Karen Clark Sheard - Brand New Day Lyrics
Lyrics
"Brand New Day" by Karen Clark Sheard featuring Yolanda Adams
YOLANDA:
You may have done
Some things that you're not
Too proud of, at one point in your life
Well, you're just one good prayer away
From living again
Starting today
Chorus:
It's a brand new day
Spread the news, go tell a friend
It's alright to love, its okay to live again
Never mind your faults
What you've done or
Where you've been
It's what's in your heart
It's all that matters in the end
It's a brand new day
KAREN:
Maybe you were involved
In a love gone bad before
And ever since then
You've been bitter and scorn
All those bad feelings
You no longer need to hold
'Cause we're in with the new
Out with the old
Chorus:
YOLANDA:
Things that made you angry in your past
KAREN:
Now you look at them, and you can laugh
YOLANDA:
Cause they don't
And they won't
KAREN
Matter anymore
Chorus
repeat
Video
Brand New Day (feat. Yolanda Adams)
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on July 30, 2002, as part of the powerful album *2nd Chance*, Karen Clark Sheard's "Brand New Day," featuring the incomparable Yolanda Adams, emerges as a profound anthem of hope and redemption. From its very introduction, the song wastes no time in extending an invitation to anyone burdened by past regrets, affirming that a fresh start is not merely possible but readily available. The core message resonates deeply with the Christian understanding of grace: no matter the mistakes or failures that weigh heavily on the spirit, God's mercy offers a clean slate. It’s a divine reminder that our identity is not defined by our worst moments, but by the love and forgiveness offered through faith, a powerful echo of Isaiah 43:18-19, which urges us not to dwell on the past, for God is actively doing a new thing.
The song’s narrative unfolds, addressing the common human experience of shame and self-condemnation. It speaks directly to the individual who may have engaged in actions they are "not too proud of," offering the liberating truth that transformation is "just one good prayer away." This spiritual pivot point is central to the Christian walk, as highlighted in 2 Corinthians 5:17, which declares, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." The emphasis on what's "in your heart" at the end, rather than past deeds or locations, beautifully aligns with Proverbs 4:23, which advises, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." It’s a call to inner renewal, understanding that true change emanates from a transformed spirit.
"Brand New Day" then expands its compassionate embrace to those who have endured emotional wounds, specifically mentioning "love gone bad" and the resultant bitterness. This facet of the message is profoundly therapeutic, urging a release from the chains of past hurt and resentment. The declaration to move "in with the new, out with the old" isn't just a catchy phrase; it's a scriptural command to lay aside bitterness, wrath, and malice, as encouraged in Ephesians 4:31-32: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." The song offers a pathway to healing, suggesting that these lingering negative emotions no longer need to hold sway over one's present or future, allowing for a freedom that enables one to "live again" and even "laugh" at past struggles because "they don't and they won't matter anymore."
Ultimately, the unifying message of "Brand New Day" is one of unadulterated hope and the boundless nature of divine grace. It proclaims that every sunrise offers a fresh opportunity, not because of anything we've earned, but because of God's steadfast love, which Lamentations 3:22-23 assures us is "new every morning." The invitation to "spread the news, go tell a friend" echoes the Great Commission in Mark 16:15, encouraging believers to share this liberating truth. It's a testament to the power of repentance, forgiveness, and the radical idea that we are not condemned by our past, for as Romans 8:1 declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." This song stands as a powerful sonic sermon, reminding anyone who hears it that with God, every day truly is a brand new day, full of possibilities for love, life, and renewed purpose, far removed from the shadows of yesterday.