The collaboration between Brandon Lake and Elevation Worship represents a convergence of congregational worship and deeply personal testimony. Elevation Worship is known for crafting songs that serve the gathered church—theologically centered, Scripture-informed, and designed to be sung corporately—while Brandon Lake brings a raw, testimony-shaped voice marked by personal encounter and gospel urgency. Together, they create worship that is both doctrinally anchored and experientially honest, blending corporate declaration with individual confession. I Know a Name reflects this partnership clearly, carrying the weight of biblical truth while leaving room for the worshiper’s own story of calling on Jesus in moments of need.
Message of the Song
I Know a Name by Elevation Worship and Brandon Lake, is a song that does more than stir emotion—it rehearses the gospel aloud. Every section is anchored in Scripture, declaring who Jesus is, what He has done, and what happens when His name is spoken in faith. The lyrics move like a testimony, echoing what believers have confessed for centuries: that in trials, tribulations, and even death itself, the name of Jesus is sufficient.
Written by: Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley ©2025 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing // Brandon Lake Music // Just When Publishing / So Essential Tunes // Songs By That Dog Will Hunt / Capitol CMG Paragon CCLI # 7247990
Biblical Themes:
- The Power and Authority of the Name of Jesus (Acts 4:12, Phil 2:9–11, NASB)
- Salvation Through Christ Alone (John 3:16–18, Rom 10:13, NASB)
- Victory Over Sin and Death (1 Cor 15:3–5, 1 Cor 15:54–57, NASB)
- Jesus’ Resurrection and Reign (Rom 6:9, Rev 1:17–18, NASB)
- Christ as Healer and Deliverer (Isa 53:4–5, Matt 8:16–17, NASB)
- Spiritual Freedom and Broken Chains (Isa 61:1, Gal 5:1, NASB)
- New Life From Spiritual Death (Eph 2:4–5, Rom 8:11, NASB)
- The Defeat of Satan Through the Cross (Gen 3:15, Col 2:14–15, NASB)
- Faith Expressed Through Confession and Proclamation (Rom 10:9–10, Heb 10:23, NASB)
- Hope Beyond the Grave for the Believer (John 11:25–26, 1 Thess 4:13–14, NASB)
Alignment with Scripture
Verse 1
The opening verse begins with quiet confidence: “I know a Name that can silence roaring waves.” This line immediately recalls Jesus calming the storm with His word (Mark 4:39, NASB), revealing His authority over creation. The waves obey because He is not merely a teacher in the boat—He is the Creator who commands wind and sea. When the verse continues, “I know a Name that can empty out a grave,” it points directly to the resurrection power of Christ, fulfilled historically in His own resurrection (1 Cor 15:3–5, NASB) and demonstrated when He called Lazarus from the tomb (John 11:43–44, NASB). The declaration, “It’s the only Name that saves,” aligns clearly with Acts 4:12 (NASB), affirming the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus alone. This is not vague spirituality; it is a gospel claim rooted in John 3:16–21 (NASB), where belief or rejection in the Son determines eternal life or spiritual death. The verse doesn’t stop at what Jesus does—it lands on what He deserves: “And it’s worthy of all praise.” That closing line is a worship response rooted in Scripture, because if His Name truly has authority over storms, death, and salvation, then praise is not emotional hype—it’s the fitting, rightful honor due to the risen King (Rev 5:12–13, NASB).
Verse 2
Verse two shifts from what the Name can do to who the Name belongs to: “I have a King with dominion over death.” Scripture affirms that Jesus holds absolute authority over death itself (Rev 1:18, NASB). When the lyric says, “He holds the keys in His holy nail-scarred hands,” it beautifully unites sovereignty and sacrifice. The hands that rule are the same hands that were pierced, echoing Romans 5:9 (NASB), where salvation flows directly from His shed blood. The line “He is the heel that has crushed the serpent’s head” reaches back to Genesis 3:15 (NASB), the first gospel promise, fulfilled at the cross where Satan’s defeat was secured. Calling Jesus “Our resurrected Great I Am” connects His resurrection to His divine identity, aligning with John 8:58 (NASB) and the resurrection proclamation of 1 Corinthians 15.
Chorus
The chorus opens with “I call You Jesus,” establishing the posture of the worshiper as one who is calling out in faith, not reciting words. Biblically, calling on the name of Jesus is an act of trust directed toward the One whose name means “The Lord saves” (Rom 10:13, NASB). It signals dependence, not performance. The confession “I call you, I call You Healer” identifies Jesus as the source of restoration, not merely of relief. Scripture presents Jesus as healer because He reverses the effects of sin and death through His redemptive work (Isa 53:4–5, NASB). Healing flows from who He is, not from the worshiper’s strength or certainty. The line “Risen and reigning in power” anchors that healing authority in the resurrection. Jesus heals because He lives, reigns, and holds authority over death itself (Rom 6:9; Eph 1:20–22, NASB). This leads naturally to “Something comes out of the grave,” a cause-and-effect declaration rooted in resurrection truth—life follows His victory. The closing line, “Every time I call You Jesus,” reinforces that calling on Christ in faith is never empty, because His power is constant and His reign is secure.
The chorus then turns from restoration to redemption with “I call you, I call You Savior.” This confession moves beyond circumstance and into the heart of the gospel. Savior is not a temporary role; it is Christ’s eternal identity, grounded in His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:3–5; Rom 5:9, NASB). By naming Jesus as Savior, the worshiper acknowledges rescue from sin and death, not merely help in difficulty. The declaration “Worthy of glory forever” shifts the focus fully to Christ, affirming that salvation leads to worship and that glory belongs to Him eternally (Rev 5:12–13; Phil 2:9–11, NASB). The repeated line “Something comes out of the grave” now carries gospel weight—resurrection is the evidence that salvation is real and complete. The final phrase, “Every time I call Your Name,” closes the chorus by affirming that life flows from relationship, not ritual. Calling on Jesus is an ongoing expression of faith, grounded in His finished work and everlasting reign.
Bridge 1
The first bridge intensifies the testimony: “Chains break, dry bones wake every time I call Your Name.” This language echoes Isaiah 61:1 (NASB) and Ezekiel 37, where God brings life to what was hopeless and bound. When the song declares, “The gates of hell shake every time I call Your Name,” it aligns with Jesus’ promise that the gates of Hades will not prevail against His church (Matt 16:18, NASB). The emphasis is not on the believer’s strength but on the authority of Jesus’ name.
Bridge 2
The second bridge, “Where, O death, is now your sting? Where, O grave, your victory?” can be sung from two very different but equally biblical postures. For mature believers who have already placed their trust in Christ, these words function as a rhetorical declaration of settled truth. They echo Paul’s triumphant question in 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NASB), spoken from the assurance that Jesus has already conquered sin and death through His resurrection (1 Cor 15:3–5, NASB). In this sense, the bridge is not a plea or a struggle, but a bold proclamation—death has been defeated, the grave has lost its claim, and fear no longer has authority because Christ is risen.
At the same time, this bridge also serves those who are still wrestling with fear, loss, or uncertainty. For them, these words are not rhetorical yet—they are a declaration spoken by faith until fear loosens its grip. Scripture shows that proclamation often precedes peace; truth must sometimes be spoken before it is fully felt. By repeating “Where, O death, is now your sting?” the worshiper aligns their heart with resurrection truth, allowing the Word of God to confront fear and despair. As faith is exercised through confession, the reality of Christ’s victory begins to outweigh the voice of fear, reminding the singer that even when death feels close or powerful, it does not have the final word!
Bridge 3
The final bridge distills everything into one declaration: “Dead things come alive in the Name of Jesus.” This line captures the heart of the gospel in indisputable language. Scripture teaches that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now gives life to believers (Rom 8:11, NASB). What was once spiritually dead is made alive—not by effort, but through faith, calling on His name.
Personal Experience
Nancy and I chose to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in the most fitting way we know—by serving together on the worship team, since it fell on a Sunday (See the video below). With less than two weeks to prepare, I Know a Name was added to the set list, a song neither of us had heard before. As part of our preparation, we examined the lyrics through the lens of Scripture, expecting musical readiness but receiving something far deeper. As the biblical foundation of the song came into focus, it stopped feeling like a new addition to the set and became a declaration—one that reflected not only our anniversary, but our shared testimony.
Fifteen years prior, our marriage was dead. What once felt steady had become fragile, and we reached a point where human effort and good intentions were no longer enough. In that season, I learned firsthand that dead things—including marriages—can come alive at the name of Jesus!
Recorded at Church of the King/West Esplanade Campus (WEC) on Sunday, January 25, the day of J Kelly and Nancy Ladner’s 40th Wedding Anniversary.
Final Thoughts
What makes this song especially powerful for me on my anniversary, is how it mirrors my heart’s cry 15 years ago when our marriage was falling apart. It also reminds me of the time as a teenager, where I had nothing in my life but the name of Jesus. And every single time I go through a trial or tribulation, His name—the name of Jesus, is enough. This song doesn’t ask you to imagine victory; it invites you to remember it. It encourages believers to connect doctrine with their testimony, truth with personal experience, and worship with a heart of gratitude.
I Know a Name stands firmly on biblical ground. It proclaims the core of the gospel found in John 3:16–21, Romans 5:9, and 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 without diluting its meaning. It teaches, testifies, and worships all at once. When sung in the church, it becomes more than music—it becomes a shared confession that Jesus saves, Jesus reigns, and Jesus brings life out of the grave, every single time His name is called.
Thank you, Jesus!
