Matt Redman had no idea the song would travel as far as it did. He was not in a studio. He was not trying to write a hit. He was sitting with his Bible, reading Psalm 103, turning the words over slowly — and something started to form.
A Song That Started as a Whisper
The melody came during a season of personal devotion. Redman was in Bognor Regis on the south coast of England, not at a conference or a worship event. He sat with Jonas Myrin, and together they shaped what would become one of the most sung worship songs in the world. It started small. A few lines. A phrase that kept returning: "Bless the Lord, O my soul."
He later described the moment as unhurried. There was no deadline, no label pressure. Just two people sitting with Scripture and letting something emerge. The melody felt like it was already there, waiting to be uncovered.
From Living Room to Global Anthem
"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" went on to win a Grammy. It was translated into dozens of languages. Congregations on every continent began singing it. But Redman has always been clear: the song came from a private moment of worship, not a performance.
He told interviewers that the best songs come from overflow, not effort. Worship was the soil. The song was the fruit. He did not manufacture it — he received it.
The Psalm That Carried the Song
Psalm 103 is a call to remember. "Forget not all his benefits," it says. Redman's song became a vehicle for exactly that: a way for millions of people to pause, remember, and give thanks. The genius of the song is its simplicity. Anyone can sing it. And nearly everyone has.
What began as a quiet morning with an open Bible became a song that has been sung at hospital bedsides, prison chapels, arenas, and funeral services around the world.
What This Means for You
You do not have to be on a stage for something significant to happen. Some of the most world-changing moments start in the quiet — with a Bible open and a heart willing. The next time you sit down to worship on your own, know this: what happens in that room might carry further than you ever expect.