Worship video goes viral: UK churches unite to sing blessing over the nation
Over 65 churches in the United Kingdom linked arms during these challenging times for an emotional digital performance of Cody Carnes and Kari Jobe's Christian anthem, “The Blessing.”
Encouraged by The Pittsburgh Blessing, which consisted of a group of churches in the U.S. that recorded the worship song, hundreds in the U.K. followed suit to sing a blessing over their land. The video has since gone viral and has over 1.7 million views as of Friday.
“Standing together as one, our desire is that this song will fill you with hope and encourage you,” the video caption reads.
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“The church is not simply singing a blessing, each day we're looking to practically be a blessing. Many of the churches included in this song have assisted with supplying over 400,000 meals to the most vulnerable and isolated in our nation since COVID-19 lockdown began. This alongside phone calls to the isolated, pharmacy delivery drops and hot meals to the NHS frontline hospital staff.
"Our buildings may be closed but the church is very much alive!”
Tim Hughes, participant of the U.K. Blessing, opened up to Premier On Demand what was the true heart behind the recording.
"I think there are some songs that when you sing them or when you hear them, something just shifts,” Hughes said. “You can't make it happen, you can't manufacture, some songs they come and go where it just connects in a deep way.”
He added, “I think it's such a unique time of global crisis, global uncertainty, spiritual hunger and inquisitiveness that we're seeing in the U.K. So many people are fascinated by prayer and church online attendance has gone through the roof. I think just this song [helps] to know that actually God is for us.”
Other countries are also recording their own versions of “The Blessing.” “The Blessing South Africa” also has hundreds of thousands of views.
The track was written by Jobe, Carnes, Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick and Elevation worship leader Chris Brown.
"The Blessing" was taken “straight from Scripture and it’s the heart of the Father for His kids,” Jobe shared in the video of the live performance.
Below are the lyrics to “The Blessing” taken from Numbers 6 in the Bible.
The Lord bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.
May His favor be upon you and a thousand generations and your family and your children and their children. May His presence go before you and behind you and beside you, all around you and within you. He is with you in the morning, in the evening, in your coming and your going, in your weeping and rejoicing. He is for you.
