David Meece - There I Go Again Lyrics
Lyrics
Arrogance grows in a comfortable mind,
Seeds of deceit weave a kudzu of strangling vine, while the careless look away,
Fears that are faced become flowers of hope,
These are the lessons I learned several lessons ago, oh, but still I look away,
Still, I turn away.
And there I go again, stumbling into the same old sin,
I said...there I go again, instead of clinging to you,
I do what I know not to do,
Oh, help me Lord, there I go again.
There I go again.
Feeling secure in a castle of sand, built on the teachings, the wealth, and the power of man, while the tide is rolling in,
A fool, in his folly, pretends to be strong,
Trusting the treasure of earth, he can only go wrong,
And the tide keeps rolling in, and his castle is caving in.
And there I go again, stumbling into the same old sin,
I said...there I go again, instead of clinging to you,
I do what I know not to do,
Oh, help me Lord, there I go again.
Ooh, there I go again,
Ooh, there I go,
There I go again.
I'm still, I look away,
Still, I turn away,
I keep rejecting the truth, refusing reproof,
Repaying the dues of my reckless youth,
While you died just to prove all the promises true...
To the ones who need you as much as I need you.
There I go again, stumbling into the same old sin,
I said...there I go again, instead of clinging to you,
I do what I know not to do,
Oh, help me Lord, and there I go again.
There I go again,
Ooh, there I go,
There I go again,
There I go again,
There I go.
(etc.)
Video
There I Go Again
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on January 1, 2002, as the title track from the album *There I Go Again*, David Meece's profound song dives headfirst into the raw, often uncomfortable reality of the human spiritual journey. More than just a melody, it serves as a candid confession and a deeply relatable narrative of the Christian walk—one marked by a perpetual struggle between our earnest desire to follow God and our persistent inclination to stray back into familiar patterns of self-reliance and sin. The song doesn't shy away from the paradoxical nature of faith, acknowledging that even with spiritual wisdom and past victories, the pull of the flesh remains strong, demanding an ongoing, humble surrender.
The initial verses paint a vivid picture of spiritual complacency, where "arrogance grows in a comfortable mind," allowing "seeds of deceit" to take root and spread like a "kudzu of strangling vine." This imagery powerfully illustrates how subtle pride and unaddressed weaknesses can silently choke one's spiritual vitality, especially when we become spiritually comfortable and "careless look away." Such a state reminds us of Proverbs 16:18, which warns that "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Meece then reveals the painful irony: we often know better, having learned that "Fears that are faced become flowers of hope," yet we find ourselves repeating the same mistakes, still looking away from the very source of our strength and peace. This resonates deeply with the apostle Paul's honest lament in Romans 7:19, where he confesses, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing."
The recurring chorus, "And there I go again, stumbling into the same old sin... instead of clinging to you, I do what I know not to do, Oh, help me Lord, there I go again," is the song's aching core. It’s a genuine cry for divine intervention, recognizing the futility of self-effort in overcoming persistent shortcomings. This isn't a declaration of defeat but a desperate plea for grace and strength, mirroring the sentiment of Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." It’s an honest admission of our need to cling to Christ, acknowledging that true change comes not from our own willpower but from His empowering presence (Philippians 4:13).
Meece further explores the dangers of misplaced trust, describing the illusion of security found in a "castle of sand, built on the teachings, the wealth, and the power of man." This imagery directly harks back to Jesus' parable in Matthew 7:26-27, where He contrasts the wise builder who builds on the rock with the foolish one who builds on sand. The "tide is rolling in," symbolizing life's inevitable trials and the ephemeral nature of worldly foundations, which ultimately lead to the castle "caving in." It’s a stark reminder that trusting in anything other than God—be it human intellect, material possessions, or personal influence—is a path to certain disappointment and spiritual instability, as Jeremiah 17:5-8 powerfully states, contrasting the curse on those who trust in man with the blessing on those who trust in the Lord.
In the song's bridge, the artist confronts the conscious choice to resist spiritual growth: "I keep rejecting the truth, refusing reproof." This reveals a deeper layer of human stubbornness, where knowledge of God's ways is met with a willful turning away. Such rejection of wisdom and instruction is often a precursor to spiritual decline, as Proverbs 1:7 teaches that "Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Yet, amidst this confession of human frailty, the song pivots to highlight the profound grace of God. Meece emphasizes that Christ "died just to prove all the promises true," not for a select few, but "To the ones who need you as much as I need you." This beautiful affirmation of God’s faithfulness, demonstrated through Christ's sacrifice (Romans 5:8), reminds us that His promises are steadfast, irrespective of our intermittent failures, and are available to all who humbly acknowledge their need for Him (2 Peter 1:3-4). The song, therefore, serves not merely as a lament, but as an inspiring call to persistent repentance and renewed reliance on the unwavering love and strength of God, inviting every individual to turn back, again and again, to the One who always welcomes them home.