Isaac Wardell and Rev. Pensak both grew up in Memphis, TN and are friends from high school. Mason Neely serves as the record's co-producer, engineer, and arranger along with Isaac Wardell.
Bifrost Arts is not a band, but a growing collective of over 200 musicians who desire to enrich the church and engage the world with beauty and truth. Among the artists who appear on "Come O Spirit" are: The Welcome Wagon, Liz Janes, My Brightest Diamond, Damien Jurado, Rosie Thomas, David Bazan, Laura Gibson, Leigh Nash, J. Tillman, Denison Witmer, Kelley McRae, Sarah Fullen, Kate York, and Trent Dabbs.
Rise Up
Bifrost Arts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the weary and distressed,
For the refugee and orphan,
And for all who are oppressed,
For the stranger who is pleading
While insulted and despised,
Will You rise? Will You rise?
The earth will fear the Lord
When You avenge the poor.
May Your kingdom come . . .
O rise up!
Hear how Rachel, she is weeping.
How she will not be consoled.
And the children in our keeping,
Are their bodies bought and sold?
And the watchmen, he is sleeping.
Do You see them with Your eyes?
Will You rise? Will You rise?
Rise up! Rise up!
The earth will fear the Lord
When You avenge the poor.
May Your kingdom come . . .
O rise up!
As Your will is done in heaven,
Let it now be done below
Let Your daily bread be given,
Let Your kingdom come and grow
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us, we cry
Will You rise? Will You rise?
Rise up! Rise up!
The earth will fear the Lord
When You avenge the poor.
And bare Your holy arm
To keep them safe from harm,
May Your kingdom come . . .
O rise up!
The song "Rise Up" by Bifrost Arts is a call for God to intervene and uplift those who are oppressed, forgotten, and weary. The lyrics are a plea to rise up against the injustice and to bring justice to those who suffer. The song starts with a list of those who need help, the lonely, the forgotten, the refugee, the orphan, and all those who are oppressed. The first verse also suggests that those being insulted and despised are also pleading for help.
The chorus of "Rise Up" repeats the plea for God to rise up and avenge the poor. It is a call for God to bring justice to the earth so that all who are oppressed can be free from the chains of injustice. The second verse describes the weeping of Rachel, who is not consoled, and raises the concern of children being bought and sold. The verse also depicts a watchman sleeping, indicating that he is not keeping an eye out for the oppressed. The plea remains to God, to rise up and see the oppressed through his eyes.
The third verse is a praise to God, reciting his kingdom's characteristics, and the hope that it will come and grow on earth. In this, the song asks for daily bread, not to lead us into temptation, and to deliver us, asking if God will rise up to meet that challenge. The song concludes with the chorus, urging for the holy arm to keep the oppressed safe from harm.
Line by Line Meaning
For the lonely and forgotten
People who are alone and have been abandoned
For the weary and distressed
People who are exhausted and suffering
For the refugee and orphan
For those who are fleeing from danger or are without parents
And for all who are oppressed
For anyone experiencing cruel treatment from others
For the stranger who is pleading
For those foreign to a place who are begging for help
While insulted and despised
While being criticized and hated
Will You rise? Will You rise?
Will You help them? Will You save them?
The earth will fear the Lord
People will respect God
When You avenge the poor
When You bring justice to those who suffer
May Your kingdom come . . .
May Your reign come to the world
O rise up!
Help us!
Hear how Rachel, she is weeping.
Notice how women like Rachel are crying
How she will not be consoled.
Despite the efforts to comfort her, she is still mourning
And the children in our keeping,
And the kids we are responsible for
Are their bodies bought and sold?
Are they being treated as commodities and abused?
And the watchmen, he is sleeping.
And the guards who are supposed to protect us are not alert.
Do You see them with Your eyes?
Are You aware of their situation?
Rise up! Rise up!
Help us! Help us!
As Your will is done in heaven,
As it is in Your divine plan
Let it now be done below
Let it be here on earth
Let Your daily bread be given,
Provide us with sufficient food for each day
Lead us not into temptation,
Keep us from giving in to sin
But deliver us, we cry
But save us from harm
And bare Your holy arm
Show Your power and might to help us
To keep them safe from harm,
To protect them from danger
Contributed by Sophia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.