Ascend The Hill - Return to Us Lyrics
Lyrics
Return to us once again great God
We burn for You, we yearn for You Lord
And light a fire inside out hearts great God
And we will burn for You, we will yearn for You Lord
We come together with one voice lifted up to You our king
This song to You we sing
We're gathered in sacred assembly
Yes we are ready to see You once again
And now we bring our hearts to You alone
In consecration, in expectation
Our God is merciful and gracious
He will hear our prayer
He will hear our prayer
Return to us once again great God
We burn for You, we yearn for You Lord
And light a fire inside our hearts great God
And we will burn for You, we will yearn for You Lord
We return to You, return to us again
Your fire in us anew
Video
Return to Us
Meaning & Inspiration
"Return to Us," released on June 23, 2009, as part of Ascend The Hill's self-titled album, is a powerful call for divine presence and renewed spiritual fervor. The song's central plea, "Return to us once again great God," echoes the deep yearning found throughout Scripture for God's manifest glory and intimate fellowship. The lyrics articulate a passionate desire, expressed as a burning and yearning for God, which is reminiscent of the Psalmist's cry in Psalm 63:1, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." This isn't merely a wish; it's an active internal hunger, a spiritual activation that the singers pray will be ignited within their hearts, "light a fire inside our hearts." This imagery of divine fire is biblical, speaking to transformation and purification, much like the prophecy in Malachi 3:2-3, which speaks of God as a "refiner's fire."
The congregational aspect of the song is prominent, with the singers declaring their unity in worship, "We come together with one voice lifted up to you our king." This communal ascent is a fundamental element of faith, a tangible expression of the body of Christ coming together in adoration, as described in Hebrews 10:25, "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." The anticipation of encountering God is palpable, marked by a readiness to "see You once again" and a deliberate offering of their "hearts to You alone." This act of consecration and expectation is rooted in the understanding of God's character – "Our God is merciful and gracious." This truth is a cornerstone of biblical theology, reiterated countless times, from Exodus 34:6-7, where God proclaims His name, to the very heart of the Gospel message. The assurance that "He will hear our prayer" is not a presumption but a confident reliance on God's faithfulness. The song circles back to its core petition, reinforcing the desire for God's return and the rekindling of His "fire in us anew," a plea for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit that would empower and illuminate their lives, mirroring the disciples' prayer for boldness in Acts 4:29-31, asking God to "stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." Ultimately, "Return to Us" is a prayerful anthem of longing for God's presence, a declaration of His unchanging character, and a hopeful anticipation of His powerful intervention in the lives of His people.