The Theology of Worship Music – Here I Am to Worship by Tim Hughes

The Theology of Worship Music – Here I Am to Worship

by Tim Hughes

If you listen to most people, Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman wrote just about every worship song being sung today. That is not the case at all, but people usually don’t take time to find out who really wrote a song. They just know who they heard perform it first. Today’s song is one of those songs.

Here I Am to Worship was written by Tim Hughes. He is not well known, but his music is being sung around the world. This song has a clear Christ-centered focus. It brings the worshipper before the throne of God where he is then encouraged to “bow down, and say that You’re my God.” It is one of my favorites.

The lyric is that of the Bride (the Church) singing to her Bridegroom (Jesus). Verse one begins with the picture John paints for us in his gospel, of Jesus, the Light, coming to a dark world to bring hope.

John 1:1-5 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Colossians 1:27 (ESV) To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Verse two speaks of the King of Kings, Jesus, humbling Himself by taking on the form of man so He could become the Redemption for mankind.

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

The chorus is our response to what was shared in the verses of the song. When we realize who Jesus is, and what He has done for us, our only response is to fall down and worship Him. Tim Hughes uses language from the Song of Solomon to tell the Lover of Our Soul what we think of Him.

Song of Songs 5:16 (ESV) His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

When we encounter the bridge of the song it causes the worshipper to consider the great cost Jesus paid on the cross, and the reason He went there was because of our sin. This is not to bring condemnation, but instead is to be a reminder that we are forever grateful for the price paid for our freedom.

If you haven’t sung Here I Am to Worship in a while, pull it out. Use it often. It is a great hymn of remembrance for the Body of Christ.