If you’ve spent any time in a contemporary church or scrolling through worship playlists lately, you’ve heard it. That low, gravelly vocal from Maverick City Music’s Chandler Moore or the steady, folk-inspired delivery of Elevation Worship’s Chris Brown. The song is "Shall Not Want," and it has become a staple of modern liturgy for a very specific reason. It isn't just a catchy melody. It's a confrontation.
When people search for shall not want lyrics, they usually aren't just looking for the words to sing along. They’re looking for the theology behind a song that essentially tells the listener to stop striving. It’s a radical idea in a culture that’s obsessed with "more." The song, written by Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Naomi Raine, and Steven Furtick, draws its DNA directly from Psalm 23. But it does it in a way that feels surprisingly gritty.
The Raw Origin of Shall Not Want Lyrics
The song didn't just appear out of thin air. It was part of the massive Old Church Basement collaboration between Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music, released in 2021. That album was a monster. It stayed at the top of the Billboard Christian albums chart for weeks, but "Shall Not Want" felt different from the high-energy anthems like "Jireh."
It’s stripped back. Honestly, the song starts with a realization that most of us hate to admit: we are often driven by things that don't actually satisfy us. The opening lines about "giving up the fight" and "laying down the pride" aren't just poetic filler. They reflect a specific type of contemplative worship that has seen a massive resurgence. You see it in the way the song builds. It starts as a whisper and ends as a shout, mirroring the psychological journey of moving from anxiety to peace.
The lyrics focus heavily on the concept of "The Lord is my Shepherd." That’s a Sunday School staple, right? Everyone knows it. But the writers took that ancient Hebrew imagery and flipped it into a modern confession of sufficiency. When you look at the shall not want lyrics, you notice the repetition of "I have everything I need." That’s a bold claim to make in 2026, or any year for that matter. It's counter-cultural. It's weirdly offensive to our consumerist brains.
Why the "Broken" Vocals Matter
One thing people often miss when they look up the text of these lyrics is the performance. You can't separate the words from the delivery. Chandler Moore’s voice often breaks. He ad-libs. This "unpolished" style is a hallmark of Maverick City Music’s influence on the genre. It makes the lyrics feel more authentic. It feels like someone actually wrestling with the truth of the words in real-time.
Modern worship has moved away from the "perfect" stadium rock sound of the 2010s. Now, it’s about the "room." You can hear the background noise, the spontaneous prayers, and the people crying. That atmosphere is baked into the recording of "Shall Not Want." It’s why the song feels so heavy yet so light at the same time.
💡 You might also like: Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 23 Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
Breaking Down the Theology of the Chorus
The core of the shall not want lyrics lies in the chorus. It’s a simple refrain: "I shall not want."
In the original Hebrew of Psalm 23, that phrase lo echsar doesn't just mean "I don't want stuff." It means "I lack nothing." There is a subtle but massive difference there. One is about desire; the other is about status. The song leans into this status. It’s an arrival.
- The song acknowledges the "valley of the shadow of death."
- It highlights the "table prepared in the presence of enemies."
- It moves toward the "goodness and mercy" that follows the believer.
The brilliance of the writing here is how it handles the "enemies" part. Most people want their enemies gone. The song, following the Scripture, suggests that the peace exists while the enemies are still there. You're eating dinner while the "wolf" is at the door. That is a sophisticated theological take that resonates with people dealing with chronic stress or mental health struggles. It’s not a "fix your life" song. It’s a "peace in the middle of the mess" song.
The Bridge and the "Mountain" Imagery
Most worship songs have a "bridge" meant to peak the emotions. In "Shall Not Want," the bridge focuses on the mountain and the valley. It’s a classic trope, but here it’s used to emphasize consistency.
"I've seen the mountain, I've seen the valley."
It’s an acknowledgment of lived experience. It says, "I'm not just singing this because I'm on a high right now. I'm singing it because I've been in the pit, and the reality of the shepherd was the same there, too." This is what makes the lyrics sticky. They don't feel like they're gaslighting the listener into being happy.
📖 Related: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
The Cultural Impact and Why It Stays Relevant
The song has been covered hundreds of times. You’ll find versions in Spanish, Portuguese, and even acoustic "bedroom" covers on YouTube with millions of views. Why? Because the "hustle culture" of the last decade has left everyone exhausted.
We are constantly told we need more—more followers, more money, more "wellness." Then this song comes along and says, "Actually, you're good. You have enough." It’s an anthem of contentment.
There's also the Maverick City factor. By bringing together diverse voices and styles, they broke the "white-bread" mold of CCM (Contemporary Christian Music). "Shall Not Want" benefits from this. It feels like a global song. It feels like it belongs to everyone. It doesn't matter if you're in a high-steeple cathedral or a storefront church; the message of "I shall not want" is a universal human longing.
Common Misconceptions About the Lyrics
Some people think the song is about prosperity. It’s actually the opposite. Prosperity gospel says, "God will give you everything you want." This song says, "God is everything I need, so I don't need the other stuff."
It’s a subtle shift but a vital one. If you read the shall not want lyrics through a materialistic lens, you're going to miss the point entirely. The "wanting" that the song refers to is the internal ache of insufficiency. It’s the "never-enough" feeling. The song is a direct strike against that specific anxiety.
Practical Ways to Engage with the Song
If you're using these lyrics for a worship set, or just for your own personal reflection, don't rush through the "lay it down" sections. The song is designed to be a slow burn. It’s a meditative exercise.
👉 See also: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia
- Listen to the "unplugged" versions. Sometimes the big production of the album track can distract from the intimacy of the words. Find a version with just a piano or a guitar.
- Read Psalm 23 alongside the lyrics. Notice where the songwriters took creative liberties and where they stuck to the text. It helps deepen the experience.
- Pay attention to the "goodness and mercy" section. In the Bible, the word for "follow" is more like "pursue" or "hunt down." Think about that when you sing it. Goodness isn't just trailing behind you; it’s actively chasing you.
The song is a tool. It's a way to recalibrate. In a world that thrives on your dissatisfaction, singing "I shall not want" is a small act of rebellion.
The Takeaway for Musicians and Worship Leaders
When leading this song, the temptation is to make it a vocal showcase. Don't. The power of the shall not want lyrics is in their simplicity. If the congregation feels like they can't keep up with the vocal runs, the message of "rest" is lost.
Keep the tempo steady. Let the silence breathe. The song is most effective when it feels like a collective sigh of relief.
Honestly, we don't need more "perfect" songs. We need more songs that tell the truth about how hard it is to trust, and how rewarding it is when we finally do. That’s what "Shall Not Want" does. It meets you in the basement of your own house and reminds you that you aren't alone.
To truly internalize the message, try writing out the lyrics by hand. There is a cognitive connection that happens when you physically write the words "I have everything I need." It forces your brain to slow down and actually process the weight of that statement. Use the song as a prompt for journaling—identify one "want" that is currently causing you anxiety and consciously "lay it down" while the track plays. This moves the experience from passive listening to active spiritual practice.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Understanding:
- Compare the Versions: Listen to the original Old Church Basement recording back-to-back with the Elevation Worship solo versions to see how different vocalists interpret the "weight" of the lyrics.
- Study the Hebrew: Look up the word Chesed (often translated as "mercy" or "loving-kindness" in the context of Psalm 23) to understand the type of "goodness" the song is describing.
- Audit Your "Wants": Take five minutes to list the things you feel you "lack" right now, then listen to the song again to see if your perspective shifts on which of those are actual needs versus cultural pressures.