"Great Is the Lord" is a popular
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 ...
written in 1982 by Debbie and
Michael W. Smith. The couple were at the time active members of Belmont Church on
Music Row in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
and were seeking to augment the music. The inspiration for the lyrics were drawn from
Psalm 145:3, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.". The song is sung in churches of many denominations and is included in many hymnal supplements.
Musically, the song is a mix between the
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
and
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 ...
styles of the day. The song is set in 6/8 time, with an upbeat tempo. The verses are in the key of D major, while the chorus drops down to C major. The song uses several synthesizers, as well as an acoustic piano, to carry along the verses. Guitar, additional vocals and a string section show up in the chorus.
Sources
Great Is the Lord, a modern-day psalm for worship ''Today's Christian'', May/June 2000 (article includes lyrics)
1983 debut singles
Michael W. Smith songs
Songs written by Michael W. Smith
Reunion Records singles
1982 songs
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