that our limits are not a problem; they’re the very place where God’s power begins to show up. It isn’t about shrinking your life, but about making room for a God who can do immeasurably more than you ever could on your own.

I need you now/More than I’ve ever before/Feels like I’ve been walking this road on my own/Come down like rain and fill this well that’s run dry/‘Cause I need you now/I need you now/I need you now more than I’ve ever before/I am so tired of running to nothing at all/Awaken my soul, breathe life into my lungs/‘Cause I need you now/I need you now

Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might as or think.

I pray that these songs were a blessing upon your hearts today. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!