Michael W. Smith - Ancient words Lyrics
Lyrics
Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God's own heart Oh, let the ancient words impart
Words of Life, words of Hope Give us strength, help us cope In this world, where e'er we roam Ancient words will guide us home
Ancient words ever true Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts Oh, let the ancient words impart
Holy words of our Faith Handed down to this age Came to us through sacrifice Oh heed the faithful words of Christ
Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God's own heart Oh let the ancient words impart
Ancient words ever true Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts Oh, let the ancient words impart
We have come with open hearts Oh, let the ancient words impart
Video
Michael W. Smith - Ancient words
Meaning & Inspiration
I can't stop thinking about that line about words coming to us through sacrifice. It’s weird because when I first heard Michael W. Smith sing it back in 2002 on Worship Again, I think I just took it for granted. Like, yeah, sure, the Bible came to us through a lot of history and people dying for it. But lately, it hits different. It feels less like a historical fact and more like a weight. If these words were actually bought with someone's life—not just the people who wrote them, but the ones who insisted on holding onto them when it would’ve been safer to just shut up—then my habit of just scrolling past them on my phone feels pretty small.
It makes me wonder if I'm actually letting them change anything. The song says they're ever true, which is a big claim when everything else I deal with changes every five minutes. It’s strange to think about words having a heartbeat, or at least reflecting one. I catch myself wanting that stability, that idea of being guided home, but then I realize I'm not really looking for a home as much as I'm looking for a map that tells me I’m doing okay. I don't know if that's what the song meant, but it's where my head goes. I just keep staring at that part about opening my heart, like it's a door I’m supposed to unlock, even though I’m mostly just worried about what might actually come walking through once I do.