Carman - Everybody Praise The Lord Lyrics
Lyrics
There's a growing root of bitterness
In the world today
From the heart of Johannesburg
To the ghettos of L.A.
A swelling violent undertow
Has gripped the soul of man
But an integrated cry of hope
Echoes across the land
I hear my brothers say
Come, everybody, it's time to start
To let the love of Jesus
In your heart
Every tongue, every race
All of God's children
Seek His face
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
People of promise take your place
Tell of His mercy and His grace
Lift up your voice to the sky
All of God's children testify
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
We worship You because You are Lord and King
We magnify You because You are the One who reigns
We glorify You became You always remain the same
We worship You because You are Lord and King
We magnify You because You are the One who reigns
We glorify You because You always remain the same
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord
We got no time for hit and miss
The world is full of prejudice
You know we just ain't down with this, so come on now
Everybody praise the Lord
He inhabits our praises
Sin He erases
He wants to amaze us, so say this
Everybody praise the Lord
Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord (4x)
Everybody, praise the Lord (6x)
Video
Everybody Praise The Lord
Meaning & Inspiration
Carman’s "Everybody Praise The Lord," released on January 1, 1993, as part of his album *The Standard*, stands as a powerful anthem of unity and spiritual awakening. At its core, the song addresses the deep-seated brokenness and division that plague humanity, offering a resounding call to collective worship as the ultimate remedy. Carman consistently used his music to confront social issues through a biblical lens, and this track is no exception. It begins by painting a vivid, sobering picture of a world gripped by "a growing root of bitterness" and "a swelling violent undertow," referencing global strife from Johannesburg to the ghettos of L.A. This stark depiction reflects the universal human condition apart from God, aligning with biblical truths found in passages like Romans 3:23, which states that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, and Jeremiah 17:9, highlighting the deceitfulness of the human heart. The song doesn't dwell in despair, however, but immediately pivots to introduce an "integrated cry of hope," signaling the divine solution.
The profound meaning of the song crystallizes in its passionate invitation: "Come, everybody, it's time to start to let the love of Jesus in your heart." This is more than a casual suggestion; it's a direct echo of the Great Commandment to love God and neighbor, emphasizing that true transformation begins internally. When Jesus' love fills a heart, it displaces the bitterness and violence described earlier, reflecting Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 3:17-19 to be rooted and grounded in love. The song then broadens its scope, calling "Every tongue, every race, all of God's children" to "seek His face." This vision of global unity in worship is deeply biblical, mirroring Revelation 7:9, where a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language stands before the throne, praising God. It powerfully dismantles any notion of prejudice or division, asserting the universal access to God's grace and mercy for all who believe, a truth beautifully articulated in Galatians 3:28, which declares that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free.
The central refrain, "Praise the Lord, everybody, praise the Lord," isn't merely a catchy chorus; it's a profound theological statement and a directive for spiritual engagement. Praise isn't just an emotion; it's an act of faith and obedience, a "sacrifice of praise" as described in Hebrews 13:15, where we continually offer to God a "fruit of lips that confess His name." Carman’s lyrics urge "people of promise" to "take your place, tell of His mercy and His grace, lift up your voice to the sky, all of God's children testify." This call to active witness resonates with 1 Peter 2:9, which instructs believers to "proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Our praise becomes a testimony, an outward expression of God’s redemptive work within us, shining our light before others as encouraged in Matthew 5:16. The song reinforces the very nature of God through repeated declarations: "We worship You because You are Lord and King, We magnify You because You are the One who reigns, We glorify You because You always remain the same." These lines affirm foundational truths about God's sovereignty (Psalm 93:1, Revelation 19:16) and His unchanging character (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6), providing a solid rock upon which our faith and praise are built.
The urgency of the message intensifies in the later verses, declaring, "We got no time for hit and miss, the world is full of prejudice." This is a stark reminder that the need for God’s love and unified praise is not a passive option but an active, immediate imperative in a broken world. The song directly confronts prejudice, a sin that God’s Word consistently condemns, reminding us of our call to live out love and acceptance. The powerful spiritual dynamic is then revealed: "He inhabits our praises, Sin He erases." This echoes Psalm 22:3, which speaks of God inhabiting the praises of His people, illustrating how our worship creates a dwelling place for God's presence. Furthermore, the promise that "Sin He erases" speaks to the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice, leading to genuine repentance and a new life in Him, as proclaimed in 2 Corinthians 5:17. Finally, the culminating thought that "He wants to amaze us" points to God’s boundless desire to do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). "Everybody Praise The Lord" is more than just a song; it's a manifesto for a transformed life and a unified church, urging believers across every divide to turn from the world's despair and embrace the amazing, unchanging love of God through the simple yet profound act of praise.