Behold Our God – A New Recording and the Story Behind the Song

Behold Our God first appeared on the 2011 Sovereign Grace Music album, Risen. It was the next-to-last track and one of the last songs chosen for the project. We went on to include versions of the song on Together for the Gospel II, 30: Three Decades of Songs for the Church, and Behold Our God, recorded with the Shiloh Church Choir in 2019.

When the songwriters (Ryan, Jonathan, & Meghan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge) first played the song for the evaluation team at a songwriting retreat back in 2010, they received this feedback: “Seems too ordinary at this point. Work on fresh and creative ways of saying these things.” Apparently God didn’t think it was too ordinary, because twelve years later “Behold Our God” has been translated into over 15 languages and is one of the most well-known and widely sung songs Sovereign Grace Music has ever recorded.

Last year at the 2022 WorshipGod conference we recorded a fresh arrangement of Behold Our God that seeks to musically capture God’s transcendent sovereignty and his gracious mercy in Jesus Christ. To mark the occasion, we wanted to tell you how the song came to be. Thanks to Ryan Baird for providing many of these details. You can read his complete version here.

In The Beginning

Behold Our God started in the place that many Sovereign Grace songs start – at a songwriter’s retreat experiencing writer’s block.

After working on a song for a while with no progress, Stephen Altrogge mentioned he had been meditating on Isaiah 40, and wondered if they could develop something from the questions of vss. 12-14:

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:12–14, ESV)

That was enough of an inspiration to write two verses fairly quickly. But they needed a chorus. Everyone agreed it should start with, “Behold our God.” After a series of ideas that didn’t work, Jonathan sang out the chorus just as it ended up on the recording. They added the men/women response bridge and felt like they had a song.

Testing It Out

After the retreat, they wisely ignored the counsel of the evaluation team and introduced it to their church in California. The church loved it. But Lynn Baird, father to three of the writers, said it needed a reference to the gospel. “You’ve got to write about Jesus next!”

Over the next year, the writers worked on a third verse that connected the greatness of God to Christ. At the same time, Sovereign Grace Music was working on an album with a resurrection theme, and we asked if the last verse could reference Jesus rising from the dead. No small task for four short lines! Here’s a snapshot of the not quite finished verse.

Finally, through the encouragement of a friend who said they could do it, was well as the stick-to-it perseverance of the writers, the Holy Spirit inspired the last verse, which beautifully and succinctly communicates the gospel.

One Last Word

As the Bairds continued to lead the song in different contexts, they were amazed by the response. Congregations sang it so LOUD! But the song wasn’t finished just yet. That chorus of the first version of the song began like this:

Who has felt the nails upon his hands
Bearing all the shame of sinful man

After leading the song at a conference, Bruce Ware, one of the speakers, came up to thank them for writing it. He then suggested they change the word “shame” to “guilt.” He thought it would draw attention to the fact that our problem before God isn’t simply shame, which can minimize our sinfulness, but actual guilt. The songwriters agreed, and the song reached its final form.

People all over the world have sung and recorded Behold Our God, including this version in 19 languages. We think that’s due not only to the God-exalting, gospel-centered lyrics, but the “ordinary” melody that people can pick up and sing with passion almost immediately.

We pray this new version will encourage you, your family, and your church to worship the God who dwells “in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15) There is no one like him.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=67TvJwTTdxA%3Fcontrols%3D0

You can also find it on Apple Music, Spotify, or wherever your stream your music.

And if you have a story of how God has used Behold Our God in your life or in your church, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

13 Responses to Behold Our God – A New Recording and the Story Behind the Song

  1. Linda March 31, 2023 at 4:55 PM #

    I love this song but I personally feel like the bridge repeats 4 too many times.

    • Bob Kauflin March 31, 2023 at 11:59 PM #

      Thanks, Linda! We thought repeating it gives us time us think about the many ways God’s reign bears upon our lives. But feel free to shorten when you sing if!

  2. John Bjorkman March 31, 2023 at 11:23 PM #

    “…our problem before God isn’t simply shame… but actual guilt”

    Thank you for choosing to proclaim this simple, profound, truth. Thank you.

    • Heather M April 1, 2023 at 11:17 AM #

      Several years ago, our youth leader died suddenly on duty as a state police officer. This tore through our small, close-knit church family and his wife and 4 young children. Just a few days before he died, he sang “Give Me Jesus” solo with his guitar during our Sunday morning worship.

      Your song, Behold Our God, became our battle cry as we displayed God’s hope to the entire community in mourning this policeman at his well-attended funeral, accompanied by thousands of men and women in uniform, including the governor. My husband gave the eulogy (as his best friend, elder at our church and worship leader) which included the gospel to these thousands of mourners. We also led these people in your song at the funeral. The experience changed us forever.

      To God be all the glory and honor, and we rest in knowing we will see our good friend again for eternity, together beholding our God, seated on His throne.

      • Bob Kauflin April 4, 2023 at 1:40 PM #

        Heather, thanks so much for sharing this story, and more importantly, for your faithfulness to proclaim the glorious gospel.

  3. Sam April 4, 2023 at 1:40 AM #

    Just found your blog!

    I’m about to read your Worship Matters book and was reading the back cover and saw your blog, was checking it out and came across this song for the first time. Such amazing lyrics, love how it’s translated in so many languages, what a beautiful praise and worship song. Now back to starting your book. Will continue to come back to your blog for more content. Thank you brother and to God be all the glory. God bless.

    • Bob Kauflin April 4, 2023 at 1:41 PM #

      Thanks for your encouraging words, Sam! I pray my book serves you!

  4. Michael Gwisdala July 16, 2023 at 7:07 PM #

    I found this song on my spiritual birthday this year. (February 23, 1997) In February, I was on the YouTube Main page looking for the song “Behold the Lamb” by Passion. I found this song instead. I listened to the video from last year, and was captivated and amazed from what I heard. I felt that this song was a powerful worship song, and now sing it regularity in an worship session I made on YouTube. This is on my worship session #4 on YouTube.

  5. Reederang October 16, 2023 at 8:25 AM #

    I love the song. My wife and I have said we both want this song played to His Glory at our funeral someday. The very best version that I have seen or heard is this one sung by the CBU University Choir and Orchestra. This is what we want them to play. It has often brought both me and my wife to tears of joy.

  6. Reederang October 16, 2023 at 9:58 AM #

    I forgot the link on Youtube to the best version by CBU University Choir and Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV8bv4QuDtM

  7. Thiago Trivelato December 18, 2023 at 5:05 AM #

    Very good text liked a lot

  8. BenD December 19, 2023 at 6:30 AM #

    Who is the lead singer for the main version (the one I hear on pandora or hear when I play the lyric videos on youtube)?

    • Bob Kauflin December 19, 2023 at 5:34 PM #

      His name is Ryan Baird and was featured both as a writer and a vocalist on a number of earlier Sovereign Grace albums.

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