Darlene Zschech Still Amazed by 'Shout to the Lord' 3 Decades Later: 'A Real Miracle of God'

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More than three decades after "Shout to the Lord" became a worldwide worship anthem, Darlene Zschech is still amazed by the song’s global impact.

Zschech went on to pen other beloved songs, including "Victor’s Crown" and "Worthy Is the Lamb" – songs that have amassed tens of millions of streams across digital platforms. Yet for a generation of worshipers, "Shout to the Lord" remains the song most closely associated with her name.

Zschech is among 25 Christian artists featured in the new film "House of Worship," which opens in theaters on Aug. 23 and features such singers as Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans and Kari Jobe celebrating the songs that have shaped generations of faith.

Zschech was far from a household name among Christians when she penned "Shout to the Lord" in 1993. At the time, few people outside of her Australian church knew of her.

“I was singing jingles, advertisements to help earn money. We had two little kids. We had a business that was not doing great,” she told Crosswalk Headlines, reminiscing about an era she remembers as a “tough time.”

“We were just probably too busy. And I just went to the Lord one day, sat at my piano, opened up the Bible, kind of just pouring out my heart,” Zschech said.

Zschech, though, didn’t think her new song was anything special. She borrowed the famous phrase from a series of Psalms – specifically between Psalm 96 and Psalm 100.

“I say to people, I didn't so much write it as sing it. I think it took 20 minutes, and I just sang it and I sang it and I sang it – and it was just a prayer to the Lord.”

Eventually, Zschech played it for her worship pastor, believing her song might contain a kernel of something worthwhile but assuming he would want to change it.

“I wasn't a confident songwriter,” she said.

She was so self-conscious, in fact, that she made those in the room, including the worship pastor, turn around as she sang.

“I was so embarrassed. And I'd be like, ‘My Jesus, my Savior,’” before turning to the others in the room and telling them, “Change it if you want to, I know it's not very good.”

“I finally got to the end of the song. Our worship pastor at the time, Geoff Bullock, turned around, and he had tears in his eyes. He's like, ‘We're doing that this weekend.’ I'm like, ‘What? What? Don't you want to fix it?’ And he's like, ‘No, we're doing it,’ and that was that.”

Zschech said the humble beginnings of "Shout to the Lord" are a powerful lesson in God’s ability to open doors.

“It kind of left my mouth and left my life. I keep telling people, don't worry about promotion, self-promotion. I existed before there was all of the Internet ability, and God took a song and just breathed on it. And before I knew it, I was getting letters from around the world. I didn't even know how they would have heard it. When God wants something out there, He can do it.

“It was a real miracle of God.”

Photo Credit: ©Integrity

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.