The Story Behind "Awesome God"

A while back I wrote about the story behind Rich Mullin’s “Awesome God.” Phil Wickham’s recent take on the classic brought it back to my mind and I thought it was a good time to revisit it. 

It is interesting how we expect that a monumental experience is behind the songs that we love. Sometimes they are really born of simple, even silly moments. I remember hearing Twila Paris tell how “The Joy Of The Lord” first came to her while she was washing dishes. 

The artist’s mind finds inspiration in places the rest of us wouldn’t. This is the case for “Awesome God”. According to Rich’s brother, Rich was driving alone to a concert in Colorado and was having trouble staying awake. As he drove, he was also remembering the way the old country preachers expounded from the pulpit. 

His brother, David, says that in an effort to stay awake, he rolled down the window and started yelling out the window, imitating those old preachers.  

There’s thunder in His footsteps and lightning in His fists! 

If you allow your imagination to wander, you picture him, window down, shouting into the wind.  

When He rolls up his sleeves, He ain’t just puttin’ on the ritz! 

Those lines began to form into a song and at that next concert, he started teaching it to his audience. At some point, he finished it by making it a real Rich Mullins song. 

Judgement and wrath He poured out on Sodom 

Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross 

I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten 

That our God is an awesome God 

Next time you’re killing time or trying to stay awake, maybe you should write down some of your thoughts. You might just come up with a song that will be an anthem for generations.