Janet Paschal - Higher Ground Lyrics
Lyrics
I'm pressing on the upward way
New heights I'm gaining every day
Still praying as I onward bound
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground
My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay
Though some may dwell where those abound
You see, my prayer, my aim is higher ground
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on heaven's tableland
A higher plane than I have found
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground
I want to live above the world
Though Satan's darts at me are hurled
For faith has caught a joyful sound
Oh, the song of saints up on higher ground
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on heaven's tableland
A higher plane than I have found
Oh, plant my feet on higher ground
Plant my feet on higher ground
Oh, lift me up, oh, let me stand
By faith on heaven's tableland
A higher plane than I have found
Plant my feet on higher ground
Plant my feet on higher ground
Plant my feet on higher
Plant my feet on higher
Plant my feet on higher ground
Plant me on higher ground
Higher ground
Video
Higher Ground
Meaning & Inspiration
Janet Paschal's "Higher Ground," featured on her 1997 album *The Good Road*, stands as a profound declaration of faith and spiritual aspiration. The song's narrative is one of deliberate movement towards a more elevated walk with God, a conscious rejection of the stagnant valleys of doubt and fear that can so easily grip the soul. Paschal's invitation is clear from the outset: to press onward, to embrace the daily gains in spiritual maturity, and to continually seek God's positioning in one's life. This pursuit isn't a passive wish but an active prayer, echoing the sentiment found in Proverbs 4:18, "But the path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." The lyrical journey explicitly rejects the comfort of familiar struggles, as Paschal sings of a heart that "has no desire to stay where doubts arise and fears dismay." This sentiment resonates deeply with the scriptural admonition to cast off anxieties, as found in Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." The central plea, "Lord, lift me up, and let me stand by faith on heaven's tableland," is a powerful image of surrendering control and relying entirely on divine strength. This isn't about self-elevation but about being elevated by God's power to a place of secure footing, a "higher plane than I have found." This directly aligns with passages like Isaiah 40:31, which promises renewal and strength for those who wait on the Lord: "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." The desire to "live above the world," even when facing spiritual opposition—the "Satan's darts at me are hurled"—is fueled by the "joyful sound" of faith. This anticipation of heavenly fellowship and victory is a testament to the enduring hope that comes from Christ, as described in Hebrews 12:2: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorking its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." The repeated emphasis on planting feet on "higher ground" is not merely a desire for comfort but a longing for a place of unwavering devotion, spiritual resilience, and intimate communion with the divine, a place where one can stand firm in God's presence and purpose.