Hillsong Worship - Easter PlaylistSample

O Praise the Name (Anástasis)

David Ware

When we were recording this song in the studio, Marty Sampson (one of the writers) challenged me to stop and think about a particular line in the song:

I cast my mind to Calvary

Marty encouraged me to sing it as if I was actually there... so I did this just that! As I began to envision the hill of Calvary, I imagined what it would have been like to actually be there on that day, looking up at my Saviour hanging on that tree, the Messiah, full of love for me, as He breathed His last.

My gaze transfixed on Jesus face

This changed everything, and we recorded the rest of that song with that perspective. I guess that's what this song is all about; it's a new way of telling an ancient story, and I hope it brings a renewed revelation of Easter to others, like it has for me.

Easter weekend is the one time of year when people around the world (Christians and non-Christians alike) pause and take time to consider Jesus and what they believe about Him — who He was or wasn't, what He did or didn't do, the life He lived, His death, His resurrection and all that happened after...

I love that this song tells a timeless story — it helps us remember it anew and reflect on it in a different way. It's the story of the Cross, of His resurrection, of the greatest love story in history.

Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This song is a story of the Cross, a story of love, and the chorus refrain leads us to respond to His great love for us!

O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days
We will sing Your praise
Oh Lord Our God

It's a story that's as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. It's His story; it's our story; it's my story. It was real then, and it's real to me now. I pray that today, it's real for you too.

To listen to O Praise The Name and a special Hillsong Easter playlist on The Overflow, please visit http://oflow.it/00ne/lyGwlAZffw​​​​​​​