With a career nearing twenty years, and a discography spanning ten albums, I was left wondering if album ten was going to reinvent Phil Wickham's career, or provide more of the same that we're used to. With Song Of The Saints, what I feel we got was more of the latter than the former, for better or worse.
The album kicks off with "So So Good," which is a somewhat generic opener. Luckily, things pick up with "Able," a song that reminds us that God can do anything He wants, and album highlight "What An Awesome God," a song that re-interprets Rich Mullins' 1988 hit, "Awesome God."
Things slow down with the title track, "Song of the Saints," which is a declaration of glory to God and sonds heartfelt coming from Phil. "Homesick for Heaven" sees Phil longing for the day that he gets to go to heaven and walk alongside all his biblical heroes that he read about in the Bible, and thank God face-to-face for everything that He has done in his life. "Flowers" is a step back, with a repetitive chorus, and after one listen, you feel like you can skip this song on subsequent play-throughs.
Things pick back up with "The King is in the Room," the first single released for the album. "God is Good" utilizes a simple piano and hand claps, making it stand out despite the repetitive reminder in the lyrics that God is good. "Running to a Runaway" weaves intricate imagery into the lyrics to become a standout, reminding us that even when we lose our way, God will still find us. "Resurrection Story" sees Phil give God the glory for His death and resurrection.
"Because He Lives (Moment)" is another interpretation of a classic gospel song -- in this case, the 2001 Bill and Gloria Gaither song "Because He Lives." At under two minutes in length, it is the shortest song in the track list and it doesn't add much to the album. "What if I Told You" is unique in that it starts off like a spoken word poem and ends with the words of the late reverend Billy Graham himself. "The Day I Met You" sees Phil explaining how his life changed ever since he gave his life to God.
"Miracle Maker" is a song about all the miracles that God has done and can do, while "Wonderous Cross" sees Phil reminded of what happened upon the cross, and thankful for it. "The Stand (Amen)" is the final track on the album and final interpretation of a classic gospel song; this time, it's the 2006 song "The Stand" by Hillsong United.
All in all, at sixteen tracks, Song Of The Saints feels like a few could be cut to make a more cohesive album, in particular some of the interpretations. Hopefully his next album is a step up from this one, but I still mostly enjoyed Song Of The Saints for what it is.
JFH Reader Review: Review date: 9/16/25, written by Matthew Spiker for Jesusfreakhideout.com
![]() Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:50:00 EST |
![]() Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:25:00 EST |
![]() Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:20:00 EST |
![]() Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:40:00 EST |
![]() Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:20:00 EST |
![]() Mon, 06 Oct 2025 19:10:00 EST |
![]() Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:50:00 EST |