Maverick City Music - Shammah Lyrics
Lyrics
I'm gonna stay right here
Drink from the well awhile
Can't be disappointed
You always satisfy
I'll live my life here in Your presence
No need to rush in here
I lay down the cares of life
Won't miss this appointment
You're worth all my time
I'll spend my life here in Your presence
I'll live my life here in Your presence, oh
I'll live my life here in Your presence, Jehovah Shammah
I'll live my life here in Your presence
I will dwell here as You dwell here, oh
No need to rush in here
I lay down the cares of life
Won't miss this appointment
You're worth all my time
I'll spend my life here in Your presence
That's where I wanna be, yeah
I'll live my life here in Your presence, oh
Oh, Jesus, You're where I wanna be, Lord
Oh, I'll live my life here in Your presence, Jehovah Shammah
Right here in Your presence for all of my days, I will
I'll live my life here in Your presence
We will dwell here
I will dwell here as You dwell here
As You dwell here
Oh, Jesus
Oh, Jesus, we wanna dwell with You
We wanna dwell with You
We wanna dwell with You, yeah
So, we declare this, we say
If I am Your temple
And this is Your house
Lord, have Your way with me inside and out
With total abandon
I gladly bow down
I surrender
Sing
If I am Your temple
And this is Your house
If this is Your house
Lord, have Your way
Lord, have Your way with me inside and out
With total abandon
With total abandon
I gladly bow down
I gladly bow down
I surrender everything
I surrender
I surrender everything, I surrender everything
If I am
If I am Your temple
And this is Your house
If this is Your house
Lord, have Your way
Lord, have Your way with me inside and out
With total abandon
With total abandon
I gladly bow
I gladly bow down
I surrender
I surrender
Sing
I surrender
I surrender
I lay it at Your feet, God
I surrender
I surrender everything, oh
I surrender
Oh, I surrender all
I surrender
Yes, I surrender all
I surrender
Oh, I surrender all
I surrender
I surrender all
Oh Lord, so I'll live my life here in Your presence
Oh, say, I'll live my life here in Your presence, Jehovah Shammah
Make this broken mess, make it Your better for me
I'll live my life here in Your presence
That's where I wanna be
I'll live my life right here
I'll live my life right here in Your presence
That's where I wanna be
Oh, I'll live my life here in Your presence
That's where I wanna be, that's where I wanna be
That's where I wanna be, that's where I wanna be
That's where I need to be, that's where I need to be
That's where I need to be, that's where I need to be
That's where I need to be
Better is one day in Your course
Right here in Your presence
Better is one day in Your course
Than thousands elsewhere
Better is one day in Your course
Than thousands elsewhere
Better is one day in Your house
Than thousands elsewhere
I'd rather be with You, I'd rather be with You
I'd rather be with You, I'd rather be with You
I'd rather be with You, I'd rather be here
I'll live my life here in Your presence, oh
I will dwell here as You dwell here
I will dwell here
I will dwell here as You dwell here
As You dwell, wherever You are is my home
I will dwell here as You dwell here
As You dwell here
As You dwell here
Video
Shammah - Maverick City Music | Naomi Raine | Anthony Brown (Official Music Video)
Meaning & Inspiration
Maverick City Music's "Shammah," featured on their recent release *The Maverick Way Reimagined* (released May 17, 2024), is a profound declaration of contentment and unwavering devotion found solely in the presence of God. The song’s title itself, derived from the Hebrew name for God, "Jehovah Shammah," meaning "The Lord is There," immediately sets a theological foundation. This isn't just a song about feeling good; it's an active choice to abide in God's dwelling place, a concept deeply rooted in Scripture. The lyrics express a deliberate disengagement from the rush and cares of the world, choosing instead to "drink from the well awhile" and find complete satisfaction, mirroring the Psalmist's cry in Psalm 63:1, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." The repeated refrain, "I'll live my life here in Your presence," is more than a desire; it's a commitment, a conscious decision to make God's nearness the ultimate locus of one's existence, echoing the Psalmist's longing in Psalm 27:4, "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life."
The core message of "Shammah" is an embrace of God's immanence and an acceptance of His sovereignty. The profound surrender articulated in the latter half of the song, particularly lines like "If I am Your temple / And this is Your house / Lord, have Your way with me inside and out," speaks to a radical vulnerability and trust. This resonates with the New Testament understanding of believers as living temples of the Holy Spirit, as described in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own." The willingness to have God's way "inside and out" signifies a holistic surrender, acknowledging that true dwelling in His presence involves every aspect of one's being. The act of "total abandon" and "gladly bow[ing] down" illustrates a sacrificial love and a deep understanding that God's presence is the highest good, far exceeding any worldly comfort or achievement, as David proclaimed in Psalm 84:10, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." This sentiment is powerfully reinforced by the concluding lines, "Better is one day in Your course / Than thousands elsewhere," underscoring that a moment in God’s presence is infinitely more valuable than any duration of time spent away from Him. The song ultimately paints a picture of a believer whose entire existence is oriented towards remaining in communion with a God who is faithfully present, making His dwelling place the true home.