Sometimes, it can take some time to write a song.  For Chris Tomlin, it took four years to write "Forever."  It began when he read Psalm 136, and was moved by the words, "for His mercy endured forever."  He thought about how the people responded together, with these words, at the end of each verse.  In this song, he wanted to sing a line, and have the people respond with "His love endures forever."  The first verse says:

Give thanks to the Lord

Our God and King;

His love endures forever.

For He is good, He is above all things;

His love endures forever.

Sing praise, sing praise,

Sing praise, sing praise.

He tried to complete the song, but it was difficult.  Four years later, Chris  was leading worship at a summer camp.  On a free afternoon, he decided to work on the song.  He began singing, "Forever God is faithful."  He wanted to follow that line with the same phrase, but a different last word.  He worked on it several afternoons, but couldn't come up with a word.

Janet Reeves, the wife of his bass guitarist, was in the room across the hall.  Each afternoon, she heard him get to the last word and stop.  She knocked on the door, and as he went to the door, she said, "The word is strong."  That's it, he thought!   "Forever God is strong."

Chorus:

Forever God is faithful,

Forever God is strong.

Forever God is with us,

Forever, forever.

One can see how "strong" fit into the song.  Verse two begins, "With a mighty hand, and and an outstretched arm."  Jeremiah 32:17 says, "Oh Lord God!  You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too difficult for You."

Verse two:

With a mighty hand

And an outstretched arm,

His love endures forever,

For the life that's been reborn,

His love endures forever.

Sing praise, sing praise,

Sing praise, sing praise.

Verse three:

From the rising to the setting of the sun,

His love endures forever.

And by the grace of God we will carry on,

His love endures forever.

Sing praise, Sing praise,

Sing praise, Sing praise.