Photo by Tamara Menzi
As mentioned in my review of So Will I (100 BIllion X), Hillsong Young & Free are one of many bands born out of the Hillsong church in Sydney, Australia. This particular group comprises young people who reach out to youth and young adults all over the world.
P E A C E is their first single in 2018, touching on mental health issues, particularly anxiety. This song was inspired by Hillsong member Ben Hastings’s wife and her struggle with anxiety.
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1. What message does the song communicate?
Overall, I found the message to be positive and uplifting; however, there is one concern. There are two main takeaways from these lyrics.
The first is that God and His Word are true, regardless of lies that come, the things we think about, and the chaos of our lives. The second is that God will give us a peace beyond understanding that transcends our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Peace is recognized as part of God’s identity.
At the end of the song, the message of peace is personalized, indicating that the artist has peace, with Jesus as its keeper.
For the garden variety Christian, there is a chance that some will get the wrong idea, thinking that God will promise external peace with those around them. There is no such guarantee nor does God promise this anywhere in Scripture. Instead, we are called to, as much as it depends on us, to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). More details on this are in section 2.
Score: 9/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Most of the lyrics line up with Scripture; however, there is a concern about the promise of peace that Hillsong Young & Free claims we can have.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
You will stay true
Even when the lies come
Your word remains truth
Even when my thoughts don’t line up
This appeals to God’s Word as the source of all Truth. Biblical verses include 2 Samuel 7:25-28, Psalm 119:142, Psalm 119:151, Psalm 119:160, and John 17:17-19.
I will stand tall
On each promise You made
Let the rest fade away
Hillsong Young & Free references our conviction to remain firm in our faith in God and Jesus. See 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Corinthians 1:24, Ephesians 6:11, Philippians 1:27, Philippians 4:1, Colossians 1:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 6:11, Hebrews 10:23, and 1 Peter 5:9.
[Chorus 1]
There’s a peace far beyond all understanding
May it ever set my heart at ease
Dare anxiety come, I’ll remember
A direct reference to Philippians 4:4-7 to which the Apostle Paul calls to:
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- Always rejoice in the LORD,
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- Let our gentle spirit be known to others,
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- Do not be anxious,
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- In prayer and in with thanksgiving, make our requests known to God, and
- The peace of God, which transcends understanding, will guard our hearts and mind in Christ Jesus.
That peace is a promise You keep
Peace is a promise You keep
This depends entirely on what kind of peace that Hillsong Young & Free refers. It is internal peace within one’s self or external peace with others? If the former, there is Biblical support for this view. See John 14:27, John 16:29-33, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:14-15, and Colossians 3:15.
However, if the latter, this is problematic. Although we are called as Christ followers to live at peace with others (Romans 12:18, Hebrews 12:14), Jesus does not promise external peace. According to Matthew 10:34-36, Jesus states that He “did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” People will be divided over Jesus, including family members.
Given the context, the most likely explanation is that of internal peace.
[Verse 2]
You will stay true
Even in the chaos
Your word remains truth
Even when my mind wreaks havoc
See Verse 1, lines 1-3.
I will be still
Found in Psalm 37:7 and Psalm 46:10, this is a synonym for “be patient”.
For I’ve known all along
My Jehovah Shalom
Lead-in to the Chorus. The term “Jehovah Shalom” comes from Judges 6:24 in which Gideon, one of the judges of Israel, build an altar and gave it that name. It means “The God of Israel sends peace”.
[Bridge]
You are peace to a restless soul
Contentment comes when we trust in God (Psalm 131:1-3).
Peace when my thoughts wage war
Peace to the anxious heart
Giving to God our requests results in God’s peace given to our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
That’s who You are, that’s who You are
Though there are no direct passages that say God is peace, we can infer that God is the source of peace since God cannot give us something that He does not have Himself, namely, peace. Since this is so, we can apply Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:27, John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:6-7, Colossians 3:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and James 3:17. Also, see Isaiah 9:6 a prophecy Jesus fulfills
You are peace when my fear takes hold
Peace when I feel enclosed
Peace when I lose control
More examples of anxiety within our hearts and mind to which we find peace in God (Philippians 4:6-7).
That’s who You are, that’s who You are
[Chorus 2]
I’ve found peace far beyond all understanding
Repeat of Chorus 1, though using the personal pronoun “I”.
Let it flow when my mind’s under siege
Derivative of lines 2 and 3 of Chorus 1.
All anxiety bows in the presence
Of Jesus the Keeper of Peace
This occurs when we lay our burdens on Jesus, who gives us rest for our weary souls (Matthew 11:28-30). He is also the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).
And peace is a promise He keeps
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
Some outsiders will undoubtedly have questions about this “peace beyond understanding” that Christ followers will claim to have. We must be prepared to answer this from the Scriptures and within our own testimony. This peace will be attractive to some and repugnant to others. There is a lot of potential for these lyrics to act as a primer for dialogue in the experiential realm.
Since there is a chance that some Christ followers will get the wrong idea about peace, the same issue persists for those outside Christianity.
Score: 9/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God by acknowledging the source of Truth and peace in our lives and calls us to seek Christ to find it.
Score: 10/10
Closing Comments
Though not yet appearing on the top 100 Christian Billboard (as of this writing), I predict this powerful song will touch many lives. It speaks to the heart of anxiety and calls for us to trust in God regardless of what happens in our thoughts, feelings, or situations.
Aside from the possible blip regarding internal/external peace, these lyrics are biblically sound, acts as a powerful testimony for outsiders, and brings attention to the source of all Truth: God. This brings Him glory.
Final Score: 9/10
Artist Info
Track: P E A C E (listen to the song)
Artist: Hillsong Young & Free
Album: III
Genre: Pop
Release Year: 2018
Duration: 4:00
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2018 Hillsong Music Publishing (APRA) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
02/10/2023 – To remain consistent with the artist’s actual name, I changed “Hillsong Young and Free to “Hillsong Young & Free”.
05/07/2021 – Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Hillsong’s theology.
Comments
Ruth Harvey
We have to except the peace in him that he can give to us. I know sometimes I get so caught up in trying to be a good Christian and fixing problems without even bringing them to Christ. If we are faithful to bring them to him. He is faithful to give us internal peace.
tastywallet
Absolutely, amen! The reverse is also true as well, that is, if we have internal peace with Him, He can help us to faithfully bring them to Christ.
Brandon S
Your comment: That’s who You are, that’s who You are
Though there are no direct passages that say God is peace,
My response: Jesus is prophesied as “prince of peace” in Isaiah. So, yes, He is referred to as peace.
tastywallet
Thank you for your suggestion! I cannot argue that this is a direct passage; However, I updated my commentary to include this passage.