Laura Story – Indescribable

American Contemporary Christian artist Laura Story began her career in 1996.  She joined Shane Williams to become part of Silers Bald before pursuing a solo career in 2002.  She released her independent album Indescribable that same year, which saw limited success until Tomlin covered its title song in 2004.  Her other solo albums and EP include:

• There Is Nothing (2005)
• Great God Who Saves (2008)
• Blessings (2011)
• God of Every Story (2013)
• God with Us (2015)
• Open Hands (2017)
• I Give Up (EP) (2019)

Story won a Grammy in 2012 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song (“Blessings”) and six dove awards, including Inspirational Album of the Year (2009), Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (2012), Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (2012), Song of the Year (2012), and Inspiration Recorded Song of the Year (2015 and 2016).

Also, check out my review of Blessings.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Laura Story attempts to describe and fathom and indescribable and unfathomable God.  He is:

• Creator
• Sovereign
• Knows all the stars by its name
• Omnipotent

In addition,

• Creation itself points to God’s glory, and
• Despite Story’s wicked heart and the lawbreaking she’s done, God’s love for her is greater in that while she was in sin, Christ died for her.

Score: 10/10

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

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring

All creation within the heavens and the earth declare the glory and majesty that is God (Psalm 19:1-4).

Every creature’s unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

All creation will all worship God (Psalm 19:1-4, Psalm 66:4, Psalm 103:22, Psalm 148:7-11, Psalm 150:1-6, Isaiah 55:12, Luke 19:40, and Revelation 5:13).

[Chorus]

Indescribable, uncontainable

The only way we can describe God is through attributes, metaphors, and parables, all of which pale in comparison to the makeup that is God.  Story gives some examples throughout this song.

He cannot be contained (1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6, 2 Chronicles 6:18, Psalm 139:7-16, Isaiah 66:1, Acts 7:48-49, and Acts 17:24).

You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name

God created everything, including the stars (Genesis 1:1, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 8:3-8, Psalm 33:6, Psalm 96:5, Proverbs 3:19, Isaiah 37:16, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 66:1-2, John 1:1-3, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, and Revelation 4:11).  He knows each star by name (Psalm 147:4).

You are amazing God

Indeed He is!

All powerful, untameable

God is omnipotent (Genesis 1:1-31, Job 11:7-11, Psalm 33:6, Jeremiah 32:17, Romans 4:17, Hebrews 1:3, and Jude 1:24-25) and cannot be tamed because He is not subject to anything, that is, God is sovereign over all creation (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11).

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

We respond in worship, prostrating ourselves before God.

You are amazing God

Repeats line 3.

[Verse 2]

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night

These are examples of God’s creation.  See commentary in Chorus, line 2.

None can fathom

Who can fathom God?  No one (Psalm 40:5, Psalm 72:18, Psalm 86:10, Job 5:8-9, Job 9:9-10, Job 11:7-9, Job 37:5, Job 42:3, Isaiah 40:28, and Romans 11:33).

[Outro]

You are indescribable, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name
You are amazing God

Repeats Chorus, lines 1-3.

Incomparable, unchangeable

For “Incomparable”, see commentary on Verse 2, line 5.

As for “unchangeable”, this references the nature of God (Numbers 23:19, Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, and James 1:17).  This is not the same as God changing His mind (Exodus 32:12-14, Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 26:3-19, Jeremiah 42:10, Jonah 3:10-19, and Amos 7:3-6).

You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same

The core of Story’s heart is deceitfulness and wickedness (Jeremiah 17:9), yet, His love overcomes her sinful nature in that while she was a sinner, Christ died for her (John 3:16 and Romans 5:6-8).

You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Repeats Chorus, line 3.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers should arrive at similar conclusion as I stated in section 1.  Story combines everyday language with a few words such as that, even if unbelievers cannot offer an adequate definition, should be able to easily follow along.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God in that it hails God as the indescribable Creator whose love overcomes sin.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Laura Story’s Indescribable is an excellent song.  This singular title summarizes God and attempts to describe Him, borrowing from Scripture attributes such as Creator, Omnipotent, and Sovereign, bringing Him glory.  Despite Story’s sinful nature, He loves her and died for her lawbreaking.  This message of God’s character and nature will not be lost on those who do not yet know Christ.

I highly recommend this for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Indescribable (listen to the song)

Artist: Laura Story

Album: Great God Who Saves

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2002

Duration: 4:14

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

*Copyright © 2004 worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Laura Stories (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.