Written by bandmates Brooke Ligertwood and Ben Fielding,[1][2] the song refers to the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ as represented by His Holy Name.

The "genre-smashing single" contributed to Hillsong being named Billboard's Top Christian Artist of 2017.

[5] "What a Beautiful Name" was released on 6 January 2017, as the lead single from their 25th live album, Let There Be Light (2016).

[6] "What a Beautiful Name" was composed in December 2015 in Sydney, Australia, for the upcoming Hillsong Conference, the annual church gathering.

[9] Music critic Matt Collar praised Hillsong Worship for their "passionate, faith-based sound" and wrote that fans of the group "will surely appreciate this emotive, uplifting Christian pop.

"[10] Jake Gosselin attributes the popularity of the song in the Christian community to a number of factors.

"[11] "What a Beautiful Name" had its worldwide digital release on 6 January 2017, and topped Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart on 25 February.

It fits too easily into a theology of a God who created because he was lonely, and then saved people for the same reason.

It’s the statement: “You didn’t want heaven without us.” Some have argued that this line suggests that Jesus is needy, that he is, in himself, somehow deficient and less than complete and only we, his people can fill up what he lacks...

[1] Hillsong performed the song at the 48th Annual Dove Awards held at Allen Arena in Nashville.

"[1]In July 2017, the Voices of Lee, the "elite"[17] a cappella singing group, posted a video of the song to their Facebook page.

The cover was an instant hit and reached the so-called viral threshold of 5 million views in two days.

The group represents Lee University in Tennessee; the video was filmed in the school's chapel.