Faith is such a powerful thing that every culture has something they believe in. The songs below are songs about God, however, they’re not rooted to any one religion. The beauty of these songs is that you can interpret them to suit your own personal beliefs. So whatever you may be going through, may these songs help give you the strength to get through it.
Joan Osborne – What If God Was One of Us
Let’s start off this list with some thought-provoking questions about God. In What If God Was One of Us, Joan Osborne asks us how we would react if God acted the same way as other regular people. It’s a commentary on how we should be able to see that God is in fact within all of us, no matter how imperfect we are.
Lyrics about God: What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin’ to make his way home?
Creed – With Arms Wide Open
Creed vocalist Scott Stapp wrote this song after he found out that he was going to be a father. Growing up in a very strict Christian household, he didn’t want his children to end up questioning his faith the way Scott did, so he wrote this song. He says, “Don’t we always want our kids to be better than us? Don’t we always want them to have a better experience in this life and this journey than we did? So I think that from my point of view I’m beginning to see why that song struck a chord with multiple generations: because it touches on a feeling and sentiments that are universal for fathers, and for parents in general.”
Lyrics about God: If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he’s not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open
Carrie Underwood – Jesus Take the Wheel
Jesus Take the Wheel might just be one of the most popular faith-centered songs in the modern music industry. The song is about a woman who is driving on the road with her infant daughter in the back. However, she loses control of the car. In what she thought were her final moments, she asks Jesus to take the wheel. Miraculously, she survives and leads a more devout life because of the experience.
Lyrics about God: Jesus, take the wheel
Take it from my hands
‘Cause I can’t do this on my own
I’m letting go
So give me one more chance
And save me from this road I’m on
Jesus, take the wheel
Collective Soul – Shine
Collective Soul has continuously rejected the Christian connotations of this song because they believe that faith can’t be dictated by just one doctrine. However, they did intent this song to be spiritual. Shine can be interpreted as the singer’s plea for heaven’s light to shine down upon him.
Lyrics about God: Give me a word
Give me a sign
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find
Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find
Oh, heaven let your light shine down
Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
Did you know that this song was originally called Silent Story by Norwegian pianist Rolf Lovland? Josh Groban’s performance of this song on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2004 gave it a huge popularity boost, with over a hundred artists covering the song. That just goes to show how powerful the message of this song is!
Lyrics about God: You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up, to more than I can be
Natasha Bedingfield – Pocketful of Sunshine
You may know this as the infectious tune from Emma Stone’s movie Easy A, but did you know that this song can actually be interpreted as a spiritual song? You can take it as always having God on your side in the form of a pocketful of sunshine. And when you have God with you wherever you go, sticks and stones can’t touch you
Lyrics about God: I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love, and I know that it’s all mine
Oh, oh whoa
Do what you want, but you’re never gonna break me
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me
No, oh whoa
George Strait – I Saw God Today
This 2008 country song is about a new father whose daughter was just born. Because of his new title as a father, he starts to see the fingerprints of God everywhere – from the sunset to the flowers growing in the cracks on the sidewalk. He starts to see the world from a new perspective – one where he sees God in everything.
Lyrics about God: I’ve been to church,
I’ve read the book,
I know He’s there,
But I don’t look,
near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere,
I just look down and stop and stare,
open my eyes and then I swear,
I saw God today
Leeann Rimes – I Need You
I Need You is Christian pop song about needing God in your life. In this song, Leann sings about not needing much in this world. However, there’s just one thing she needs in her life and that’s her love for God. She describes God as many things like the hope that moves her, the love that rescues her, and the freedom that carries her through everything.
Lyrics about God: I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From Heaven’s gate
There’s a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you
Cat Stevens – Morning Has Broken
If you were already alive in the early 70s, you may think this song sounds a lot like a popular Gaelic hymn. In reality, Cat Stevens was inspired by the lyrics of a hymn book that he found at a bookstore. And since both are songs of praise, he was able to create a quiet and sincere song of praise for each morning we get to see.
Lyrics about God: Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world
Dishwalla – Counting Blue Cars
Many people have considered this song to be quite cryptic, and that might just be a metaphor for how cryptic the quest for God can be. The song is about a man and a child taking a walk. They count blue cars and they veer off into a conversation about the child asking how far away he is from finding God.
Lyrics about God: We said, “Tell me all your thoughts on God
‘Cause I’d really like to meet her.
And ask her why we’re who we are.”
Tell me all your thoughts on God
‘Cause I’m on my way to see her
So tell me, am I very far
Am I very far now
A Perfect Circle – Judith
Along with songs praising God, we also need to include at least one song that questions His authority. Judith was the name of Maynard Keenan’s mother. She was a religious person who grew even more religious when a stroke left her paralyzed. He’s saying that his mother was a god Christian who believed in God, and yet God chose to leave her paralyzed.
Lyrics about God: Oh so many many ways for me to show you
How your dogma has abandoned you
Pray to your Christ, to your god
Never taste of the fruit
Never stray, never break
Never choke on a lie
Even though he’s the one who did this to you
You never thought to question why
Switchfoot – You
Switchfoot has always been known as Christian alternative band, and they’ve never denied their religious roots. In the song You, they describe how God is able to guide them through various experiences in their life. It’s through god that they find peace and hope; and they want to find themselves lost in God.
Lyrics about God: I find peace when I’m confused
I find hope when I’m let down
Not in me, in You
It’s in You
Kanye West – Jesus Walks
Say what you want about Kanye’s persona, but you can’t deny that he is a lyrical genius. In Jesus Walks, Kanye critiques society, its constant racism, and the war we have within ourselves. He sings about how radio stations refuse to play songs with “Jesus” in the title, and yet anyone can sing about guns, sex, lies, video tapes.
Lyrics about God: God show me the way because the Devil’s tryin’ to break me down
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don’t fail me now
And I don’t think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
I want to talk to God, but I’m afraid because we ain’t spoke in so long, so long
Splender – I Think God Can Explain
In some cases, it’s a song about God that can get you out of a heartbroken slump. In this song, the vocalist sings about missing someone who meant a lot to him. However, he leaves it up to God to enlighten him as to why he had to have his heart broken.
Lyrics about God: It’s alright, I’m O.K.
I think God can explain
I believe I’m the same
I get caried away
It’s alright, I’m O.K.
I think God can explain
I’m relieved I’m relaxed
I’ll get over it yet
Bette Midler – From a Distance
From a Distance was written by Julie Gold when she was inspired by the way things are and the way things seem. That’s why the lyrics of this song seem so serene despite the violence and tragedy happening on earth. It’s a reminder that there’s God out there watching over all of us, and he can clearly see that we’re all one species playing the same songs and marching through life the same way.
Lyrics about God: From a distance you look like my friend
Even though we are at war
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
What all this fighting’s for
From a distance there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
And it’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
It’s the heart of every man
It’s the hope of hopes
It’s the love of loves
This is the song for every man
We hope these songs were able to strengthen your faith and your relationship with God!
