Since there is a thread under Good Music where we can post the name and artist of our song of the moment, I figured there should also be a thread in Good Words where we can post our song lyrics of the moment, any lyrics that either have really caught our attention lately, or that we’ve liked for a while and want to share with the others.
Here is but one lyric that has affected me for a while:
If I ascend into the sky
or hide behind the night
I cannot run your love is chasing me
If I fall into the sea
your hand will rescue me
No one will take your place
--Bridge from “Yes, You Have” by Leeland
& Here are my lyrics of the moment:
What’s it gonna take
What’s it gonna take
Am I gonna break every time
the road gets dirty
Have I got the faith
can I take the pace
everything’s drying up
on this crazy journey
heavy on my mind
gotta try to find
try to find a way
to this path you’ve chosen
gotta never doubt
gotta work it out
trying not to drop
this cross I carry.
I love the song “Wholly Yours” by David Crowder Band. Here is what he wrote about the inspiration for the song and the lyrics.
Wholly Yours: About two years ago my mom sent a letter. It contained thoughts and prayers that she had written down one morning during her devotions. It all centered around the idea that God calls us to be holy as He is holy and then tells us it’s impossible. This suggestion troubled her, as well it should, and a phrase that one of her friends mentioned came to mind ¬ “wholly yours”. The solution is a simple one. covered by grace we, being in Christ, are holy as He is holy, and thus the only hope we have for holiness is to bring the whole of our lives under the coverings of Christ. To be wholly under Christ’s rule and reign is to be found holy as Christ is holy.
Artist: David Crowder Band
Title: Wholly Yours
I am full of earth
You are Heaven’s worth
I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity
You are everything that is bright and clean, the antonym of me
You are divinity
But a certain sign of grace is this
From the broken earth flowers
Come up pushing through the dirt
Chorus:
You are holy, holy, holy
All Heaven cries, holy, holy God
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to be holy like You are
You are everything that is bright and clean
And You’re covering me with Your majesty
And the truest sign of grace was this
From wounded hands redemption fell down, liberating man
Chorus:
But the harder I try the more clearly can I feel
The depth of our fall and the weight of it all
And so this might could be the most impossible thing
Your grandness in me making me clean
Glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Chorus:
So here I am, all of me
Finally everything
Wholly, wholly, wholly - I am wholly, wholly, wholly
I am wholly, wholly, wholly…Yours
I am wholly Yours
This song was co-written with my friend Paul Baloche. Most times when co writing, one person will bring a work in progress, or at least the seed of the song to the table, and you´ll craft it together. But this was one of the rare occasions when you sit down together with nothing at all, and then find yourselves caught up in a brand new song. Paul and I had just returned from a 2 day songwriters gathering where some theologians were invited to speak into the way we approach writing worship songs. One of the themes touched on was that we need songs that somehow paint a bigger, fuller picture of God in worship. This song is the fruit of that, plugging into the heart cry deep in the heart of any worship leader that there must be a way to bring a greater song.
Here are the words.
Who could imagine a melody
True enough to tell of Your mercy?
Who could imagine a harmony
Sweet enough to tell of Your love?
I see the heavens proclaiming You day after day,
And I know in my heart that there must be a way
To sing a greater song,
A greater song to You on the earth.
To sing a greater song,
A greater song to You on the earth.
Who could imagine a symphony,
Grand enough to tell of Your glory?
Our highest praise but a feeble breath
A whisper of Your thunderous worth.
I see the heavens proclaiming You day after day,
And I know in my heart that there must be a way
To sing a greater song,
A greater song to You on the earth.
To sing a greater song,
A greater song to You on the earth.
Hallelujah, we want to lift You higher,
Hallelujah, we want to lift You higher.
Very late last year, when I first became a fan of Leeland, I read the lyrics and stories behind songs that I hadn’t heard yet. One song in particular, Tears of the Saints, really stuck out to me. From the time I first read it, God has really used these words (and the story behind the words) to give me a love for the unsaved, a longing to “stretch out [my] hands and pick up the crippled man” to bring them home to the Father.
Here are those beautiful song lyrics that will make you cry and plead with God to save the world (it’s equally beautiful to hear on the cd):
Tears of the Saints by Leeland
There are many prodigal sons
On our city streets they run
Searching for shelter
There are homes broken down
People’s hopes have fallen to the ground
From failures
This is an emergency!
(chorus)
There are tears from the saints
For the lost and unsaved
We’re crying for them come back home
We’re crying for them come back home
And all your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home
There are schools full of hatred
Even churches have forsaken
Love and mercy
May we see this generation
In it’s state of desperation
For Your glory
This is an emergency! (back to chorus)
Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!
Sinner, reach out your hands!
Children in Christ you stand!
(ending)
And all Your children will stretch out their hands
And pick up the crippled man
Father, we will lead them home
Father, we will lead them home.
There are 3 songs in the past 2 years based on the strong tower verses in Proverbs and Psalms below that I love. “Strong Tower” by Newboys (04) and Kutless (05) and now “Your Name” by Paul Baloche (06). Here are the bible verses and lyrics to “Your Name”.
Proverbs 18:10 (New International Version)
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Psalm 61:2-4 (New International Version)
2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. 4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
YOUR NAME – PHILLIPS, CRAIG & DEAN
As morning dawns and evening fades
You inspire songs of praise
That rise from earth to touch Your heart and glorify Your Name
CHORUS
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
‘Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name
Jesus, in Your Name we pray
Come and fill our hearts today
Lord, give us strength to live for You and glorify Your Name
"Your Name” is beautiful. The name of Jesus is very powerful, more than we realize. I like it.
Here are some lyrics by Sanctus Real (one of my top three fave bands) that I like, cuz I can really relate to it and God has used them a lot to encourage me when I fail a lot and I’m afraid to keep trying.
FLY--Sanctus Real
When last place is where I’ve been
It’s hard to find the strength to start again
Sometimes it seems like I can never win
I’m held back by the weight of the crowd
Can’t move to find my way out
You give me faith to get my feet off the ground
‘Cause it’s not easy
Trying to fly against the wind
When I keep on falling back to where I’ve been
Start over again
I’m overwhelmed when there’s too much
Hiding the view to all that you’ve done
I step back to see how far we’ve come
And you’re always with me (when I’m)
Trying to fly against the wind
But I keep on falling back to where I’ve been
Trying to fly against the wind
Start over again
When last place is where I’ve been
You give me what I need to start again
Trying to fly against the wind
But I keep on falling back to where I’ve been
Trying to fly against the wind
And you keep on coming back for me again… over and over again.
One of my favorite songs of all time is Hold me Jesus by Rich Mullins. The lyrics at times seem to mirror my struggles with my faith and my walk with Christ.
Well, sometimes my life just don’t make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small
So hold me Jesus, ‘cause I’m shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace
And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It’s so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart
So hold me Jesus, ‘cause I’m shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace
Surrender don’t come natural to me
I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I’ve beat my head against so many walls
Now I’m falling down, I’m falling on my knees
And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin
I’m singing hold me Jesus, ‘cause I’m shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace
Thomas, that’s an amazing song. Did you know Big Daddy Weave just covered it on their new CD, “Everytime I Breathe”? We just sang “Hold Me Jesus” at my small group last week and it’s very moving.
For me, Sara Groves consistently hits home with her lyrics. Here is one that runs in my head all the time: “Maybe There’s a Loving God” from All Right Here, a song about seeking God, questioning and longing.
I’m trying to work things out
I’m trying to comprehend
Am I the chance result
Of some great accident
I hear a rhythm call me
The echo of a grand design
I spend each night in the backyard
Staring up at the stars in the sky
I have another meeting today
With my new counselor
My mom will cry and say
I don’t know what to do with her
She’s so unresponsive
I just cannot break through
She spends all night in the backyard
Staring up at the stars and the moon
They have a chart and a graph
Of my despondency
They want to chart a path
For self-recovery
And want to know what I’m thinking
What motivates my mood
To spend all night in the backyard
Staring up at the stars and the moon
Maybe this was made for me
For lying on my back in the middle of a field
Maybe that’s a selfish thought
Or maybe there’s a loving God
Maybe I was made this way
To think and to reason and to question and to pray
And I have never prayed a lot
But maybe there’s a loving God
Maybe this was made for me
For lying on my back in the middle of a field
Maybe that’s a selfish thought
Or maybe there’s a loving God
Maybe I was mad this way
To think and to reason and to question and to pray
And I have never prayed a lot
But maybe there’s a loving God
And that may be a foolish thought
Or maybe there is a God
And I have never prayed a lot
But maybe there’s a loving God
Owen Thomas of the band The Elms is a pretty gifted songwriter (he’s one of my heros). I’m not entirely convinced that The Elms are even a Christian band anymore, but they used to be a great Christian band and they seem to still have good morals, so I still listen to them. Anyways, one of my favorite song lyrics is a song called “I Am The World.” At first it sounds like some horrible conceited song, but after studying the lyrics more closely I realized that the lead singer isn’t singing about himself. The song is kinda like a riddle, you know, like those kid’s books where they say “I’m big and gray and I have a long trunk. What am I? I’m an elephant!” Well, maybe that helps. It’s just a fun song.
Here it is:
I Am The Worldby The Elms
I am the world, I’m the boys and the girls
I’m the dads on the grind, paying rent, punching time.
I’m the guy on TV, saying “Jesus is near”
I’m the man in the cell, I’m his courage and fear.
I’m the trust that you give and the honor you lose.
I’m the future you change every moment you choose.
(Chorus)
I’m the now and the never when you got no more time
I’m the dream that is rising in the back of your mind
I’m the sickness and cure, I’m polluted and pure
Baby, I am the world, and I’m yours!
I’m the joy in the air at the birth of your child,
And the pressure to win so your father will smile.
I am the king, I’m the czar, I’m the pope,
I’m your finest good deeds and your worst dirty jokes
I’m the air that you breathe when you got no more steam
I’m the people you trust, I’m the people who leave
(Back to chorus)
I am the sun and the darkest of nights
I am choice to the left, I am death to the right
I’m the dull of the bruise and the sting of the bruise
I am with you for good
I’m the world. I’m the rules!
Here is a song by Leeland that I think by itself is a good description of worship. (I really like the songs Leeland writes, because they are songs that I can honestly sing along with.) This is:
SOUND OF MELODIES
We who are called to be your people
Struggling sinners and thieves
We’re lifted up from the ashes
And out came the song of the redeemed
The song of the redeemed
Chorus:
Can You hear the sound of melodies
Oh the sound of melodies
Rising up to You
Rising up to You, God
The sound of melodies
Oh the sound of melodies
Rising up to You
Rising up to You, God
We have caught a revalation
That nothing can separate us from
The love we received through salvation
It fills your daughters and sons
Your daughters and Your sons
Chorus:
The sound of Your love
The sound of Your love
Is what Your hearing
The sound of Your sons
The sound of Your sons
You’ve won Your children
The sound of Your love
The sound of Your love
Is what Your hearing
Your daughters in love
Your daughters in love
You’ve won your children
