Lord, I Lift Your Name on High

"Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" is a Christian worship song. Both lyrics and music were written by Rick Founds in 1989.

Founds wrote it during his morning devotion, while reading the scriptures on his computer monitor, and while watching television. He plucked his guitar thinking about the "cycle of redemption", comparing it with the water cycle.

You came from heaven to earth, to show the way
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky

Lord I lift your name on high

Founds played the song as a worship leader in his church. It was picked up by Maranatha! Music and initially recorded by the Maranatha! Singers followed by the Praise Band. Promise Keepers used the song in English and Spanish in their drives.

Since the 1990s, it has been one of the most popular Christian songs. In the United States, Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) reported Lord I Lift Your Name on High as the most popular song used in churches every year from 1997 to 2003, and has remained in the top ten ever since. Currently it is number 24 on the list.^[1] CCLI UK report it as the fifth most popular printed, projected or recorded song in mid-2006.^[2] In Australia this song was the seventh most used song by the beginning of 2007^[3]

There have been many interpretations of the song by many artists in all styles: gospel, R&B, soul, rock, dance, reggae, hip hop, rap, soca, ska, punk, a cappella amongst others and has been translated to a number of languages and recorded in a number of countries.

Versions

• In 1989, the first recorded version was by the Maranatha! Singers on the label Maranatha! Music. The recording was done on the album Double Praise 12^[4] of the Praise series and was released on the Maranatha! Music and distributed by WORD Inc. The recording was done in classic style.
• In 1992 Paul Baloche used this song in his Album He Is Faithful, published by Hosanna! Music
• Soon followed a version by Praise Band, a separate group of musicians but some of whose members were also members of the Maranatha! Singers. Praise Band's version in contrast is rock/guitar driven.
• In 1997, US Christian band Petra in their album Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus
• In 1998, Christian ska-punk band The Insyderz in their album Skalleluia!
• In 1999, Christian singer Carman in his album Passion for Praise, Vol. 1
• In 2000, American Christian singer Lincoln Brewster in his album Live to Worship
• In 2000, American Gospel singer and composer Donnie McClurkin in his album Live in London and More...
• In 2001, US Christian Contemporary band SONICFLOOd released a live rock version of the song on their album Sonicpraise. It was recorded in 1999 during the Flevo Festival
• In 2004, South African-UK musician and singer Jonathan Butler released a soul cover version on his worship album "The Worship Project."^[5][6]
• In 2005, the Christian pop group Worship Jamz recorded a pop version in their self-titled album Worship Jamz
• It has also been covered by Jamaican singer Chevelle Franklyn.
• In 2009, Coffey Anderson covered it in his album Worship Unplugged Vol. 1

Language versions

• In 2005, the song was done as "Yo Wuti" in Lingala by the Dutch-Congolese band Makoma. It appeared on Makoma album Na Nzambe Te, Bomoyi Te (also known as No Jesus, No Life).^[7]
• The song was also translated into:
  • Dutch - "Heer, ik prijs uw grote naam" (Lord, I praise Your great name)
  • French - "Je loue ton nom, Eternel" (Lord, I praise your name, Eternal)
  • German - "Herr, dein Name sei erhöht" (Lord, Your name is exalted)
  • Portuguese - "O Teu nome exaltarei" (I will exalt your name)
  • Spanish - "Tu Nombre Levantaré" (I will Lift your name On High)
  • Slovenian - "Povzdigujem tvoje ime" (I elevate your name)
  • Polish - "Chcę wywyższać Imie Twe" (I want to exalt Thy name)
  • Malayalam - "yeshu naamathe uyarthidam" (Let us lift Jesus' name)
  • Czech - "Tvoje jméno vyznávám" (I profess Your name)
  • There are also versions in Chinese, Japanese, Hmong, Tamil and Turkish.

References