Song: "I Raise a Hallelujah" - Good or Bad?

Ever since I wrote a blog post (Why We are Choosing to No Longer Sing Certain Songs) explaining why the Bedford Alliance Church has decided not to sing certain songs during our public gatherings, I have been asked numerous times, “What songs are you talking about?” Over these next several months I will look at numerous popular songs being sung in churches and I want to ask this question, “Is it a good song?” Let me be clear what my definition of “good” is going to be as I analyze these songs. My definition of “good” will be is the message of the song in alignment with the clear teachings of the Bible, God’s Word. If the song teaches the truth of God’s Word, then I will label it as a good song. If the song does not teach, or agree with the Bible, then I will label it as a bad song. Bad songs should be ignored and thrown out of our church’s repertoire of music.

I know some of you reading this will try to argue with me over this last statement because of the popularity of these songs I will analyze over these next several months. The honest truth is that these are extremely popular within the American Church. In fact, the song that I will analyze in this blog post is number 73 on Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) top 100 songs for the week of July 27, 2026. But just because a song is popular doesn't mean that the song is aligned with the clear teachings of the Bible, God's Word.

Here are a few questions that people do not ask or think about. “How do songs become popular?" and "How do songs find their way into churches nowadays?" The major way is through Christian radio. Last year, 2025, I attended a conference and Aaron Shust was leading a breakout session on worship. He said during that session that the most influential person within the American Christian church is the music director at KLOVE. Why is that? Because this person chooses what people will hear on the radio. Most songs that are sung during a church gathering start on the radio. The Music directors of the Christian radio networks across America are the most influential people within the American Church and hopefully they pick songs that are Biblically accurate. But do they?

Here is a song that has been extremely popular over the past few years. The song was recorded in 2018 by Bethel Music. The song is “Raise a Hallelujah.” Here are the lyrics for you to read through and ask, "is the message of this song in alignment with Scripture."

"I Raise a Hallelujah"

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies

I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief

I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody

I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm

Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar

Up from the ashes, hope will arise

Death is defeated, the king is alive!

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me

I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee

I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery

I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm

Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar

Up from the ashes, hope will arise

Death is defeated, the king is alive!

Sing a little louder (in the presence of my enemies)

Sing a little louder (louder than the unbelief)

Sing a little louder (my weapon is a melody)

Sing a little louder (heaven comes to fight for me)

Sing a little louder (in the presence of my enemies)

Sing a little louder (louder than the unbelief)

Sing a little louder (my weapon is a melody)

Sing a little louder (heaven comes to fight for me)

Sing a little louder!

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm

Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar

Up from the ashes, hope will arise

Death is defeated, the king is alive!

As we begin to think about this song, in the very first line, the writers of this song begin talking about our enemies. What enemy are they talking about? Are they talking about people who are our enemies? If so, then how are we to respond to our human enemies, according to the Bible? Jesus helps us with this is Luke 6:27-31. Jesus says,

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

We are to love our enemies. We are to follow Jesus’ example. According to Paul in Philippians 2:1-11, Jesus responded with humility when people attacked Him. Never once in the New Testament does Jesus tell us that we are to call heaven down to fight for us against our human enemies. In fact, Jesus rebukes the disciples when they ask Jesus to do that in Luke 9:51-56. So clearly, this song isn’t talking about human enemies, because if it were, it would be teaching us to do things that Jesus tells us that we should never do to our enemies. Well, is there another enemy that the Bible talks about?

Yes, that enemy is Satan or the Devil. According to Paul in Ephesians 6:12,

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

Satan is our true enemy as followers of Jesus Christ, not people. So how are we to fight Satan? According to Paul in Ephesians 6, by the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Wait, according to the song, our weapon is a melody. But according to the Bible, our weapon is the Word of God, which we use to fight against our true enemy, Satan, and what an effective weapon it is. Just look at how Jesus battled against Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus didn’t sing a song for Satan; He used the Word of God! Music is a wonderful gift from God that stirs us emotionally, but the Word of God is sharper than any double edge sword (Hebrews 4:12). Our weapon, according to the Bible, is not a melody or song, but it is the living and active Word of the Lord.

As you read the lyrics of this song, we also see the artists talking about singing louder and louder. So many people believe that the volume of our singing or the volume of our prayers make them effective. This is a popular thought, especially in modern day worship music. As you listen to the radio, or the next time you gather with other believers and there is music involved, pay attention to the number of times the songs talk about singing loud, or shouting or use other words that talk about volume. You will be amazed. But why do we think that we need to do this as followers of Jesus? Do we need to be loud in order for us to get God’s attention? Do we have to be loud to try to manipulate God, to be that “squeaky wheel” to God? Why do we think that the volume of our praise to God, or the volume of our prayers will make any different?

Do you want your prayers to be effective? Well, according to the Bible it is when a prayer comes from a righteous person (James 5:16). What is a “righteous person”? A person who is right with God. A person become right with God through Jesus Christ. By believing that Jesus died upon the cross for my sins and rising again three days later, I can be right with God. But the Bible also talks about how a person right with God walks or lives their life in obedience to God. After James talks about how a prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, he begins to tell us about Elijah (James 5:17-18). Elijah trusted in God, which caused him to walk in obedience to God. So when Elijah prayed for God to stop the rain and the drought, which God said He would do in the Old Testament Law because of the nation of Israel’s sin, God answered Elijah’s prayer. Elijah's prayer being effective and powerful has nothing to do with the volume of Elijah’s request, but had everything to do with Elijah’s life. He showed his faith in God, by walking in obedience to God. If you think it had anything to do with Elijah’s prayer or volume, just read 1 Kings 18:16-40. You will see that the prophets of Baal, the false prophets used volume and other things to get Baal to respond, but Elijah’s prayer was short (1 Kings 18:36-37).

The question we all need to ask is this: Is the song, “I Raise a Hallelujah” a good song according to the Bible? The Answer: No. This song teaches things that are contrary to the Word of God, making this song a bad song.