Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
Leslie: It was our first time writing with Jack and Leeland. They are such good guys, and they love the church. Anytime we get together with other writers, we spend a lot of time getting to know each other. We talked a lot about the Church, and Leeland shared this chorus with us that he had for "Christ be all around me." He was sitting in McCreary's in Franklin, Tennessee, and the prayer of Saint Patrick is written all around the top of the walls of the restaurant: "Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger."
Leeland thought that would make an awesome song. So he wrote "Above and below me, before and behind me, in every eye that sees me, Christ be all around me." He started singing it, and we started going nuts.
David: Leslie said "we have a couple of ideas." Leeland said he had some other ideas for songs, and we said "nope, let's work on that one."
Leslie: Before he even finished singing, I had pulled up the prayer on my computer and already had ideas for verses for the song. It came pretty easily. Everything in the song is adapted from that prayer. I think it was written in about an hour. There are a few of those times we finish a song and we say "let's sing through it." Then we sang through it again, and we were inspired by Jack and Leeland. They are worshippers. It was a really cool experience for us.
David: We were in tears by the end. The prayer is so rich, and the words came so easily.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 121:7-8 (NKJV): The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore.
Ephesians 6:14-20 (NKJV): Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
What is the takeaway message?
David: We did a writing session with Michael W. Smith, and we showed him this song. We told him that this was a song we wrote with his son-in-law Jack Mooring. We played it for him and he kind of liked it, and then we moved on.
We ended up doing a live recording with Leeland at Michael's barn, and he watched us singing the song. I watched Michael's DVD about the album and he talked about this. He looked over at Eddie DeGarmo and said "that's a really good song," and Eddie said "you should do that song too." Michael ended up also recording the song. For us, it was kind of crazy to see that Michael W. Smith recorded a song that we were part of writing.
Leslie: It was powerful, and then to watch his live recording with Leeland. Stu G said that when he sings this song live, people immediately start singing along like they've known it. That's how we felt when the song was birthed. For some songs, the birthing process is really hard and strenuous and difficult, and you love it all the more because of the pain it took in finishing it. There are other songs where you feel like you can't take any credit because the Lord has given it to you. We feel like with this song, the Lord said "here's a song for the Church. Be good stewards."
Lyrics:
As I rise, strength of God
Go before, lift me up
As I wake, eyes of God
Look upon, be my sight
As I wait, heart of God
Satisfy and sustain
As I hear, voice of God
Lead me on, be my guide
Be my guide
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
As I go, Hand of God
My defense, by my side
And as I rest, breath of God
Fall upon, bring me peace
Bring me peace
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Your life, Your death
Your blood was shed
For every moment
Every moment
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
I love the pacing of this song, as like the prayer of Saint Patrick, the contemplative words lead to the beautiful expression of faith of Christ being all around us. The bridge "Your life, Your death, Your blood was shed, for every moment, every moment" is the part of the song that I personally find myself excitedly and humbly singing at the top of my lungs as a vertical expression of faith to my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
This song is a great example of Church unity. It was written based on a prayer that any follower of Jesus can read and say yes and amen to every word. It was a collaboration of worship leaders each breathing their breath into what God was telling them from this prayer, and in turn sharing these profound and true words with each of us to share with others. Like David's prayers and songs captured in the Psalms, when you allow those words to sink in they change how you think. When I hear the first note of this song, I stick with it every time and wait in hopeful anticipation to belt out that bridge to the Lord.
We sing this song at my church, and it in an incredible blessing to see and hear my young daughters sing these words to Jesus. This song includes Truth from God's Word that I want to have in my family's minds, hearts and souls, to know that no matter what we are going through or facing in our lives, we can always know that "above and below me, before and behind me, in every eye that sees me, Christ be all around me." The song also embodies the concept found in Saint Francis of Assisi's quote "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." Amen to that!
NRT Lead Contributor Kevin Davis is a longtime fan of Christian music, an avid music collector and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
Christ Be All Around Me
All Sons & Daughters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go before, lift me up
As I wake, eyes of God
Look upon, be my sight
As I wait, heart of God
Satisfy and sustain
As I hear, voice of God
Be my guide
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
As I go, Hand of God
My defense, by my side
And as I rest, breath of God
Fall upon, bring me peace
Bring me peace
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Your life, Your death
Your blood was shed
For every moment
Every moment
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
Oh oh, oh oh
Christ be all around me
In the first verse, the singer is calling on the strength, sight, and guidance of God as they begin their day. They acknowledge and ask for God to satisfy and sustain them as they wait for His direction. The second verse asks for the protection and peace of God in all situations, whether in action or in rest. The chorus speaks to the singer's desire for Christ to be present in all aspects of their life, as above, below, before, behind and in every eye that sees them. The final verse brings home the importance of Jesus' sacrifice for us, and that He is with us in every moment.
These lyrics are a representation of the desire for a constant presence of God or Christ in one's life. The idea is that Christ is not just present in one moment or one aspect of life, but that He is constant and always surrounding. This song is popular in contemporary Christian worship gatherings and has an emotional, almost anthemic quality to it.
Interestingly, the origins of this song can be traced back to a prayer, called the Breastplate of St. Patrick. This prayer is said to have been written by St. Patrick himself and is often used in Christian circles as a form of protection from evil spirits. The lyrics of this song are loosely based on that prayer, with the idea of having Christ surround and protect the singer being the central theme.
Line by Line Meaning
As I rise, strength of God
I rely on the strength of God to lift me up as I begin my day
Go before, lift me up
God leads the way and helps me rise to new heights
As I wake, eyes of God
God is the first thing I see as I wake and begin my day
Look upon, be my sight
God guides my vision and helps me see things clearly
As I wait, heart of God
I find peace and contentment in the love of God
Satisfy and sustain
God fills my heart with love and provides me with everything I need to thrive
As I hear, voice of God
I listen to God's voice and let it lead me along my path
Lead me on, be my guide
God helps me move forward and find my way through life
Above and below me
God's presence is not only around me, but above and below me as well
Before and behind me
God is always present, leading the way and providing support
In every eye that sees me
God's love shines through me and touches the hearts of everyone I meet
Christ be all around me
I ask God to surround me with love and support in everything I do
As I go, Hand of God
God is my protector and guides me along my journey
My defense, by my side
God is always there to protect me and stand by me
And as I rest, breath of God
God's love and peace fills me as I rest and recharge
Fall upon, bring me peace
God's love and presence brings me peace and serenity
Your life, Your death
God's sacrifice and love for me
Your blood was shed
God's sacrifice and ultimate gift of love
For every moment
God's love and sacrifice is present in every moment of my life
Oh oh, oh oh
Repetition of asking Christ to be all around me
Christ be all around me
I ask God to surround me with love and support in everything I do
Contributed by Ellie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pavanteja9601
My story begins like this, I see the Lord's hand from the time of my conception in my life, My Mom wanted to abort me, I was saved due to the efforts of a Doctor who is a Catholic Nun, All my chilhood memories are flooded with how I searched for God, I was very much involved in all religious activities but I still did not have the real peace in his heart. I often wondered, โAfter all these religious ceremonies which I am performing every day, am I in right relationship with God? Is he drawing closer to me? My earliest encounter with Christ was big image of the Sacred Heart, I always felt called by Him, During classes and even at break I used to look at Him, the day His eyes met mine, He never left me, I still was a stauch Hindu, I wanted to overcome my karma by performing devotional rituals, but fear of death and reincarnation had overcome me, the words of Christ to Martha has set me free " I am the Resurrection", I followed Jesus right from I was 11, I was hated by my family and relatives for my faith in Him, but the Lord was gracious enough to take me into His fold when I was 16, I was baptized along with my Mom and maternal Grandmother into the Church. Jesus my Savior, my King my all in all changed my life, there is no meaning to life without Him.
Do you have the joy of knowing Jesus in your life? Did you ask yourself this question today?
@SexyJods
I want this to be what people see when they look at me- Christ in every part of me and around me. Bless God for Jesus!!!
@DeAnYuan
My life was changed. This is so glorious for me. Jesus is life guys.
@pavanteja9601
My story begins like this, I see the Lord's hand from the time of my conception in my life, My Mom wanted to abort me, I was saved due to the efforts of a Doctor who is a Catholic Nun, All my chilhood memories are flooded with how I searched for God, I was very much involved in all religious activities but I still did not have the real peace in his heart. I often wondered, โAfter all these religious ceremonies which I am performing every day, am I in right relationship with God? Is he drawing closer to me? My earliest encounter with Christ was big image of the Sacred Heart, I always felt called by Him, During classes and even at break I used to look at Him, the day His eyes met mine, He never left me, I still was a stauch Hindu, I wanted to overcome my karma by performing devotional rituals, but fear of death and reincarnation had overcome me, the words of Christ to Martha has set me free " I am the Resurrection", I followed Jesus right from I was 11, I was hated by my family and relatives for my faith in Him, but the Lord was gracious enough to take me into His fold when I was 16, I was baptized along with my Mom and maternal Grandmother into the Church. Jesus my Savior, my King my all in all changed my life, there is no meaning to life without Him.
Do you have the joy of knowing Jesus in your life? Did you ask yourself this question today?
@caesaraltamiranor.7789
AMEN!!!! HONOR AND GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY FOREVER AND EVER, FOR ALL THE ETERNITY AMEN!!!! ALELUYA!!!! JESUS IS COMING, THE END IS NEAR RUN TO JESUS BECAUSE SOON IT WILL BE TOO LATE!!!!
@SJ-1604
Amen!
@hollyh.8095
Come back to this video๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ๐ฅฐ
@jessebbedwell
The story of Patrick really does a number on me. The son of a deacon who showed little to no interest in the things of God; he was abducted from early Britain at about the age of fourteen by Celtic pirates and forced into slavery. While surviving the harsh winters of Ireland on the fields as a shepherd, out of desperation he inquired of God as to HIS existence. Patrick had no real religious training to lean on; only his daily encounters and conversations with God. When it was too cold to survive, his body was kept warm by the Father. Some years after his initial capture, the word of the Lord came to him and spoke of the means by which he would escape. He ran from his captors and stowed away on a boat headed for England. Reunited with his family, he dove head first into study and seminary. Once equipped he had one desire -- go back to Ireland. The Celts which kidnapped him needed Jesus. He was met with opposition from the leadership of the church. Ireland, it was said, was impenetrable. No one was able to have any kind of success there. Patrick was firm. These people needed the Lord.
The tale of Patrick which is only somewhat known says that he "drove the snakes from Ireland." Of course there were never snakes in Ireland. What the saying suggests is that he drove that snake the devil from Ireland, because opposed to popular thought at the time Patrick saw great success, saw countless come to Christ, healed the sick there, and raised the dead. His selfless life and ministry still has a strong impact in Ireland today.
@user-st9nm1di1c
"LORD GOD ALMIGHTY AS I CONTINUE TO LOVE OTHERS,AND BE A PEACEMAKER TO THOSE WHO ARE PEACEMAKERS, PLEASE PLACE A HEDGE OF PROTECTUON OVER THEM AND MYSELF IN JESUS CHRIST YOUR BEAUTIFUL SONS NAME."๐๐๐โค๏ธ๐คโ๏ธ๐
@molliecantrell3633
Omg I'm in love with this song!! I have been listening to It litteraty for the past two hour praising God saying " Christ be all around me!"