Hello, Grace! Posted November 05, 2020 By KevinDavis_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know Veteran trio Selah returns with Step Into My Story, a much-anticipated album following up 2019's Firm Foundation and 2017’s Unbreakable. Those albums featured the standout songs, "Let The Saints Sing" and "I Got Saved." Selah means “pause” in Hebrew. “Our band name means ‘to pause’ — we borrowed it from the Psalms, and it’s appropriate for us right now because we literally paused, reevaluated our past, thought through next steps and are moving forward with the most incredible team and fan base anyone could ask for,” says Selah’s Todd Smith. The group’s 16th album invites listeners to pause, reflect and share their own stories.
What it Sounds Like From the beginning, Selah has had a desire to make music that matters, that stretches beyond entertainment and stretches the parameters of popular worship music. I greatly enjoy the stirring vocals, prayerful lyrics and the musical arrangements. This worshipful album captivates me with its honesty and stirring lyrics, especially the standout songs, “Step Into My Story,” “When They Hear It” and “Hello, Grace.”
Spiritual Highlights I love how prayers and songs of praise are a communal experience that we can all share. I think the Lord wants us to long for Heaven. When we've been indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we have a personal relationship with the Comforter and a peace that surpasses understanding to know that this fallen world isn't all that we are living for, ultimately. “Hello, Grace” is a worshipful response to our Savior reflecting the blessed hope of someone who understands the Good News of grace. In this post-election haze, being reminded about grace will be more important than ever. Not only receiving grace but granting it to others. The song proclaims, “Hello, Grace, it’s good to see You, I thought I’d have to pray a thousand prayers to reach You, I shouldn’t be surprised, You’re right on time, the way You’ve always been through every chapter of my life, hello, Grace.”
Best Song on the Record You can sincerely sing these prayerful lyrics, and cling to the truth of these powerful songs. There are several standout songs on the album. Many of the songs are arranged in a very sing-able and catchy style, such as "Step Into My Story" which is filled with great statements of faith. "When They Hear It" is yet another great song. The song has a great worshipful chorus with Selah singing "Sing it, shout it, there’s wonder-working power when they hear it, It changes nations, miracles will happen when they hear it." A song that I can’t get out of my head is "Hello, Grace" so I’ll highlight that song as the must-download track, but you’ll want the whole album.
Final Word Something I've long appreciated about Selah's music ministry is the focus on the Word of God in their lyrics, such as in their classics "Wonderful, Merciful Savior," "You Raise Me Up" and "Before the Throne of God Above." Continuing in their traditional style, Step Into My Story is comprised of a mix of song styles. There is newly written material like "Step Into My Story," "When They Hear It" and "Hello Grace," along with new recordings of the older hymns "What A Friend We Have in Jesus," "Nothing But the Blood" and "Shall We Gather At The River/The Water is Wide." There are also modern worship songs done in Selah's signature style, including a new arrangement of "Living Hope." If you’ve always enjoyed Selah’s contemporary style including vocal harmonizing and worshipful lyrics, you’ll love Step Into My Story which will have you singing loudly, “Hello, Grace!”
