Lyrics
This is not how I, thought that it would be
Crying on the floor, Emmanuel
All that I desire, slipping through my hands
Like the sand of time, Emmanuel
Down on my knees
I'm waiting on You
Still I know...
Chorus:
God with me
I must not forget
You have never left
You have never left
And all I see
Is but a glimpse of what will be
You are greater still
You are greater still
This is not how I, thought that it would be
To carry hope in me, Emmanuel
I should sing for joy, but I feel overwhelmed
This calling is too great, Emmanuel
Down on my knees
I'm waiting on You
Still I know...
[Chorus]
God with me
I must not forget
You have never left
You have never left
And all I see
Is but a glimpse of what will be
You are greater still
You are greater still!
Bridge:
Greater than all my deepest fears
Greater than all my wildest dreams
Your thoughts for me are higher
Your plans by far exceed
Every hope I've long since lost
Every doubt I can't let go
Your ways are so much better than what
I can see
God with me
I must not forget
You have never left
You have never left
And all I see
Is but a glimpse of what will be
You are greater still
You are greater still!
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
“God With Me (Emmanuel)” gives voice to faith under the pressure of disappointment and uncertainty. Both verses describe expectations giving way to tears, lost hopes, and an overwhelming calling. Against those circumstances, the name Emmanuel becomes the songs anchor: God remains present even when the future cannot be clearly seen. Kneeling and waiting therefore express dependence rather than defeat.
The chorus answers fear with remembered faithfulness, insisting that God has not abandoned the person who is waiting. The bridge widens that trust by placing divine thoughts and plans above limited human understanding. Its language closely echoes the biblical contrast between Gods ways and human ways, while the title recalls the promise of God with his people. The song does not offer an easy explanation for suffering; it directs attention toward a presence greater than fear, doubt, lost hopes, or imagined outcomes, and toward a future still held by God.
Related Scripture
- Matthew 1:23 Matthew explains Emmanuel as God with us.
- Isaiah 55:8-9 Gods thoughts and ways are described as higher than human thoughts and ways.
- Matthew 28:20 Jesus promises to remain with his disciples always.