This contemporary Christian hit has roots grounded in Psalm 103.
A young boy born (1974) and raised in Watford, England experienced the death of his father when he was just seven years old. His mother remarried to a man who was very abusive to the family and this situation took a great toll on the family members. The boy became a Christian at age 10 and attended the Anglican Church of St. Andrew’s Charleywood in Hertfordshire. There he learned to play the guitar and lead worship.
He moved his wife and family to Atlanta, GA in 2008 to help start Passion City Church with Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin. In July, 2012, his new hit 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) topped the Billboard Christian Songs chart and remained at the top for 13 weeks. Matt Redman and his family moved back to the UK in 2010.
The inspiration to write this praise song came from Psalm 103 and a 19th century English hymn Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven by Henry Lyte.
Other than Psalm 23, Psalm 103 may be the basis for the most hymns ever written (from a Psalm). Going back to 1680, we find another very well-known hymn based on Psalm 103, Praise to the Lord the Almighty (UM #139) written by the first significant hymn-writer of the German Reformed Church, Joachim Neander.
Psalm 103 and 10,000 Reasons begin with “bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name”. The psalm goes on to identify the reasons we should bless the Lord, as follows:
- He forgives my sins,
- He heals my diseases (spiritual),
- He redeems me from Hell,
- He crowns me with steadfast love and mercy,
- He is good to me,
- He is slow to anger,
- He will not stay angry,
- He does not deal with me according to my sins,
- His love for those who fear Him is infinite,
- He removes my sin from me.
Ten…….thousand reasons for why we should bless the Lord. The psalmist calls forth these blessings from three sources:
- Personal – my soul,
- Corporate – all those who fear Him,
- Universal – all His works.
He has done all this for us. What should our response be ….. according to the psalmist?
We should
- Forget not all his benefits,
- Bless the Lord,
- Do his commandments.
I pray for the grace to bless the Lord, O my soul. If I were so occupied, there would be little time or opportunity to find fault with others and to continue in my sin. May this song be in my heart and may I sing it and worship Him daily.
— H. Carter
Hymns for Him 