Lyrics
Verse 1
I’m living proof
Of what the mercy of God can do
If You knew me then
You’d believe me now
He turned my whole life upside down
He took the old and He made it new
That’s just what the mercy of God can do
Chorus
Now I’m alive to tell the story
How I’ve overcome
It’s His goodness and mercy
And the power of His blood
I’m so glad that my freedom
Wasn’t based on what I’ve done
But His goodness and mercy
And the power of the blood
Verse 2
Thought I deserved
To be six feet beneath the earth
For all the things I’ve done
The things I’ve said
The choices made that I regret
Oh I would still be lost
But for the mercy of God
Bridge
Was the cross meant for me
That my Savior carried
Now I’ve been made free
By the mercy of God
Was the grave meant for me
Where my sin lay buried
Now I stand redeemed
By the mercy of God
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“Mercy” by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music is a testimony of rescue. The opening line, “I’m living proof of what the mercy of God can do,” sets the theme, and the verse says God turned the singer’s life upside down, took the old and made it new. The chorus credits goodness, mercy and the power of the blood, and says freedom was never based on what the singer had done.
The second verse is blunt about guilt. The singer thought he deserved to be six feet beneath the earth for what he had done and said, and for the choices he regretted, and says he would still be lost but for the mercy of God.
The bridge asks two questions: whether the cross was meant for him, and whether the grave was meant for him, where his sin lay buried. The answer is that he now stands redeemed. This is close to Ephesians 2:4-5, Titus 3:5 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, which speak of mercy, salvation and becoming new. The song is a direct, personal account of grace.
Related Scripture
- Ephesians 2:4-5 God rich in mercy made us alive
- Titus 3:5 Saved according to His mercy
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 A new creation, the old has passed