Hellen Yilma - Merim Oti (You Lift Me Up) - Praises of Israel Lyrics

Video

Praises Of Israel - Merim Oti(You Lift Me)[Live]

Meaning & Inspiration

I keep coming back to that line about running toward the goal. It feels like Paul in Philippians, doesn't it? Forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what is ahead. It’s a strange thing to think about—how we want God to just pick us up out of the fire, like the song says, when maybe the fire is where we’re supposed to be forged or something. But then I remember how often the Psalms talk about God being a refuge and a high tower, the one who actually pulls us out of the miry clay. It’s hard to reconcile sometimes, wanting to be rescued versus wanting to endure.

When the song says that the victory is already in His hands, I find myself pausing. It’s easy to sing that when life is quiet, but it hits different when everything is burning around you. It feels like the promise in Romans, that nothing can separate us from that love. But then I wonder, are we talking about victory over our circumstances, like getting out of a bad spot, or victory over ourselves? The way it’s phrased, it sounds like He’s lifting us above the mess so we can keep moving forward. I want to believe that, that He’s actually there in the storm, not just waiting on the other side of it. It’s uncomfortable to lean into that kind of trust, especially when the "lifting up" doesn't look like an escape hatch but just the strength to keep running the race, even when your feet are tired. I’m still figuring out if I’m okay with that, or if I just really want the storm to end.