Lecrae - Go Hard Lyrics
Lyrics
Hook
Go Hard or Go Home(2xs)
Lord Use Me Up(2xs)
Verse 1: Lecrae
Lord kill me If I don't preach the gospel
I'm still in my 20's- but I'll die if I got to
Eh man I'm already dead- man forget my flesh
I done been crossed over, see the full court press
I'm a full court mess if the Lord don't use me
Running from my trials thinkin' everything's groovy
If the Cross don't move me, then I don't wanna breath no mo'
If I ain't seeing Christ partna I don't wanna see no mo'
Rep Him every day without worrying about bruising
I been to China, mayne I seen some real persecution
If you didn't know Christ would ya life look the same
Can they tell you value Jesus by the way you rep his name?
Man what's the point of living if I'm living for myself
Lord empty out my life before I put you on the shelf
So for God I got hard I don't wanna die tonight
But It's too many people living who ain't heard about the Christ
Go Hard or Go Home(2xs)
Lord Use Me Up(2xs)
Verse 2: Lecrae
Went to Asia had to duck and hide for sharin' my faith
They tell me water it down when I get back to states
They say tone the music down you might sell a lot a records
But it's people out here dying and none of 'em heard the message
Took my wifey on mission trip - in Central America
Shared her testimony 40 people stood and stared at her
When she said Jesus shoulda seen it was insane
cause 40 out of 40 never heard of Jesus name
Aw mayne we ain't focused on the war we just kickin' it
worried bout our image and our space up on the internet
take me out the game coach I don't wanna play no mo
If cant give it all I got and leave it out there on the court
Thank you for the grace for the will and the desire
got me living for your glory stead of living to retire
But I pray I'll never tire of going hard for Messiah
I don't need no motivation You the reason I'm inspired.
Verse 3: Tedashii
Go Hard for the Lord baby 'til He takes us home
Go Hard for the Father baby go on get it on
That's what that is baby, that what that mean, that what that mean
That's what that is baby, that what that mean, that what that mean
Wha-What that mean?
That mean that we should be out up in the streets
Not just in houses with our bibles summarizing what we read
Man this ain't deep (man this ain't deep), why we ain't doing what we read?
Its like we sleep (its like we sleep)
But sinners sleepwalk when they sleep
So why can't we (so why can't we), the redeemed of the LORD
Act out, what He said and make a scene for the LORD
Action! Cut! say what, like we was the director
But you better get a grip like movie sets, and get to stepping
I know you done it da-done it, da-done and heard it all
You was going hard for the Lord before you heard this song
But don't play yourself to save ya self, and walk in fear
Scripture's like a mirror, the truth is closer than it appears
Video
Lecrae - Go Hard ft. Tedashii
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on September 30, 2008, as a potent track from Lecrae’s pivotal album *Rebel*, "Go Hard" immediately declared its uncompromising stance, challenging both complacency and the easy path within Christian faith. This song isn't just a collection of verses; it's a profound declaration of spiritual warfare, a rallying cry for total surrender to God's purpose, and a candid look at the realities of living out one's faith in a world that often resists it. From its powerful hook, "Go Hard or Go Home, Lord Use Me Up," the message is clear: there is no middle ground in devotion to Christ, only full commitment until one is completely spent in His service. It embodies the essence of what it means to truly lose one's life to find it, echoing the call to discipleship found in Matthew 10:39, where Jesus teaches that whoever finds their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for His sake will find it.
Lecrae opens the track with a radical profession of faith, stating his willingness to die if he doesn't preach the Gospel, even in his twenties. This isn't hyperbole; it's a stark reflection of Paul’s conviction in 1 Corinthians 9:16, where he exclaims, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" Lecrae quickly dismisses the flesh, declaring himself "already dead" to self, a core tenet of Christian sanctification explained in Romans 6:6-11, which speaks of being crucified with Christ and no longer living for sin. He envisions himself a "full court mess" if God doesn't use him, illustrating a deep dependence on divine purpose rather than personal ambition. The line about the Cross needing to "move" him or he doesn't want to breathe encapsulates the central importance of Christ's sacrifice, as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 1:18, where the message of the cross is power to those who are being saved. He then directly challenges believers to examine whether their lives genuinely reflect their professed value for Jesus, posing the question: "Man what's the point of living if I'm living for myself?" This introspection leads to a prayer for God to empty out his life before he shelves his faith, driven by the urgency that "It's too many people living who ain't heard about the Christ," a profound reflection of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.
The second verse further deepens the narrative, drawing from Lecrae's experiences on the mission field. He recounts having to "duck and hide for sharin' my faith" in Asia, starkly contrasting this with the subtle pressures back in the states to "water it down" or "tone the music down" for commercial success. This exposes a tension many believers face: the world's desire to dilute the uncompromising message of the Gospel for popularity or comfort, a temptation Paul warned against in Galatians 1:10 when questioning whether he sought approval from humans or God. The raw account of his wife's mission trip to Central America, where forty out of forty people had never even heard Jesus's name, serves as a sobering reminder of the vast spiritual need globally, reinforcing the urgency of sharing the message that people are dying without having heard. Lecrae then pivots to critique a self-absorbed faith, bemoaning how easily believers become distracted by "our image and our space up on the internet" instead of focusing on the spiritual battle at hand. He longs to give his all, stating, "take me out the game coach I don't wanna play no mo' If cant give it all I got," reflecting the biblical call to work with all one’s heart, as if working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). His motivation is purely divine, living for God's glory instead of personal retirement, and finding inspiration solely in Christ, a testament to Hebrews 12:2, which directs us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Tedashii’s powerful third verse amplifies this call to active, public faith, urging believers to "Go Hard for the Lord baby 'til He takes us home." He challenges the notion of faith confined to private devotion, arguing that simply reading the Bible in houses isn't enough. The truth, he states, "ain't deep" when it comes to doing what God commands, drawing a direct parallel to James 1:22, which warns against merely listening to the word without doing what it says. Tedashii contrasts the "sleepwalking" of sinners in their spiritual blindness with the vibrant, visible action expected from the "redeemed of the LORD." He pushes for believers to "Act out, what He said and make a scene for the LORD," compelling them to be bold, public witnesses, much like the command in Matthew 5:16 to let one's light shine before others. He cautions against "play[ing] yourself to save ya self, and walk[ing] in fear," a potent warning against prioritizing personal safety over Christ's call, echoing Luke 9:24. The verse concludes by likening Scripture to a mirror where "the truth is closer than it appears," a powerful image reminiscent of James 1:23-24, where a person who hears the word but does not do it is like someone who looks at their face in a mirror and immediately forgets what they look like.
"Go Hard" stands as an enduring anthem for radical Christian commitment. It challenges superficial faith, calls out the dangers of compromise, and ignites a passion for the Great Commission. Far from being just a song, it's a theological manifesto set to a compelling beat, demanding an honest examination of one's devotion and a full-throttle pursuit of God's will. Its message remains as vital today as it was at its release, inspiring believers to pour out their lives completely for Christ, leaving nothing on the court, until the Lord calls them home.