About the song
When Jimmy Swaggart sits at the piano and sings “If I Be Lifted,” you are not simply listening to a gospel performance — you are stepping into a sacred moment. It’s a moment that draws from the words of Christ in John 12:32 — “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” A promise. A calling. A holy declaration.
With his unmistakable voice — full of tremble, truth, and time — Swaggart delivers the song not as entertainment, but as ministry. His piano chords are gentle, reverent, deliberate. You can feel that he’s not trying to impress anyone. He’s simply trying to lift the name of Jesus.
“If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me…”
The refrain becomes a humble cry — not of the man on stage, but of the Christ who hung on the cross. And in Jimmy’s voice, that cry becomes both a call and a comfort. A reminder that when we exalt Him, when we put aside self and ego and lift up His name, He meets us there.
The arrangement is simple — no flashy crescendos or dramatic flair. Just truth, tenderness, and testimony. It’s the kind of gospel music that brings tears to the eye and peace to the heart. The kind of song that feels like a Sunday morning altar call… even if you’re hearing it on a Monday night.
At this stage in his life and ministry, Jimmy Swaggart doesn’t just sing songs — he lives them. Every note of “If I Be Lifted” is sung with conviction, carried by the weight of experience, and offered as a love letter to the Savior who still draws all men unto Himself.
This is worship in its purest form.