Awesome God

"Awesome God" was a popular worship song in America during the late-1980s, composed by the late Rich Mullins and considered one of his best. Its title is inspired by a biblical expression (Nehemiah 1:5, Nehemiah 9:32, Psalm 47, Daniel 9:4, etc.), variously translated as "awesome god", (JPS, in the old-fashioned meaning "awe-inspiring"), "great" (KJV), among other alternatives. Many Christian bands have performed "cover" versions in various styles, from ska to swing to straight rock and traditional worship style. Its lyrics are simple, clear and repetitive to emphasize its description of the nature of God (sometimes called Yahweh). The song touches on aspects of God not so commonly addressed by some sects of Christianity such "lightning in His fists" and the destruction of "Sodom". The song contains references to the Christian trinity, crucification, apocalypse, and original sin. It is "biblical" insofar as its words are based in part on translations of the Bible, and it refers to assertions and descriptions there.

Mullins did not consider the song to be one of his best. In an interview with The Lighthouse Electronic Magazine in April of 1996, he said "You know, the thing I like about Awesome God is that it's one of the worst-written songs that I ever wrote; it's just poorly crafted. But the thing is that some times, I think, that when you become too conscientious about being a songwriter, the message becomes a vehicle for the medium. This is a temptation that I think all songwriters have. I think a great songwriter is someone who is able to take a very meaningful piece of wisdom - or of folly or whatever - and say it in a way that is most likely to make people respond. But, what you want them to respond to is not how cleverly you did that; what you want them to respond to is your message."

Today many churches sing only the chorus part of this song, either alone or in medleys.

Internet phenomenon

Awesome God has also become something of a cult hit among certain parody groups on the Internet. The repetitive refrain in its lyrics and the 1980s production styling that made it popular in Christian music, combined with its earnest religiosity, have made it attractive to sites and groups that wish to poke fun at fundamentalist Christianity. Reference to it has appeared on White House satire site whitehouse.org as well as many other sites around the Internet.

References

External links

• lyrics and midi file

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