Some songs don’t just age well but they seem to gather more meaning and power as the years go by. Seeing a room full of children breathe new life into a classic from four decades ago is something you don’t easily forget.
When Amy Grant first recorded “El Shaddai” back in 1982 for her album Age to Age it quickly became an anthem. Written by Michael Card and John Thompson the song is a simple but profound statement of who God is. El Shaddai means God Almighty (Genesis 17:1).
The message of the song reminds us that through the centuries and through every storm we face, the power of the Lord remains the same. It tells us we can trust the One who saved the son of Abraham and turned the sea into dry land. Hearing those ancient promises sung today grounds us in a faith that has outlasted generations.
Recently Amy Grant joined the famous PS22 Chorus to perform this beloved track. If you haven’t heard of them the PS22 Chorus is a public elementary school choir from Staten Island directed by Gregg Breinberg.
Over the years these fifth graders have sung with countless huge artists and performed on national stages. But what makes them special isn’t their fame. It is the raw unpolished joy they bring to every single note they sing.
When they started singing the backup vocals for “El Shaddai” the entire room shifted. Amy sang the lead with that familiar warmth but the children elevated the melody into something deeply moving.
As the final chords faded out, you could see the pure joy on Amy’s face. The performance was over but the feeling in the air was still heavy in the best way possible.
What a blessing to watch these precious children lift up the name of God with their gifted voices.
“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:8 NKJV
WATCH: PS22 Chorus and Amy Grant Sing Powerful Rendition of ‘El Shaddai’
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