Nelson's musical abilities were further cultivated while he was a student at the Baltimore School for the Arts and Morgan State University where he studied under the esteemed choir director Dr. Nathan Carter. Nelson was soon traveling the globe and conducting choirs his self and working in the music department at his father's church. About fifteen of his friends and he would also get together and sing at church. When Karen Clark-Sheard was coming to perform at his church, she needed some backing singers and his friends stepped in. "It wasn't a formal group," he recalls. "It was just something we did and after we did that service with Karen, we really enjoyed working together and that's when we became Purpose."
At the same time, Nelson had found a lucrative and comfortable income as an executive with a computer software company. Then, something happened to fuel Nelson's writing abilities. "Around 2001 when all of the dotcoms went down I was unemployed and that's when my passion for writing came alive," he says. "I began to write all these songs because I was living off of unemployment. That process took me through a whole thing because of my experience. The song `Healed' definitely came out of that."
Purpose had recorded the song "Healed" on their own self-financed CD in 2002. Nelson had met Grammy-nominated choir leader, Donald Lawrence, at a Washington, D.C. workshop in 2000. "When Donald heard `Healed' he said, `I'm gonna record that song.' He felt that message was what God was saying to the church at the time." Lawrence's words proved prophetic and his rousing rendition of "Healed" became a Top Ten gospel smash in 2005. The icing on the cake was that the song won Nelson the Stellar Award as Songwriter of the Year in 2006. He was presented with the award by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. "I was so shocked that I won," Nelson laughs. "That I didn't even realize that it was Aretha who gave me the award."
Perhaps, the greatest award is that Nelson's songs were now in demand. "I met Troy Sneed at a Gospel Music Workshop of America convention. He said that he had heard a song Purpose recorded called `The Right Place' and that he wanted to record it." Sneed produced the song on Pastor Rudolph McKissick and it became a Top 5 Billboard gospel hit.
It was through Sneed that Nelson would enjoy his biggest song yet. "Troy called one day and said that he was coming to Baltimore to record a group of youth," Nelson recalls. "He called me on a Tuesday and I didn't have a song that night. I wrote `The Struggle is Over' in about ten minutes. The scripture for it comes from Deuteronomy 1: 6-8 in the NIV version. In that scripture, the Lord spoke to Moses to tell the children of Israel they could now come out of the wilderness and possess the land that God promised them in Canaan. So, for them, the struggle was over. So, during the recording that night, the kids were crying and Troy said, `This will be the single.'"
Indeed, it was the single. Released in the winter of 2006, the congregational ballad became the surprise hit of the summer when it spent 12 weeks at #1 on Billboard magazine's Hot Gospel Songs chart. "I never thought it was single worthy," says Nelson. "It didn't sound commercial to me but I apologize for that because obviously the song has resonated with many, many people and touched them."
It was that spirit of touching hearts and minds that permeated Nelson's self-financed concert recording in December 2006. "I undertook that whole project without even knowing if any recording label was going to release it," Nelson confesses. "I took a risk."
Then, Troy Sneed's publicist introduced Nelson to Integrity Music consultant Stacy Merida, who then brought Nelson to the attention of executives at Integrity Music and helped fashion his recording agreement. Now, that live recording which features cameos by William Murphy, Nikki Ross and Sheri Jones-Moffett is finally making its brilliant debut. "My whole concept is dealing with success, victory and triumph," says Nelson. "I expect supernatural success. This CD was in response to the success of `The Struggle is Over' in 2006. The theme of songs like `My Name is Victory' and `Champions' are all in response to the success that God has given us."
"Most songs I get from sermons," Nelson explains. "It comes from divine inspiration. The speaker might say one word but that one word goes into a whole thing. The song `Capacity' came during a service. My father was preaching and while he was preaching, I started writing that song." There was another time when Todd Hall was prophesying in a church service and "he said to turn to your neighbor and say `my praise causes things to look bettah' and instantly every word of that song `Bettah' was written right there in the service."
The only song that Nelson and his frequent songwriting collaborator, Justin Savage, didn't write
is Chris Tomlin's "How Great is Our God." Nelson says, "I heard it at a worship service and it spoke to me. It's an intoxicating song. A whole church no matter what race, creed or color can sing along to it. It became an anthem at my church."
An anthem for Nelson's personal life is the title song, "Right Now Praise." He says, "I wrote that during a difficult time in my life back in 2003. I was on the verge of losing my home and my car. I was working as a substitute teacher. I was in a very low place. My car is my mediation place. I was crying down the road and started singing a melody to the Lord and that's when `Right Now Praise' came to me. I had to rush into school and get to my tape recorder and put it down before I forgot it. Everything with this project is timing. I feel like its time for whatever God has for me to do right now. This is my God ordained time for my life.
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/artistdetail.php?artist_id=1420
Name of the Lord
Jonathan Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The name of the Lord is a strong tower
And can you just do me a favor?
Can you just confess the name Jesus in the building
For just a second everybody?
Say it till you feel it in your spirit
Say it till it get good in your belly
Somebody lift up your hands and call the name Jesus
Put your hands on and clap-clap, clap
The name of the lord is a strong tower
(The name of the lord is a strong tower)
The righteous run in and they are saved
(The righteous run in and they are saved)
The name of the lord is a strong tower
(The name of the lord is a strong tower)
The righteous run in and they are saved
(The righteous run in and they are saved)
From the arrows by day
And the terror by night
We have the victory
The name of the lord is a strong tower
(The name of the lord is a strong tower)
The righteous run in and they are saved
(The righteous run in and they are saved)
The name of the lord is a strong tower
(The name of the lord is a strong tower)
The righteous run in and they are saved
(The righteous run in and they are saved)
From the arrows by day
And the terror by night
We have the victory
Woaah
Tell, who can set forth
Somebody call his name, Jesus, precious Jesus
Come on get your hands ready
What′s his name (Jesus)
I said what's his name (Jesus)
I said what′s his name (Jesus)
I said what's his name (Jesus)
Put your hands on and call him (Jesus)
Put your hands on and call him (Jesus)
Put your hands on and call him (Jesus)
Put your hands on and call him (Jesus)
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
Hey, his name is Jesus (Jesus)
And he's the healer (Jesus)
It′s doesn′t matter what the sickness (Jesus)
My God can heal you (Jesus)
His name is Jesus (Jesus)
And he's a savior (Jesus)
It doesn′t matter what you've done
My God can change you (Jesus)
And his name is Jesus (Jesus)
And he′s a provider (Jesus)
It doesn't matter what you need (Jesus)
My God will supply you (Jesus)
His name is Jesus (Jesus)
And he is my redeemer (Jesus)
He will redeem
Who can set forth
Jesus, Jesus (yeah)
He′s Jesus
Woah-oh-oh-ohh-oh (Jesus)
I grew up in a old school
Sanctified church down in Georgia
I wonder can we just clap our hands
Like we're in a old school Sunday night service
Everybody everybody
What's his name (Jesus)
I said what′s his name (Jesus)
Somebody call him (Jesus)
I said somebody call him (Jesus)
The more I call him (Jesus)
The better I feel (Jesus)
He′s my way in (Jesus)
He's my way over (Jesus)
He′s my way through it (Jesus)
Somebody call him (Jesus)
He is the will (Jesus)
In the middle of the will (Jesus)
He is the will (Jesus)
We are the new will (Jesus)
Anybody anybody know about the healer (Jesus)
Anybody know about the deliverer (Jesus)
Woah Jesus (Jesus)
Woah he's my provider (Jesus)
He supplies all my needs (Jesus)
Anybody anybody know the man (Jesus)
Anybody anybody know the man (Jesus)
Anybody anybody know the man (Jesus)
Woah (Jesus)
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
The more I call him (Jesus)
The better I feel, yeah
Who can set forth
Jesus, Jesus (yeah)
Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh (Jesus)
The lyrics of Jonathan Nelson's song "Name of the Lord" stress the power of proclaiming the name of Jesus. To begin, the chorus states that "The name of the lord is a strong tower/The righteous run in and they are saved/From the arrows by day/And the terror by night/We have the victory." This suggests that the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, is a refuge in times of danger and distress. The song encourages listeners to proclaim the name of Jesus – "Say it till you feel it in your spirit/Say it till it get good in your belly" – and to celebrate and testify to its power. The bridge further highlights the multifaceted nature of Jesus, portraying him as healer, savior, provider, and redeemer.
The song's repetition of the phrase "Put your hands on and call him (Jesus)" serves as an invitation to engage in a physical, embodied expression of worship. The lyrics express a longing for the type of intense, emotional experiences that were often characteristic of traditional Black spiritual music in the United States. The reference to an "old school Sunday night service" in Georgia further situates the song within a particular cultural and religious context.
Line by Line Meaning
Just tell somebody
Spread the message to someone else
The name of the Lord is a strong tower
God's name is a powerful refuge and protection
And can you just do me a favor?
Request for a small action to be taken
Can you just confess the name Jesus in the building
Ask for a public acknowledgement and proclamation of Jesus' name
For just a second everybody?
Ask for temporary attention and focus
Say it till you feel it in your spirit
Repeat Jesus' name until it resonates and connects with one's inner being
Say it till it get good in your belly
Repeat Jesus' name until one feels satisfied and fulfilled in their faith
Somebody lift up your hands and call the name Jesus
Encourage physical expression of faith and vocal acknowledgement of Jesus
The name of the lord is a strong tower
God's name is a powerful refuge and protection
The righteous run in and they are saved
Those who seek God's protection are granted salvation
From the arrows by day
Saved from physical harm and danger during daytime
And the terror by night
Saved from fear and danger during nighttime
We have the victory
Belief in having triumph and success in God's name
Tell, who can set forth
Ask for identification and recognition of Jesus' greatness
Somebody call his name, Jesus, precious Jesus
Request for vocalization and endearment of Jesus' name
Put your hands on and clap-clap, clap
Encourage physical expression of faith through clapping and hand motions
His name is Jesus
Identify Jesus as the subject of discussion
And he's the healer
Jesus is a healer of physical and spiritual ailments
It doesn't matter what the sickness
Belief in Jesus' ability to heal any illness
My God can heal you
Belief in God's power to heal and restore
And he's a savior
Jesus is a savior, providing salvation and redemption
It doesn't matter what you've done
Belief in Jesus' ability to forgive and restore one's soul
My God can change you
Belief in God's ability to transform and renew one's heart
And he is my redeemer
Jesus is a redeemer, providing liberation and rescue
And he′s a provider
Jesus is a provider, giving and supplying one's needs
It doesn't matter what you need
Belief in Jesus' ability to fulfill any need
My God will supply you
Belief in God's generosity and provisions
He is the will
Jesus provides guidance and direction for one's life
In the middle of the will
Belief in finding purpose and fulfillment through Jesus' guidance and will
We are the new will
Belief in being renewed and transformed by Jesus' will and purpose
Anybody anybody know about the healer
Ask for familiarity with Jesus' ability to heal
Anybody know about the deliverer
Ask for familiarity with Jesus' ability to bring freedom and liberation
I said what′s his name (Jesus)
Repeated emphasis on identifying Jesus
Woah (Jesus)
Expression of praise and adoration for Jesus
Somebody call his name (Jesus)
Reiteration of vocalizing and acknowledging Jesus' name
The more I call him (Jesus)
Belief in growing in faith and connection through calling on Jesus' name
The better I feel, yeah
Belief in Jesus' power to bring comfort and joy
Writer(s): Jonathan Nelson, Kenneth Shelton, Ernest Bullock
Contributed by William Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.