Jonathan David & Melissa Helser - So Much Grace Lyrics
Lyrics
Verse 1
East went looking for west but never found him
Guilt went looking for my past but only found love
I heard about a sea where sin sinks like stones
There’s no floor there just mercy down below
Chorus
There’s so much grace, there’s so much grace,
Verse 2
I heard about a Man with holes in his hands
He can hide mountains of sin in them
His smile destroyed my religion
His love shakes down my prison
Bridge
I could run for all my days
But I’d never runaway
There’s no mistake I could make
That could ever make You change
Video
Jonathan and Melissa Helser - So Much Grace (Official Lyric Video) | Beautiful Surrender
Meaning & Inspiration
"So Much Grace," a compelling track from Jonathan David & Melissa Helser’s 2016 album *Beautiful Surrender*, released on September 30th, delves into the transformative power of divine forgiveness and unconditional love. The song serves as a profound anthem for anyone grappling with guilt or seeking liberation from the heavy chains of past mistakes, articulating a foundational truth of Christian faith: the boundless nature of God’s grace. It explores the human journey from self-condemnation to glorious freedom, painting a vivid picture of redemption that encourages the heart to rest in unwavering mercy.
The opening verse immediately sets a tone of radical liberation, confronting the persistent pursuit of past failures. The declaration, "East went looking for west but never found him," beautifully mirrors the promise of Psalm 103:12, which states, "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." This vivid imagery conveys not just forgiveness, but a complete, irreversible separation from sin. Following this, the line "Guilt went looking for my past but only found love" speaks to the ultimate triumph of God’s redemptive work, echoing Romans 8:1’s assurance that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." The subsequent metaphor of "a sea where sin sinks like stones" and "no floor there just mercy down below" powerfully illustrates Micah 7:19: "He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." This imagery emphasizes the utter annihilation of sin in the infinite ocean of God’s compassion, signifying a mercy that knows no bottom, only endless depth.
The central declaration, "There’s so much grace," repeated in the chorus, is simple yet profoundly resonant. It’s a direct affirmation of God’s unmerited favor, a core tenet of the gospel articulated in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith... it is the gift of God." This grace isn't earned or deserved; it is freely given, overwhelming the believer with a love that transforms and sets free, fundamentally altering one's perception of self and the divine.
The second verse introduces a pivotal figure in this narrative of grace: "a Man with holes in his hands." This unmistakable reference to Jesus, bearing the marks of crucifixion, immediately grounds the song in the sacrifice made on the cross, the ultimate act of love that purchased redemption. The audacious claim that "He can hide mountains of sin in them" speaks to the immense power of Christ’s atonement, signifying that no transgression is too great for His sacrifice to cover, a truth found in Isaiah 1:18, where even scarlet sins can be made white as snow. The following lines, "His smile destroyed my religion, His love shakes down my prison," are particularly poignant. This isn't a rejection of faith, but a liberation from rigid, performance-based religious systems that often imprison rather than free. It highlights the shift from a law-based understanding to a relationship-based one, echoing Jesus' own critiques of legalism (Matthew 23) and Paul’s emphasis on faith over works in Galatians 2:16. Christ's love shatters the self-imposed prisons of shame, fear, and striving, bringing the freedom promised in Colossians 1:13-14: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
The bridge powerfully concludes this journey of understanding divine love by affirming its enduring, unchangeable nature. "I could run for all my days, But I’d never runaway" speaks to the inescapable, pursuing love of God, a love so pervasive that, as Psalm 139:7-10 declares, "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?" This provides immense comfort, knowing that one can never truly outrun God's love. The final, comforting assurance, "There’s no mistake I could make That could ever make You change," is a cornerstone of Christian hope. It reinforces God's unchanging character and covenant faithfulness, as stated in Malachi 3:6: "For I the Lord do not change." This profound truth, affirmed in Romans 8:38-39, ensures that nothing—no past mistake, present struggle, or future failure—can separate us from the boundless love of God in Christ Jesus. "So Much Grace" therefore becomes more than a song; it's a deeply comforting and liberating theological statement, gently guiding the human heart into the endless embrace of divine mercy.