One of my favorite new worship albums of the year is Melody of Love by Christ for the Nations Worship, who is known for originally introducing the worship classic "Revelation Song." These ambient and beautiful offerings are highlighted by several distinctive and emotive vocalists, including Leeland Mooring ("Lion and the Lamb"). I'm really engaged by the deep, prayerful and vertical lyrics. 

If you are looking for new worship songs to sing with fellow believers, this album is chock-full of congregational songs, especially "At the Name of Jesus," "I Give It All I Surrender," "Burn Spirit of God," "There Is No One Like You," "Take Us In" and "Incredible Love," which all sing about a passionate pursuit of God and knowing the depths of His love for us.

"Melody of Love" has a catchy and engaging feel, and the theme is a comforting reminder to know and be known by Christ, to not live in fear. I had the great opportunity to speak with Leeland Mooring, Phil King and Maddy Hunt about "Melody of Love."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

Phil: We got together to write songs for this album. Leeland came out to join us in December because I moved to CFNI in December, and I was told we were recording a live album in February but we only had two songs ready. We started writing songs, and I called Leeland to come help out, and this was one of the ideas he had for a song. We were going over it, and the song was amazing as we added verses. The chorus never changed and was the one part of the song that always stayed the same. 

I was walking around and we hit a wall. We had a good melody, but we needed a pre-chorus. The surprise of the co-write was that Maddy was humming and typing in the next room. Leeland looked at her and said, "Hey, you in there, do you want to come in and write with us?" She came in and helped us finish the song. She's an artist in her own right. She was typing emails and happened to overhear us and helped us with the song.

Maddy: Leeland already had the chorus written. It was so cool to jump in like that. I heard them singing in the next room, and for me it fits into the big picture of seeing the Lord sing over your life with His mercy and His plan and that special individual love and identity that He gives us. I've seen that in my own life, and it was awesome and an honor to be able to help finish this song.

Leeland: It was awesome, I was with my parents when the chorus came. My wife and I lived in Nashville for a couple of years, and we just moved back to Texas around Thanksgiving. Before we moved, my mom and dad came to Tennessee, and they needed help with music for a women's conference. So my brother Jack and I helped out along with my parents in providing music. During one of the sessions, the chorus to this song came to me. God dropped this song to us in that moment. I had the chorus and tried to work on the song with some other people, and wanted to make sure I was with the right people before we finished the song. I got connected with CFNI through Phil, and I joined in with them and we got together in December and finished it.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Zephaniah 3:17 (VOICE): "The Eternal your God is standing right here among you, and He is the champion who will rescue you. He will joyfully celebrate over you; He will rest in His love for you; He will joyfully sing because of you like a new husband."

Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV): "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Psalm 139:17-18 (NKJV): "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."

Philippians 4:6 (VOICE): "Don't be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come."

What is the takeaway message?

Leeland: It took a couple of years to finish "Lion and the Lamb," but this was a faster process. We all felt like it needed to be finished. Having Phil, David and Maddy there helped it happen. When you get together with others who love the Lord and love music the way you do, it's kind of like they see different facets of the diamond that you can't see. I think it's the same thing with co-writing songs. It's a special moment on the album. 

Matt Redman said, "The best worship songs are the ones that start in worship." As a songwriter, you can try your best to write a worship song, and it might make some impact. The songs that I feel really touch people everywhere start in worship. That was this song. The idea that the Bible says that Jesus is the Word, and in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word is God. When we were talking about how He was the Word that told the stars to burn, in the beginning was everything that was made. Without Jesus, not only would we not be here, but everything wouldn't be here. In Him we live and move and have our being. 

Not only did God prove His amazing power and beauty in His creation, He also proved His love in the Word becoming flesh. Jesus is the Word made flesh, and He demonstrated for us the life that we are called to live and then died on the cross on our behalf. The cross is personal for every one of us.

Phil: I just want to cry, thinking about Jesus. 

Lyrics:
You have searched and known me
Set Your eyes upon me I am undone
Every word before it's on my tongue
You know it nothing is hidden
Your voice and Your song
Lord, I can't ignore anymore
You are drawing me close to Your heart

I hear You singing over me
I hear You singing over me
I hear You singing over me
A melody of love

I was just a pile of dust and then
You breathed Your life into me
You're the Word that told the stars to burn
And yet You whisper to me 

Clothed in my sin on the cross
You cried out Your love for us 
Shaking up earth and sky
You rose again forever alive
Now You sing from Your throne to my heart

As Christians, our daily walk is about knowing Jesus and making Him known. We are all the hands and feet of Jesus, and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This song is about not settling where we are, but getting to where we should be. The chorus of this song is from God's perspective, as expressed in Zephaniah 3:17. We can all know that when we bring our heavy hearts to God in sincere prayer, He hears us and sings back to us. He wants a relationship with us, and He is rejoicing over us with singing, which blows me away every time I think about it. 

In his devotional book Glory Revealed, David Nasser says: "Every song we sing to the Lord is a duet and not a solo. The most marvelous thing about a relationship with God is that it is truly a dialogue. We aren't just sitting here on earth worshipping a Creator who simply soaks up our love, rather He's so involved in our affection, He's in the midst of it."

This song is all about trusting in God and confessing to Him and others when you fail or have struggles. Lay those at the feet of Jesus, and He'll take them from you and release you from that burden. God wants to hear from you. God wants us to boldly approach the Throne of mercy and grace to receive and obtain what we need from Him. We can't earn grace, and we can't do anything to gain life other than accept Jesus. Jesus loves us so much that He came down and took our punishment so that we can be with Him forever.

When you sing along with this great new song, make sure you are in prayer that you are submitting all of yourself to God. Jesus is ever true to His Word. What He spoke on earth, He affirms in heaven. The Word is a message of grace. We can all take comfort in the truth expressed in this song based God's Word: "I hear You singing over me, a melody of love."

Preview the song below.