Before Phil Wickham’s latest studio album, “Song Of The Saints,” even released, advance track “Homesick For Heaven” was already a fan favorite. And for good reason. “Homesick For Heaven” is classic Wickham — poetic lyrics fused with an emotive vocal and wrapped in an anthemic melody. That winning formula makes every listener ache for the home Wickham so articulately describes by the time the four-minute composition concludes.
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Not only is there an intrinsic yearning baked into the original, there’s also an urgency to it as Wickham subtly implores us to run hard after Jesus and the Kingdom He’s building here on earth in anticipation of the glorious eternity that awaits.
“I’ve written several songs about heaven over the years, but ‘Homesick For Heaven’ may be the one that moves me the most. It all started with a line that came out while writing: ‘I want to see my children run to Your arms.’ That image lit something inside of me — a deep ache and a deeper hope,” Wickham explains of the offering he co-penned with longtime collaborator Jonathan Smith. “The thought of my kids experiencing the presence, joy and healing of Jesus — it undid me. And it reminded me: Every human heart was made for that.”
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A tear-inducing anthem, “Homesick For Heaven” will undoubtedly become a hallmark of Wickham’s career, even if it never achieves the commercial success of its predecessor, “What An Awesome God,” which recently became the SoCal native’s first entry into the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Across the new radio single, he paints a beautiful portrait of a loving Father waiting, with open arms, to welcome His children home.
“We were created to walk with God, to live in the fullness of His love, forever. Heaven isn’t just a distant dream; it’s the truest home, where Jesus reigns, sorrow is no more and death is gone for good. That promise stirs me — not just for the future, but for how I live right now,” Wickham continues. “I pray this song breathes hope into the brokenhearted and puts wind in the sails of those who are longing for more. This one carries eternity in it.”
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The father of four is currently sharing “Homesick For Heaven,” and other freshly minted selections from “Song Of The Saints,” in arenas across the country as he leads this fall’s “Air1 Worship Now Tour,” alongside fellow artists Josh Baldwin, Charity Gayle and Benjamin William Hastings.
