Here I Am to Worship

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes, Let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore you
Hope of a life spent with you

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days
So highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly you came to the earth you created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
(repeat)

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
(repeat 3x)

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
(repeat 6X)

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This song, when used, is usually placed at the beginning of the service as a sort of call to worship - here I am to worship. I appreciate that the song speaks some specific Gospel proclamation - Christ's humility (you stepped down into darkness, humbly you came to the earth you created, ...became poor), a future home in heaven (hope of a life spent with you), and death on a cross for our sins (I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon the cross). That is a fair amount of doctrine and proclamation as compared to many CCM songs. This is good.

What bothers me about this song is the "Here I am to worship" refrain. This is obviously the main thrust of the song. It is the title of the song, and it is repeated many many more times than the rest of the lyrics. It is the part of the song you are going to go home with and have running through your head. The refrain is the focal point of the song. And there is no Gospel proclamation in it. It is about our action - "Here I am to worship."

What happens in worship? God's action or man's? First and foremost is God's action - him feeding us through the means of grace: the Gospel in Word and Sacraments. In response to this, man may respond with praise and thanksgiving. But the emphasis of this song is certainly on this "response" part. For a song about worship, it neglects to even mention Word or sacrament. What does this song teach to the congregation? I think that it teaches that worship is about: 1. our being there 2. our thinking and showing that God is great. If that is what this song is teaching, then it is teaching false doctrine.

I wish the refrain were something more like this:

Here Christ comes to feed me
Here he grants forgiveness
'Cause he has washed all my sins away
Through water, bread and wine and
Through his Holy Word he
gives me his Salvation fully free.

I would not recommend this song for Lutheran worship.