Who Can Say - The Bible Study
The lyrics of Who Can Say are a call and response to the goodness of God and His interaction with humanity and the universe around us. As we dive in to look at the questions asked in each verse, the answers can easily be found in scripture. The best way to go about studying the biblical truths in this song is by connecting the lyrics to the scripture that contextually correlates to what Elizabeth Rose intended for each phrase.
VERSE ONE
Who can say, that God does not exist ... When He fashioned the sun, moon and stars
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (KJV)
Deuteronomy 4:19 (Warning against idolatry) When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. (BSB)
Deuteronomy 17:2 (Warning Against False Worship) If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant 3 and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— 4 and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. (BSB)
Psalm 104:19 He [God] made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. (NIV)
Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to its going down. The Lord’s name is to be praised. (NKJV)
Psalm 136:7 He made the great lights — His loving devotion endures forever. 8 The sun to rule the day, His loving devotion endures forever. 9 The moon and stars to govern the night. His loving devotion endures forever.
Psalm 148:3 Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise Him, O highest heavens, and you waters above the skies.
Who can say, that God is not alive ... When His Spirit lives in me
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (KJV)
Acts 2:17 ‘In the last days, God says, “I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” (BSB)
Romans 8:9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. (BSB)
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (BSB)
I Corinthians 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. (BSB)
I Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (BSB)
I Corinthians 6:17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with Him in spirit. (BSB)
Who can say, that faith is not real ... When my God answers prayer
Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (BSB)
John 15:14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 17 This is My command to you: Love one another.
I John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (NIV)
Personal Reflection of Verse One
Imagine back to the moment in time when the universe as we know it was formless and void (Genesis 1:2). Now imagine God speaking into the atmosphere saying, “Let there be light”, and suddenly there was light.
That same spirit of God that spoke the universe into formation now lives inside of every believer. His spirit is oftentimes referred to as the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11
Have you asked Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior? Do you desire a deeper personal relationship with the creator of the universe? If you are not sure that you are saved, here is a simple prayer that you can pray to tell Jesus that you believe in Him.
Jesus, I come before you knowing that I am not perfect and that I have sinned against you. I ask forgiveness for each thing that I have done that was out of character with how you created me to function as a human being. I believe that you died on the cross to save me from my sins and that by believing in you I will get to spend eternity with you in heaven. I desire to know you like a friend. I choose to trust you with my life. Please guide and direct me from this day forward and help me to love you more each day. Amen!
CHORUS
Our God is a Great God who holds the world in His hands
Our God is a Great God who holds the world in His hands
BRIDGE
He will never let us go
His never ending love
Comes to our rescue
Psalm 95:1 Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. 3 For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. 4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. 5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. (NLT)
Colossians Chapter 3 … and especially 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (NLT)
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (NIV)
Psalm Chapter 136 … and especially 136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. (NIV)
II Samuel 22:17 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. 18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They confronted me in my day of calamity, but the LORD was my support. 20 He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me. (BSB)
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (BSB)
Romans 5:1-11 … and especially 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (NIV)
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (BSB)
Personal Reflection of the Chorus and Bridge
If God does in fact sustain the universe, keep all the planets orbiting in perfect formation, give life and energy to the plants and animals and all living things on earth, how much more does he care for us - the people he created in His image?
Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (NIV)
Do you believe that God loves you? No matter what you have or haven’t done in your life, and no matter what you think qualifies you or disqualifies you from being loved by an all-knowing God, he loves you. He loved you more than you can comprehend.
Luke 12:7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (NLT)
In our modern 21st century it is easy to get busy, tired and even exhausted by doing tasks. However, when we trust in the Lord to direct our path and we make time in our day to rest with him, he promises to renew our strength daily.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (NLT)
VERSE TWO
Who can say, that God has no pow’r ... When His vict’ry conquers death
John10:10-11 (Jesus as the good shepherd) 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (BSB)
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (BSB)
II Corinthians 2:14 (Triumph in Christ) But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 15 For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task? (BSB)
Colossians 2:13 When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (BSB)
Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. (BSB)
I Corinthians Chapter 15 … especially 15:55 “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” (BSB)
Who can say that God does not care ... When He heals the blind and the lame
I Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (BSB)
Luke 12:22-34 … especially 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. (BSB)
Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. (BSB)
Matthew 10: 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (BSB)
Who can say that God knows no pain ... When He counts ev’ry tear that we shed
Psalm 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle — are they not in Your book? (BSB)
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. (BSB)
Isaiah Chapter 53 … especially 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (BSB)
Personal Reflection of Verse Two
How have you seen the power of God at work in your life recently? How about throughout the course of your life?
Are there any care, worries, anxiety that you need to give the Lord today? He has the power to take the burdens you carry and replace them with joy.
Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (NIV)
Take a moment to imagine God holding a glass jar and each time you shed a tear it falls in the glass jar. He sees your tears and knows your pain. He feels your pain. Jesus felt your pain over 2,000 years ago when he was nailed to the cross. Jesus longs to be your comforter and your source of delight in Him.
VERSE THREE
Who can say that God does not speak ... When His voice whispers to me
I Kings 19:9-18 … especially 19:12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (BSB)
John 10:27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. (BSB)
Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ (BSB)
John 16:5-16 … especially 16:13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. (BSB)
Psalm 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them. (BSB)
Who can say that God does not sing ... When His melody comforts my soul
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” (BSB)
Who can say that God does not love ... When He sent Jesus to Earth
I John 4:7-20 … especially 4:9 This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 10 And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Personal Reflection of Verse Three
Is there a time in your life when you have heard the Lord speak to you, when you just felt in your heart that it was his spirit speaking to you?
Take a moment to say a prayer and ask the Lord to speak to you right now.
Lord, I am here ready to listen to you. I don’t need to talk to you. I just want to listen. What would you like to tell me?
So what did you hear? Was it comforting to your soul?
Now take another minute to say this prayer and listen.
Jesus, how do you see me? Would you show me how you see me through your eyes?
And now to finish this bible study, I encourage you to play the song “Who Can Say” by Elizabeth Rose. Just sit and listen as the Lord speaks to your heart about the truths sung through the powerful declarative lyrics.
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Note From Elizabeth Rose
I hope that you enjoyed taking a deeper look into this song and learning a little about my personal life’s journey in the bio. It is my desire to share this original song and the other two, “It Is Well” and “Just As I Am” from the compilation “Peace Like A River” as a way to encourage, uplift and inspire your daily walk with the Lord. I would be so honored if you help me share this bible study with those you love. Together, let’s make the name of Jesus known around the world!
Visit my website to purchase the music and bible study compilation and to stay connected with the journey the Lord is taking me on. www.ElizabethRoseMedia.com
Abundant Blessings,
Elizabeth Rose