Luther Vandross - No Higher Name Lyrics
Lyrics
When I was lost when I was broken
There was no hope found in my own sin
You called my name and spoke deliverance
There on that hill top Your loving kindness
Tore through the strongholds and broke the darkness
Your mercy rushed in and pulled me from the grave
From the grave
Jesus
There's no higher name than Jesus
There's no greater name than Jesus
No other name like Yours
Jesus
For now I'm found in Christ my Savior
Seated with Him secured forever
Victorious King You reign forevermore
Forevermore
Holy in my life be lifted up
May Your will and kingdom come
Holy the defender of my heart
You are good it’s who You are
Video
Luther Vandross Live Performance - 19th NAACP Image Awards Performance
Meaning & Inspiration
"No Higher Name" by Luther Vandross, as captured in his 19th NAACP Image Awards performance released in 2021, is a profound declaration of faith and a testament to the transformative power of God's love. While the performance itself is a powerful artistic expression, the song's true strength lies in its deeply rooted spiritual message. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of redemption, beginning with a raw acknowledgment of being lost and broken, consumed by sin with no apparent hope. This resonates with the biblical narrative of humanity's fallen state, as described in Romans 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The turning point in the song is the divine intervention, "You called my name and spoke deliverance." This echoes the personal call and salvation offered by Jesus Christ. The imagery of a "hill top" and "loving kindness" that "tore through the strongholds and broke the darkness" immediately brings to mind the sacrifice on the cross. Isaiah 53:5 vividly describes this, "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." The song's progression to being pulled from the grave signifies the resurrection and the victory over death, a central tenet of Christian belief, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
The repeated exclamations of "Jesus, there's no higher name than Jesus" and "no greater name than Jesus" are not mere lyrical phrases but a core theological affirmation. The Bible itself exalts Jesus as supreme. Philippians 2:9-11 states, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This underscores the unique and unparalleled authority and majesty of Christ. The song continues by celebrating the believer's new identity in Christ: "now I'm found in Christ my Savior, seated with Him secured forever, victorious King You reign forevermore." This reflects the security and eternal inheritance promised to those who are in Christ, as described in Ephesians 2:6, "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." The declaration of "Holy in my life be lifted up, may Your will and kingdom come" is a prayer for sanctification and the establishment of God's rule, mirroring the petition in the Lord's Prayer, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The song concludes by attributing goodness to God, acknowledging His intrinsic nature: "You are good, it's who You are," a profound truth spoken by Jesus Himself in Mark 10:18, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." Overall, "No Higher Name" is a powerful and biblically rich song that magnifies the saving grace and ultimate sovereignty of Jesus Christ, offering a message of hope, redemption, and secure belonging for all who embrace Him.