“The vibe is way off.”
Have you ever entered an event and something seemed off? Perhaps you walked into a funeral, and the pre-service music was Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration.” Maybe you went to a workshop about getting out of debt, only to discover a credit card company sponsored it.
Those whiplash moments would leave you confused. Some people might have this initial reaction to hearing "WASHED" by ELEVATION RHYTHM. Consider the event that led to us being washed - the crucifixion of Jesus. Isaiah prophesied the events of the cross in chapter 53.
"Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”
Whenever I read those words, I get quiet and overwhelmed. What Jesus did on the cross to save sinners and wash away my sins is heavy! Meditating on His suffering makes me somber and even overwhelmed.
Yet, as I listened to “WASHED” by Elevation Rhythm, the vibe was anything but heavy. The lyrics clearly describe the connection between what Jesus did and its meaning for us. Yet, they bring a celebratory tone.
“I’m ransomed and redeemed Standing in Your victory Oh hallelujah
I’ve been washed in the water, Washed in the blood
I’m as good as new
Oh hallelujah”
While the song is titled “WASHED,” the most common word used is “hallelujah.” Elevation Rhythm brings their energetic personality and positive vibes, embodying the Hebrew word “Praise the Lord.” When this song was released, Josh Holiday (a member of the band and co-writer of the song) shared the following reflection. “The message of being made clean through the cross collides with these bright, guitar-pop sonics that feel fun, free, and full of life. It’s worshipful, but it also makes you want to move… Our hope is that people carry it like an anthem — something they don’t just sing, but believe and celebrate in their everyday lives.”
When we reflect on what Jesus did for us and how we have been washed clean by His blood, it can be mind-blowing! ELEVATION RHYTHM’s jubilant response isn't misplaced. “Oh Hallelujah” is an appropriate reaction when we truly grasp what Christ accomplished." Consider these five Scriptural truths that form the foundation of “WASHED.”
First, Jesus loved us first. 1 John 4:10 states, "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."
Second, Jesus didn’t save us because we deserved it. Titus 3:5 announces, "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit."
Third, Jesus gave His life when we were at our worst. Ephesians 2:4-5 proclaims. "But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!)"
Fourth, Jesus took our place and paid our penalty. 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ."
Fifth, Jesus’ blood forgives and transforms those who trust in Him. Revelation 7:14 reports, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.”
Many songs explore these kinds of Biblical truths with quiet, somber reverence. I love those songs. But, there’s also a place for songs which communicate deep, weighty truths with bright, bold joy. I so appreciate what Holiday described in an interview with RELEVANT Magazine where he shared, “We’re always exploring. What does it sound like to tell the Gospel in this way? What does it sound like to portray Jesus in that light? That’s what keeps us going.”
Psalm 96 opens with a call to bring new songs to the Lord. “Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.”
“WASHED” is a new song about a very old truth. In Jesus, we are loved, forgiven, and made clean. Through His blood, prophesied over 2700 years ago, we can be transformed today. In a world where bad news and depression abound, we need to remember and sing “Hallelujah.”
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
