Glory Is Rising

Wonder opens the song, with God described as "the wonder and the mystery" and "the melody that must be sung." Starfield adds an invitation, "we rejoice with all those who believe," and a time-spanning claim, "you're the song that was and is to come." The verse sets worship up as something larger than one group of singers.

The refrain describes a scene. "Glory is rising," it repeats, and "beautiful, beautiful the sound of redemption's song moving through the crowd." The crowd sings "great is our God" as "Your children crying out." Everything in it is auditory, so the song pictures the church not by what it looks like but by the sound it makes.

The second verse widens the circle. "From the earth our voices will ascend as an offering to You alone," the singers say, and ask that praises "echo without end" and "join the angel choir around the throne." Revelation 5:9 describes the new song of redemption, Revelation 5:11 the angels around the throne, and Psalm 96:1 calls the whole earth to sing to the Lord.