There’s something profound happening when an artist takes a 19th-century hymn and makes you want to lace up your dancing shoes. Peg Luke has done exactly that with “My Faith Looks Up,” her latest single that breathes Celtic life into Ray Palmer’s timeless spiritual meditation.
The Emmy and Grammy-nominated artist doesn’t just cover the classic hymn—she completely reimagines it, creating what she calls a fusion of “dance feel and Irish reel feel” that somehow makes perfect sense. Where the original hymn spoke in hushed reverence, Luke’s version pulses with the earthy vitality of Irish countryside music.
The instrumental arrangement tells its own story. Peg Luke‘s signature flute work remains the emotional centerpiece, but she’s surrounded it with traditional Irish elements that feel both ancient and urgent. The bodhrán provides that distinctive Celtic heartbeat, while Uilleann pipes weave through the mix like wind across the moors. It’s the kind of sonic palette that immediately transports you—not to a church pew, but to a hillside where faith feels as natural as breathing.
“I want people to feel light and airy with no sense of worry or panic,” Luke explains. “I want people to feel washed over, healed, and invigorated.” It’s an ambitious goal for any piece of music, but “My Faith Looks Up” achieves something rare: it makes spirituality feel joyous rather than solemn.
The creative process itself speaks to Peg Luke‘s intuitive approach to music-making. She describes envisioning “a rich Irish green” and “this beautiful woman walking through the forest barefoot and carefree.” That visual translates directly into the music’s pastoral, liberated energy. You can practically feel the grass beneath your feet.
Luke’s decision to rearrange the original verses adds another layer of intention to the piece. By switching the second and final verses, she creates a different emotional arc—one that moves from struggle to celebration rather than building to quiet contemplation. It’s a subtle but significant change that reinforces the song’s message of healing and renewal.
“My Faith Looks Up” succeeds because it refuses to treat spirituality as something separate from joy, from movement, from the simple pleasure of a well-crafted melody. In Peg Luke‘s hands, worship becomes celebration, and that feels like exactly what we need right now.
