Vertical Worship's live worship albums have been highly anticipated since their first release Live Worship From Vertical Church, which included the hit songs "Not for a Moment (After All)" and "Open up the Heavens," featuring worship leader Meredith Andrews. They followed that up with more songs for the church, including "The Rock Won't Move," "Found in You," "Lamb of God," "Spirit of the Living God," "Exalted Over All" and "Frontiers."

Frontiers is the fourth full-length worship album by Vertical Worship, and it was one of my Top 10 Worship Albums of 2016. The group is a ministry formed out of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, composed of worship leaders Meredith Andrews, Jacob Sooter, Andi Rozier, Kyle Fredericks, Jon Guerra, Lauren Smith, Tara Cruz and Gabe Finochio. I had the chance to speak with Andi Rozier in person about "1000 Tongues."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

I've been friends with Jason Ingram for over 10 years. I have these little sweet writing days with him where I just enjoy his friendship, and he has so much accessible to him based on his relationships in music. We were finishing up a day of writing songs together, and we had about an hour left. He told me that he had these audio recordings of this song that he'd been trying to piece together but had never been able to land. He asked me if I wanted to take a stab at it, not knowing what was going to happen. 

On a personal level, we have learned over the years that there's a greater song inside the song itself. Even before the song gets talked about, the greater song is that I have a friend who trusts me and pulls me into a song that also involved Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, Matt Maher and Jonas Myrin. How did I end up listening to voice memos of Matt and Chris working on a song together? I loved it when I heard the song, but it was all in pieces. I sat there with it, and between Jason and I, we had one of those sweet hours of worship. 

Jason authentically gets excited about things, or doesn't. It's all on the surface. When he starts jumping around and getting giddy, we have something. I love that the basis for the song was written by a guy in the 1700s: "O for a thousand tongues to sing." I love how something written so long ago can continue to speak to generations, now with a new modern melody.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Psalm 33:1-3 (The Voice): "Release your heart's joy in sweet music to the Eternal. When the upright passionately sing glory-filled songs to Him, everything is in its right place. Worship the Eternal with your instruments, strings offering their praise; write awe-filled songs to Him on the 10-stringed harp. Sing to Him a new song; play each the best way you can, and don't be afraid to be bold with your joyful feelings.

Psalm 5:11 (ESV): "But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You."

Psalm 150:2 (The Voice): "Praise Him for His powerful acts, redeeming His people. Praise Him for His greatness that surpasses our time and understanding."

Colossians 3:16 (The Voice): "Let the word of the Anointed One richly inhabit your lives. With all wisdom teach, counsel, and instruct one another. Sing the psalms, compose hymns and songs inspired by the Spirit, and keep on singing--sing to God from hearts full and spilling over with thankfulness."

Psalm 95:1-3 (KJV): "Come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods."

What is the takeaway message?

I got excited when I heard the song and helped finish it. I love the call to worship: "we are a sea of voices, we are an ocean of Your praise, gathered under one name." It's exciting. I've used the song a few times in church where we sang verse four of the original hymn a couple of times and then popped into this song. We love seeing in the eyes of the worshippers how they can connect with the words, older generations, and younger generations. I love how the song calls people to worship, gathered under one name. I love how you don't need a thousand people in the room to sing about the metaphoric picture of a thousand tongues. 

I don't know when this song was originally written whether the writer had ever been in a room with over 30 people, so this picture of a thousand people sounded like a huge number of people to him. Worshippers can multiply other worshippers, and there's so much depth to those thoughts as we sing this song. I can't really take any credit for the song itself, other than the wonderful joy of being invited in to help put it all together. 

I've been involved in the opening tracks of all of our albums: "Open up the Heavens," "Found in You," "All the Earth" and this song. I love those anthems that gather people to worship and the energy that they bring.

Lyrics:
We are a sea of voices, 
We are an ocean of Your praise
Gathered under one name
We are a tide that's rising, 
And we cannot be contained
Gathered under one name

O for a thousand tongues to sing 
The glories of our Lord God Almighty
O to sing the Savior's praise, 
The triumph of His grace
You are worthy
You are worthy God

We have found our anthem, 
At the cross where sin was slain
Gathered under one name
Where every chain is broken, 
Every sorrow swept away
Gathered under one name

With All heaven sing, and All earth below
One holy King, One highest throne 

"1000 Tongues" is a modern hymn of the faith inspired by "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing." One of the things I love about hymns is that they tend to be Scripture-based songs, and rather than singing about us and how we are feeling about life, they are focused on Jesus, as He is who we are singing these songs about. It is a great reminder that if we're not worshipping God, we're placing our worship or our "worth ship" in something other than Him.

God is worthy of all of our praise and adoration. That is cause to lift up our hearts and our voices and proclaim: "O for a thousand tongues to sing, the glories of our Lord God Almighty." Jesus is still walking with us now, even in the midst of our troubles and suffering. Take heart and stand amazed. We should have amazement at the Presence of God and that His Holy Spirit is dwelling in each of us who are followers of Jesus. 

As believers, we need to show our witness of God not only in our times of hardship but also show our witness by leaning into Him and showing our joy in terms of celebrating God. That in some ways is just as powerful and inspirational a witness. Joy isn't just a happy emotion. It is also a deep peace and understanding of knowing that we are loved without a shadow of a doubt. We should not be ashamed to sing of our dependence on God and show Him reverence. This is a great new worship song for the Church, and I love to sing to Him: "O to sing the Savior's praise, the triumph of His grace, You are worthy, You are worthy God." Amen to that!

Watch the music video below.