Keith & Kristyn Getty – Speak O Lord

Keith & Kristyn Getty are hymnists for a modern generation.  Keith had a solo career before he married Kristyn in 2004, morphing into a duet.

The Getty’s released sixteen albums and one EP together, including:

• New Irish Hymns 3: Incarnation (2004)
• New Irish Hymns 4: Hymns for the Life of the Church (2005)
• Songs That Jesus Said (2005)
• The Apostles’ Creed (2006)
• Modern Hymns Live (2006)
• In Christ Alone (2007)
• Keswick Live (2008)
• Awaken the Dawn (2009)
• Joy – An Irish Christmas (2011)
• Hymns for the Christian Life (2012)
• Modern and Traditional Hymns: Live at the Gospel Coalition (2013)
• Facing A Task Unfinished (2016)
• The North Coast Sessions (2018)
• His Mercy Is More (2019)
• Resurrection – EP (2020)
• Evensong: A Collection of Hymns and Lullabies at Close of Day (2020)
• Sing! Global (Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference) (2021)

Also, check out my other reviews, including Lovingkindness, The Lord is My Salvation, See What A Morning (Resurrection Hymn), My Worth Is Not in What I Own, Christ Our Hope in Life and Death, and In Christ Alone.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

It is a series of prayers for God to act on our behalf.  These prayers include:

• Spiritual provision
• Transformation by God’s Word
• Good deeds that show Jesus’ light to others
• Obedience to His commandments
• Testing our hearts
• Increased trust in God’s promises
• Renewed minds
• Save unbelievers

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The entire song exuberates with Biblical references, showing agreement.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us

The Word of God is spiritual nourishment (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4, and John 6:63).  We invite God to speak to us through His Holy Word, the Bible, as a seed planted deeply into us (see Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, and Luke 8:4–15).

Shape and fashion us in Your likeness

We are the clay that God molds (Isaiah 45:9, Isaiah 64:8, and Romans 9:21).

That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

According to Matthew 5:16, our good deeds shows others the light of Jesus that brings glory to the Father.

[Verse 2]

Teach us Lord, full obedience
Holy reverence, true humility

We ask God to help us become holy (Leviticus 11:44-45, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:7, Romans 6:1-14, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10-14, 1 Peter 1:13-16, and 1 Peter 2:16), surrendered to Him (Psalm 43:5, Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).

Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity

Much like the Psalmists in Psalm 26:2 and Psalm 139:23, we ask God to examine our hearts.

Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority

We also ask God to increase our faith and renew our love for Him (Luke 17:5).

Words of pow’r that can never fail
Let their truth prevail over unbelief

The Word of God never returns void, accomplishing what God intended (Isaiah 55:11).

[Verse 3]

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us

We ask God to renew our minds (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:22-24, and Colossians 3:10) and cling to God’s good and perfect plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity

God’s Words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35 and Luke 21:33).

And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises

God’s undeserved favor (Genesis 15:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:15-21, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 9:14-16, Romans 11:5-6, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Titus 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, and James 2:23) enables us to trust that God will keep His promises (Numbers 23:19, Joshua 21:45, Joshua 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56, Romans 4:21, 2 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Hebrews 10:23, and 2 Peter 3:9).

And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us

We will continually trust in God (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), that He is with us (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20).

Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory

A plea for God to save people before Jesus returns (Matthew 24:43, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Corinthians 11:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 2 Peter 3:10, and Revelation 16:15).

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

In usual fashion, the Getty’s intermix everyday and Christianese language to communicate their message.  Words and phrases such as “Holy Word”, “light of Christ”, and “Lord” prods them to conclude Christianity.  The song’s opening lines set the stage for the entire song, that we Christians go before God and ask Him to speak to us.  Each new thought starts with a verb, cementing this as a song of prayers.  Those outside Christianity should be able to interpret each specific prayer with little difficulty.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God through its many requests for God to act on our behalf, consistent with Biblical teaching.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Keith & Kristyn Getty’s Speak O Lord is awesome.  It is a collection of prayers offered to God, that we would trust Him and His promises, and that we would live holy lives that point unbelievers to Jesus, glorifying God.  Unbelievers can piece together this message without deep study in Christian theology.

I highly recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Speak O Lord (listen to the song)

Artist: Keith & Kristyn Getty

Album: In Christ Alone

Genre: Hymn

Release Year: 2006

Duration: 4:02

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 2006 Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com excluding the UK & Europe which is adm. at IntegratedRights.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

07/24/2023 – J helped me figure out why the link to the lyrics on the original review was missing.  Chiefly, because I had permission and neglected to post the lyrics!  Corrected.

10/20/2022 – Added a link to the lyrics that were previously missing from the original review.