Darrell Luster, “I Believe He Died for Me” | Music Lifts

In the 17^th edition of Lit Music That Lifts, we’re uplifted by Darrell Luster performing, “I Believe He Died for Me.”

Welcome to Lit Music That Lifts (LMTL), or Music Lifts for short! Music Lifts seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 17^th edition of Music Lifts (2022), we highlight “I Believe He Died for Me” as performed by Darrell Luster.

“I never saw it, but I believe for me He died.” Those words are incredibly powerful.  Furthermore, those powerful words highlight faith – believing in something that you can’t and didn’t visibly see.  So many inspirational and uplifting songs place emphasis on this blind faith, a concept that isn’t always easy for the most devout, pious believer, let alone a person who considers themselves to be more rational.  Nonetheless, listening to “I Believe He Died for Me”, written by Colbert Croft and Joyce Croft (originally recorded by The Hoppers), even if you have questions about what can’t be ultimately seen, the poetic, powerful lyrics can’t be written off.

“I never saw the cross He carried up to Calvary’s hill,

I never saw the precious blood that my Savior spilled.”

Lots of musicians – white groups, black groups, choirs, and otherwise – have recorded this beautiful Christian musical selection.  It truly is a moving gem.  The Third Exodus Assembly  delivers a fabulous cover that’ll leave you in awe .

Perhaps the best rendition comes from Charles Johnson & The Revivers.  On “I Believe He Died for Me,” it is Darrell Luster who sings the lead. Also, it’s worth noting that Luster has a recording on 2015 album, We Need a Revival. Luster gives a performance that exhibits control, shows incredible expression, and ultimately makes the soul feel incredibly happy and lifted.  Of course, the music and text are thanks to the Crofts highlighting Jesus’ death and resurrection for the sins of the world.  The best moment, unsurprisingly, is the chorus, which shines even more because it features the highest notes melodically.

“Ev’ry step He too to Calvary,

And ev’ry drop of blood He shed, He shed for me

There’s a lot of things that I cannot see, oh no,

But I believe when Jesus died, he died for me.”

Yes, this is a Music Lifts that is intended for believers, but, even if religion isn’t your thing, I think anybody can appreciate the poetic, thoughtful nature of the songwriting, the intent to lift the spirit and emphasize faith, as well as the incredible musicianship exhibited in the performance.

Darrell Luster • We Need a Revival • Malaco, Inc. • 2015

Darrell Luster, “I Believe He Died for Me”: Music Lifts No. 17 (2022) [: Arek Socha, Benjamin Balazs, Brent Faulkner, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Curb, Ketut Subiyanto, Malaco, Inc., The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Word Entertainment]