Lyrics
Verse 1
Have you ever seen a tree by the river?
Have you ever tried tearing one down?
When it's planted by the hand of the Maker
No, it won't come out of that ground
Pre-Chorus
(Ooh, ooh)
Let the rain fall and let the winds blow
(Ooh, ooh, ooh)
There ain't no letting go
Chorus
My roots are not in this world
I am a child of heaven, heaven
Come hell or high water
I'm held by the Father
And I'm safe when the storm don't sleep
'Cause these roots run deep
(Roots run deep)
Verse 2
Stand strong in the heat of the summer
Gonna bloom even through the freeze
'Cause I'm planted by the hand of the Maker
Ain't nothing gonna get to me
Chorus
My roots are not in this world
I am a child of heaven, heaven
Come hell or high water
I'm held by the Father
And I'm safe when the storm don't sleep
'Cause these roots run deep
(Roots run deep)
(These roots run deep)
Bridge
I'm not afraid of the tide
I know that flood's gonna rise
I'm gonna lift my eyes
And it won't take me, it won't take me
I'm not afraid of the rain
My Savior knows me by name
I'll face the hurricane
And it won't break me, it won't break me
Chorus
My roots are not in this world
I am a child of heaven, heaven
Come hell or high water
I'm held by the Father
And I'm safe when the storm don't sleep
'Cause these roots run deep
(Roots run deep)
(These roots run deep)
(Roots run deep)
(These roots run deep)
Outro
(Roots run deep)
(Roots run deep)
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Roots" builds on the image of a tree planted by water that cannot be pulled from the ground. The first verse asks if anyone has tried "tearing one down" when it is "planted by the hand of the Maker," and the pre-chorus invites rain and wind with the line "There ain't no letting go." The picture stands for a believer anchored in God rather than in circumstances.
The chorus names that anchor directly: "My roots are not in this world" and "I am a child of heaven," held by the Father "come hell or high water." The bridge turns to storm imagery, with the singer unafraid of tide, flood and hurricane because "My Savior knows me by name."
The tree-by-the-river image comes from the opening psalm and from Jeremiah's description of a person who trusts in the Lord, and the idea of belonging to heaven echoes Paul's words about citizenship there. The song stays focused on security in God during hardship, repeating "These roots run deep" as its closing refrain.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 1:3 The one who delights in the Lord is like a tree planted by streams of water.
- Jeremiah 17:7-8 The person who trusts in the Lord is like a tree with roots by the water.
- Philippians 3:20 Paul says the citizenship of believers is in heaven.