Matt Maher - Better Off Broken Lyrics
Lyrics
Verse 1: Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
What good's a heart if it don't break?
What good's a soul if it don't ache?
What good are eyes if they can't see?
Do you see me? Do you see me?
Chorus: Ryan Ellis, Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
Love came crashin' in, oh, bombs away
Blowin' up my world
From the fallout, I can say
I'm better off broken
I did all I could to run away
But now I'm givin' up
If it's the only way I stay
I'm better off broken
Verse 2: Ryan Ellis, Matt Maher, Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
What good is grace if it's not free?
What good's a cure if it's not healin'?
What good is faith without a need?
It's You I need, it's You I need
Chorus: Ryan Ellis, Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
Love came crashin' in, oh, bombs away
Blowin' up my world
From the fallout, I can say
I'm better off broken
I did all I could to run away
But now I'm givin' up
If it's the only way I stay
I'm better off broken
Post-Chorus: Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
I'm better off
I'm better off broken
I'm better off
I'm better off broken
Bridge: Ryan Ellis, Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
And I know that You can hear me
When I'm cryin' out for help
Help
Ooh-ooh
Chorus: Ryan Ellis, Ryan Ellis & Matt Maher
Love came crashin' in, oh, bombs away
Blowin' up my world
From the fallout, I can say
I'm better off broken
I did all I could to run away
But now I'm givin' up
If it's the only way I stay
I'm better off broken
Video
Matt Maher - Better Off Broken (feat. Ryan Ellis) [Official Audio Video]
Meaning & Inspiration
Matt Maher's "Better Off Broken," featuring Ryan Ellis, released on October 21, 2022, is a powerful anthem that dives deep into the paradoxical nature of faith, presenting vulnerability not as a weakness, but as the very gateway to encountering divine love. From its opening lines, the song challenges conventional wisdom, questioning the utility of a heart that never experiences pain or a soul that remains untouched by sorrow. This poignant inquiry immediately sets a reflective tone, inviting us to consider whether our avoidance of hurt might inadvertently shield us from a profound, necessary brokenness that opens our eyes to spiritual realities and the presence of God Himself, asking with raw honesty, "Do you see me?"
The core message of "Better Off Broken" centers on the transformative power of God's love, depicted with striking imagery as something that "came crashin' in, oh, bombs away, Blowin' up my world." This isn't a gentle, gradual unfolding, but a radical, disruptive intervention, akin to the spiritual dismantling Paul describes in Galatians 2:20, where the old self dies to allow Christ to live within. The resulting "fallout" isn't devastation but revelation, leading to the profound declaration: "I'm better off broken." This speaks to the grace found in surrender, recognizing that our attempts to control our lives or run from God's influence ultimately prove futile. The song articulates the universal human struggle to maintain self-sufficiency, confessing, "I did all I could to run away," before arriving at the liberating realization that giving up our control is the only true path to connection: "If it's the only way I stay, I'm better off broken." This echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:25, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it," highlighting the profound wisdom in spiritual surrender.
The lyrical journey continues to unpack this theme of essential brokenness by posing further rhetorical questions that highlight the fundamental aspects of Christian doctrine. "What good is grace if it's not free? What good's a cure if it's not healin'?" These lines reinforce the unmerited nature of God's favor, as described in Ephesians 2:8-9, and the complete efficacy of Christ's redemptive work. Crucially, the song asks, "What good is faith without a need?", directly confronting the human tendency towards self-reliance. True faith, it asserts, arises from a deep awareness of our spiritual poverty and utter dependence on God. This acknowledgment leads to the repeated, earnest cry, "It's You I need," a declaration that resonates with Psalm 62:1, "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him." It's in this space of acknowledged need that faith finds its purpose and power.
The bridge offers a moment of intimate connection, reassuring the searching heart that "I know that You can hear me, When I'm cryin' out for help." This simple, yet powerful statement grounds the listener in the reality of God's ever-present attentiveness, especially during moments of vulnerability and distress. Psalm 34:17-18 confirms this divine empathy: "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." The song concludes by cycling back to its potent chorus, cementing the truth that the breaking process, while difficult, is ultimately a beautiful, necessary precursor to experiencing God's full and transformative love. It’s a testament to the fact that God often meets us not in our manufactured strength, but in the humility of our brokenness, refining us and drawing us closer to His perfect design, echoing 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where divine power is made perfect in weakness. "Better Off Broken" serves as a profound reminder that sometimes, to be truly whole, we must first allow ourselves to be profoundly undone by grace.