"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" is a
worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...
song co-written by the English Christian singer-songwriter
Matt Redman
Matthew James Redman (born 14 February 1974) is an English Christian worship leader, singer-songwriter and author. Redman has released 16 albums, written 8 books, and helped start three church-plants. He is best known for his two-time Grammy Aw ...
and the Swedish songwriter
Jonas Myrin
Jonas Myrin is a Swedish singer, songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles, California. His solo career began in 2012 with the gold-certified song, "Day of the Battle" in Germany. Myrin won two Grammy Awards for the song " 10,000 Reasons (Bl ...
, first recorded by Redman for his ''
10,000 Reasons'' album, released in 2011 on Kingsway Music, and subsequently included on a number of compilations, covered by other artists and included as congregational worship music in English or in translation around the world. In 2013, the song won two Grammy Awards for "
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the Contemporary ...
" and "
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards descri ...
". After the song's success and impact, Redman also published a book: ''10,000 Reasons: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Thankfulness Inspired by the Worship Anthem''.
Context
The song is a contemporary version of a classic
worship song
Contemporary worship music (CWM), also known as praise and worship music, is a defined genre of Christian music used in contemporary worship. It has developed over the past 60 years and is stylistically similar to pop music. The songs are fr ...
making the case for "10,000 reasons for my heart to find" to praise God. The inspiration for the song came through the opening verse of
Psalm 103
Psalm 103 is the 103rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Bless the , O my soul". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In Latin ...
: "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name". It is also based on the 19th century English hymn "
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
"Praise, my soul, the King of heaven" is a Christian hymn. Its text, which draws from Psalm 103, was written by Anglican divine (clergyman) Henry Francis Lyte. First published in 1834, it endures in modern hymnals to a setting written by John Gos ...
" written by
Henry Francis Lyte
Henry Francis Lyte (1 June 1793 – 20 November 1847) was an Anglican divine, hymnodist, and poet.
Biography Youth and education
Henry Francis Lyte was the second son of Thomas and Anna Maria (née Oliver) Lyte, whose family came originally fr ...
.
Redman recalled the writing of the song was through an initial idea or suggestion from co-writer Jonas Myrin. Redman told ''Worship Leader'' magazine: "He
yrinplayed me an idea for some of the chorus melody, and I found it immediately inspiring. In fact, it felt like a perfect fit for a song based on the opening of Psalm 103. The song came together really quickly – a good chunk of the song was actually a spontaneous moment",
adding that the song reiterates how "we live beneath an unceasing flow of goodness, kindness, greatness, and holiness, and every day we're given reason after reason why the Lord is so completely and utterly worthy of our highest and best devotion".
[
The song enumerates various attributes of the love of God for mankind that makes him worthy of "praise unending", worship for "ten thousand years and then forevermore". The song uses these attributes: God's holiness, lovingkindness, slowness to anger, kind heart, His goodness and His great name.] The "10,000 Reasons" concept is used in two citations in the song: First in the lyrics "Your name is great and Your heart is kind / For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing / Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find" and the second at the lyrics: "And on that day when my strength is failing / The end draws near and my time has come / Still, my soul will sing Your praise unending / Ten thousand years and then forevermore".
The refrain says:
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
O my soul, worship his holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I'll worship your holy name.
Music video
A music video was filmed in a church setting in Berlin, Germany. The black and white video, filmed by Andy Hutch of Yodo Creative in 2012, shows Redman singing and playing the guitar accompanied by an acoustic music band and a number of backing vocalists.
Charts
"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" was released in 2012 as a single and spent 16 weeks at the top spot on Christian Radio and remained No. 1 on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Christian Songs
Hot Christian Songs is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It ranks the popularity of Christian songs using the same methodology developed for the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the magazine's flagship songs ...
Chart for 13 weeks and was certified gold. The album containing the song as its title track peaked in its own right on the US Christian Album chart at No. 1. and No. 149 on the UK charts.
Weekly charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Awards
Covers
The song has been covered by a number of artists and bands including:
*Irish worship band, Rend Collective
Rend Collective (formerly known as Rend Collective Experiment) is a Northern Irish Christian folk rock worship band originating from Bangor, Northern Ireland. The current lineup consists of Gareth Gilkeson, Chris Llewellyn, Ali Gilkeson, Patr ...
, in their 2013 album ''Campfire
A campfire is a fire at a campsite that provides light and warmth, and heat for cooking. It can also serve as a beacon, and an insect and predator deterrent. Established campgrounds often provide a stone or steel fire ring for safety. Campfires ...
''.
*Contemporary Christian music group The Katinas
The Katinas are a contemporary Christian music group. They are a family of five brothers. The group's members sang in Assembly of God church as children, and began playing fairs, soon moving up to nationwide slots opening for R. Kelly, Jasmine ...
in their 2014 album ''Sunday Set'', accompanied by a music video
*The vocal quintet Veritas
Veritas is the name given to the Roman virtue of Honesty, truthfulness, which was considered one of the main virtues any good Roman should possess. The Greek goddess of truth is Aletheia (Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: ). The German phi ...
in their self-titled 2014 album ''Veritas
Veritas is the name given to the Roman virtue of Honesty, truthfulness, which was considered one of the main virtues any good Roman should possess. The Greek goddess of truth is Aletheia (Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: ). The German phi ...
''
*The Christian reggae band Christafari
Christafari is a Christian reggae band formed in 1989. It is centered on the personality of ordained religious minister Mark Mohr (born October 23, 1971), an American, born-again Christian. Until the age of 17, Mohr was a Rastafarian.
Backgro ...
in their 2015 album ''Anthems''. Their version features additional vocals by Avion Blackman. The release was accompanied by a music video.
At Passion 2014 in Houston, it was sung by the song's co-writer Matt Redman and Passion 2015 Houston featuring vocals from Chris Tomlin
Christopher Dwayne Tomlin (born May 4, 1972) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, and worship leader from Grand Saline, Texas, United States, who has sold over 7 million records. He is a member of Passion Conferences an ...
, Brett Younker
Passion Conferences (also referred to as Passion and the 268 Generation, originally named Choice Ministries) is a Christian organization founded by Louie Giglio in 1997. The organization is known for its annual gatherings of young adults betwee ...
and Kristian Stanfill
Kristian Paul Stanfill (born April 9, 1983) is an American Christian music singer, songwriter and worship leader from Atlanta, Georgia. His 2011 album '' Mountains Move'' reached No. 64 on the ''Billboard'' 200. He is currently the worship pasto ...
.
Parts of the song was incorporated by rapper KB as part of his track, "10k", on his 2020 album '' His Glory Alone''. It peaked at No. 36 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Christian Songs
Hot Christian Songs is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It ranks the popularity of Christian songs using the same methodology developed for the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the magazine's flagship songs c ...
chart.
The song has been translated into a number of languages. It was recorded in Spanish as "Diez Mil Razones (10,000 Reasons)" by Evan Craft
Evan Kenneth Craft (born April 8, 1991), is an American Contemporary worship music singer. Evan has recorded albums in Spanish and English. His 2012 release, '' Yo Soy Segundo'', ranked high on the ''Billboard'' charts, reaching number one on the ...
in an acoustic version in his 2012 album ''Yo Soy Segundo''. and in German as "Zehntausend Gründe" ("10,000 Gründe") by the German Christian band Outbreakband and recorded on their album ''Das ist unser Gott'', a live album performed at the Glaubenszentrum Bad Gandersheim.
The book
Matt Redman co-authored with Craig Borlase the book ''10,000 Reasons'' (full title ''10,000 Reasons: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Thankfulness Inspired by the Worship Anthem''). In the 176-page book published in 2017 by David C Cook Publishing Company, and a foreword written by Christian author Max Lucado
Max Lucado (born January 11, 1955) is an American author
"Lucado set a record by concurrently placing seven differe ...
, Redman shares details behind the song's creation and explores the influences and experiences the song generated with many vivid examples of inspiring stories, experiences and testimonies by individuals in their greatest time of need.Evangelical Alliance UK – Matt Redman: 10,000 reasons and one special song
References
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Contemporary Christian songs
2012 songs
Matt Redman songs
Songs written by Jonas Myrin
Songs about Jesus