Phil Wickham
An exceptional corporate celebration of Christ's resurrection and ongoing power, biblically rooted in Psalm 126 and the resurrection narratives, theologically clear, and musically accessible. The octave leap in the chorus and sustained high notes present the primary singability challenge, manageable with key adjustment. A strong choice for Easter, baptism, testimony services, or any worship gathering needing a robust declaration of gospel victory.
Five lenses
Deeply rooted in Psalm 126:3 as its theological anchor—'The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy'—with strong resurrection theology from the Gospels and Acts, liberation language from Isaiah 61 and Luke 4, and divine attributes grounded in Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8. The song functions as a Christianized reading of Psalm 126, applying Israel's restoration joy to Christ's resurrection victory.
The song presents a clear gospel arc: worship invitation (verse), completed redemption (chorus), present-tense transformation (verse 2), and eternal doxology (bridge). Christ's finished work at the cross and empty tomb becomes the basis for ongoing liberation in believers' lives. The tension between completed action ('You conquered') and continuing reality ('You do great things') is handled well, reflecting realized eschatology without confusion.
The verses sit in a comfortable mid-range with stepwise motion and accessible phrasing. The chorus presents the primary challenge: an octave leap followed by sustained high-range singing. The bridge offers relief with repeated 'Hallelujah' on accessible pitches. Rhythm is straightforward 4/4 with clear downbeats. Melodic contour is memorable and reinforces lyric content, particularly the ascending line on 'great things.'
The lyric demonstrates strong poetic craft with internal rhyme schemes, alliteration ('conquered,' 'captive,' 'chain'), and memorable phrasing. The Psalm 126 refrain serves as a theological anchor preventing drift. Imagery balances concrete (grave, chains, captives) with abstract (above it all, unshakable) effectively. The repetition ratio is moderate at 20%, providing singability without tedium. Corporate voice dominates appropriately for a celebration song.
Primarily corporate in voice. No congregational concern.
The primary objections center on the Hero title's cultural contemporaneity and the high vocal range. Both are manageable: the Hero language is immediately contextualized by resurrection and liberation theology, and the range issue is solved by key reduction. Theologically, the song is defensible from multiple scriptural angles. Liturgically, it fits Baptist worship culture's celebratory ethos well. The strongest defense is its rootedness in Psalm 126—this is not fabricated theology but biblical celebration applied to Christ.
Full analysis
Great Things functions as a Christianized reading of Psalm 126, taking Israel's celebration of restoration and applying it to the resurrection of Christ. The psalm's refrain—'The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy'—becomes the song's theological anchor, preventing the contemporary language and musical energy from drifting into vague celebration. This rootedness in a specific text gives the song doctrinal weight that much modern worship lacks. The move from 'has done' (completed action) to 'You do' (ongoing reality) reflects sound realized eschatology: Christ's finished work continues to produce present transformation.
The chorus presents Christ as the Victor over death and the Liberator of captives, drawing from resurrection narratives and Jesus' Nazareth sermon in Luke 4. The Hero title, while culturally contemporary, is immediately defined by biblical content: conquering the grave, freeing captives, breaking chains. This is not superhero mythology but gospel proclamation in language accessible to younger worshipers. The risk is cultural dating; the benefit is immediate comprehension in a generation shaped by hero narratives. Baptist worship leaders should weigh their congregation's culture carefully here—some will find it fresh, others will find it jarring.
The bridge shifts to pure doxology with 'Hallelujah' repeated over declarations of God's supremacy and immutability. 'God above it all' functions poetically but lacks precision—above trials, creation, spiritual powers? The phrase works because of what surrounds it: 'God unshakable' and 'Hallelujah' provide theological context. The bridge offers both a musical and theological rest—musically, it drops into a more accessible range; theologically, it moves from narrative (what God has done) to worship (who God is). This structure mirrors the Psalms' pattern of recounting God's deeds before declaring His character.
The singability challenge is real but solvable. The octave leap and sustained high notes will exclude many voices in the original key, but transposing to F or E brings the ceiling down to a manageable range without sacrificing the song's anthemic quality. Worship leaders must decide: do we preserve the recording's sound or maximize congregational participation? The latter is usually the more pastoral choice. Musically, the song is well-crafted with memorable melodic contour and clear rhythmic drive. Theologically, it's grounded in Scripture and celebrates core gospel realities. Poetically, it balances contemporary accessibility with biblical imagery. This is a strong addition to the modern worship catalog, particularly for celebrations of resurrection power—Easter, baptism, testimony services, or any gathering needing a robust declaration of Christ's victory.
Defense brief
Who raises this: Liturgically conservative members, older adults, those wary of cultural accommodation
While 'Hero' as a Christological title lacks direct biblical precedent, the concept of Christ as champion/victor is biblical. Hebrews 2:10 calls Jesus the 'archegos' (pioneer, champion, captain) of our salvation. Revelation 5:5 declares Him the Lion who has conquered. The song immediately defines what 'Hero' means: 'You conquered the grave, You free every captive'—this is resurrection and liberation language rooted in 1 Corinthians 15 and Isaiah 61.
This song borrows a contemporary word to express an ancient truth: Christ is the victor over sin, death, and Satan. The Hero title may not appear in Scripture, but the reality it points to saturates the New Testament. By verse's end, we're singing 'great things' directly from Psalm 126.
Who raises this: Male singers, older adults, music leaders with mixed-voice congregations
This is a valid musical concern with a simple solution: transpose down to F or E. The original key serves recorded performance well but isn't mandatory for congregational use. Lowering the key preserves the song's energy while making it accessible to a broader range of voices.
Who raises this: Theologically trained members concerned about gospel clarity
The language comes from Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18, where Jesus declares His mission to 'proclaim freedom for the prisoners.' This is a statement of Christ's sufficient provision and authoritative power, not automatic salvation. Just as the Jubilee year proclaimed liberty to all captives (Leviticus 25) but required individual response, Christ's atonement is sufficient for all but effective for those who believe (1 John 2:2, John 3:16-18).
This line celebrates what Christ has accomplished and offers to all, not what happens apart from faith. The song functions as declaration of good news, which by definition must be announced before it's received. We sing 'every captive' because Christ's power isn't limited—His offer is universal even though His salvation is personal.
Scripture map
Primary foundations
Supporting connections
Story behind the song
Phil Wickham wrote Great Things during the sessions for his 2018 album Living Hope, a project focused on the resurrection and its ongoing power in believers' lives. The song emerged from Wickham's meditation on Psalm 126:3 and his desire to create a corporate celebration anthem that would work for both Easter services and year-round worship.
Artist interviews, 2018-2019
The song was co-written with Jonas Myrin, a Swedish songwriter known for collaborative work on several major modern worship songs. The pairing brought together Wickham's melodic sensibility with Myrin's lyrical craft, resulting in the song's balance of singable verses and anthemic chorus.
CCLI songwriter credits
Great Things quickly became one of the most-used songs from the Living Hope album, resonating particularly with younger congregations and contemporary worship contexts. Its Easter usage is prominent, but many churches report using it year-round for baptism services, testimony gatherings, and celebrations of God's ongoing work in their communities.
Worship leader reports and CCLI usage data
Themes
Sermon series fit
Audience fit
Maturity
Accessible to seekers through straightforward resurrection language; deep enough for mature believers through scriptural grounding in Psalm 126 and Isaiah 61. Works across maturity spectrum.
Age group
Strongest appeal to millennials and Gen Z through contemporary musical style and Hero language. Accessible to older adults if key is lowered and cultural context for Hero title is provided. All ages can engage the Hallelujah bridge.
Service type
Ideal for celebratory services: Easter, baptism, testimony services, mission celebration. Works in contemporary worship settings; less suitable for traditional liturgical contexts due to style and Hero language. Strong fit for multi-generational contemporary services.
Visitor-friendly
Highly visitor-friendly—clear resurrection message, memorable melody, corporate voice invites participation. No insider church language barriers. The Hero title is culturally accessible to unchurched visitors familiar with hero narratives.
Special contexts
Particularly effective for baptism services (liberation imagery), Easter sunrise services (resurrection focus), youth/young adult gatherings (musical style and energy), and any service celebrating stories of transformation or God's faithfulness.
Similar songs
If you love this song
Living Hope - Phil Wickham (same album, similar energy and theology)
Graves Into Gardens - Elevation Worship (transformation and resurrection themes)
The Lion and the Lamb - Leeland (victory of Christ imagery)
Resurrecting - Elevation Worship (Easter celebration, similar style)
O Praise the Name (Anástasis) - Hillsong Worship (resurrection focus, more contemplative)
If this concerns you
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today - Charles Wesley (classic Easter hymn, traditional language)
Because He Lives - Bill Gaither (resurrection confidence, more accessible range)
Crown Him with Many Crowns - Matthew Bridges (Christ as victor, hymn format)
In Christ Alone - Keith Getty/Stuart Townend (gospel clarity, more narrative structure)
How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin (God's attributes, simpler melodic range)