Casting Crowns - Listen To Our Hearts Lyrics
Lyrics
How do you explain
How do you describe
A love that goes from East to West
And runs as deep as it is wide
You know all our hopes
Lord, You know all our fears
And words cannot express the love we feel
But we long for You to hear
So listen to our hearts
Hear our spirits sing
A song of praise that flows
For those You have redeemed
And we use the words we know
To tell you what an awesome God You are
But when words are not enough
To tell You of our love
Just listen to our hearts
If words could fall like rain
From these lips of mine
And if I had a thousand years
I would still run out of time
So if You listen to my heart
Every beat will say
Thank you for the Life
Thank you for the Truth
Thank you for the Way
And listen to hearts (oh, Lord, please listen)
Hear our spirits sing (and hear us sing)
A song of praise that flows (a song of praise)
From those of You have redeemed (from those You have redeemed)
And we will use the words we know
To tell you what an awesome God You are
But when words are not enough
To tell You of our love
Just listen to our hearts
So if You listen to my heart
Every beat will say
Thank You for the Life
Thank You for the Truth
Thank You for the Way
And listen to our hearts (oh, Lord, please listen)
Hear our spirits sing (and hear us sing)
A song of praise that flows (a song that flows)
From those of You have redeemed (from those You have redeemed)
And we will use the words we know
To tell You what an awesome God You are
But when words are not enough
To tell You of our love
Just listen to our hearts
When words are not enough
To tell You of our love
Just listen to our hearts
Listen to our hearts (oh, Lord, please listen)
Listen to our hearts
Video
Listen To Our Hearts - Casting Crowns - Lyric Video
Meaning & Inspiration
Casting Crowns gifted the world with a profoundly moving spiritual reflection when the lyric video for "Listen To Our Hearts" was released on January 28, 2015. This particular song delves into the universal human experience of grappling with the immensity of God’s love and the inherent inadequacy of our words to fully articulate our devotion and gratitude. It’s a testament to the fact that some truths, especially divine ones, transcend the confines of human language, requiring a deeper, more spiritual form of communication between the worshiper and the Creator. The song becomes a tender prayer, a plea for God to perceive the unspoken adoration residing in the very core of our being, far beyond what our finite expressions can convey.
The song’s core meaning unfolds through its opening questions, "How do you explain / How do you describe / A love that goes from East to West / And runs as deep as it is wide?" These lines immediately set the stage for a humble recognition of God's boundless love, echoing scriptural truths like Psalm 103:11-12, which describes His steadfast love for those who fear Him as being "as high as the heavens are above the earth" and "as far as the east is from the west" when He removes our transgressions. It also calls to mind Ephesians 3:18-19, which challenges believers to grasp "how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge." The lyrics then acknowledge God's omniscient nature: "You know all our hopes / Lord, You know all our fears." This resonates deeply with Psalm 139, particularly verses 1-4, which affirm that God intimately knows our every thought, word, and path, even before they come to be. This personal knowledge from God underscores the idea that He already understands the depths of our hearts, making the subsequent plea to "listen to our hearts" all the more intimate and meaningful.
The central petition of "Listen To Our Hearts" forms its powerful refrain: "So listen to our hearts / Hear our spirits sing / A song of praise that flows / For those You have redeemed." This isn't just a request for divine attention; it’s an affirmation of a spiritual communication that transcends verbal articulation. It suggests that true worship often originates from a place deeper than mere articulation, a place where the human spirit connects directly with the Divine. Romans 8:26-27 speaks to this, describing how the Spirit intercedes for us with "groanings too deep for words," and God, who searches hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit. The phrase "for those You have redeemed" anchors this spiritual longing in the foundational truth of Christian faith—that through Christ's sacrifice, humanity has been delivered from sin. Ephesians 1:7 beautifully states, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." The song humbly admits, "we use the words we know / To tell you what an awesome God You are / But when words are not enough / To tell You of our love / Just listen to our hearts," encapsulating the paradox of human worship: we strive to praise Him with our words, yet recognize their ultimate limitation in describing a greatness that is truly "unsearchable," as Psalm 145:3 proclaims.
Further reinforcing this theme of linguistic inadequacy, the song offers poignant imagery: "If words could fall like rain / From these lips of mine / And if I had a thousand years / I would still run out of time." This vivid expression captures the endlessness of God's attributes and deeds, suggesting that even an eternity of human praise would be insufficient to fully enumerate His goodness. Psalm 40:5 declares, "Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us—none can compare with you." The most profound and Christ-centered lines arrive in the bridge, where the song states that if God listens to the heart, "Every beat will say / Thank you for the Life / Thank you for the Truth / Thank you for the Way." This is a direct and unmistakable reference to Jesus Christ Himself, who, in John 14:6, declared, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This powerful connection solidifies the song's Christocentric message, affirming that the deepest gratitude of a redeemed heart is for the salvation and guidance found solely in Him. Ultimately, "Listen To Our Hearts" is a beautiful exploration of intimacy with God, encouraging believers to seek communion beyond spoken prayers, to offer their very being as an act of worship, trusting that the God who sees and knows all will indeed hear the unspoken language of a devoted spirit.