Micah Tyler - Wretch No More Lyrics
Lyrics
I was born in the river bed
Got my momma's eyes and my daddy's hand
He chained me to a troubled start
Gave me wandering feet and a restless heart
The only thing I knew was loss
Until I met the rugged cross
That's when Jesus reconciled
And the prodigal became a child
Amazing grace
What love divine
That saw a slave
Wrapped up in chains
And said "he's mine"
How sweet the day
Love won the war
Heaven came down
And said I've been found
I'm a wretch no more
To this day I can't explain
Why He chose to make the trade
His beauty for my shame and scorn
His victory for my crown of thorns
And on the days I lose my step
And troubles make my heart forget
His kindness brings me back again
To the place where mercy took me in
Amazing grace
What love divine
That saw a slave
Wrapped up in chains
And said "he's mine"
How sweet the day
Love won the war
Heaven came down
And said I've been found
I'm a wretch no more
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Out of the gutter
Out of the trash
You've called me beautiful
Out of the darkness
And shame of the past
You've called me to be yours
Amazing grace
What love divine
That saw this slave
Wrapped up in chains
And said "he's mine"
How sweet the day
Love won the war
And Heaven came down
And said I've been found
Heaven came down
And placed on a crown
Then Heaven came down
And said you've been found
I'm a wretch no more
Video
Wretch No More
Meaning & Inspiration
Micah Tyler’s "Wretch No More," released on March 4, 2020, stands as a profoundly moving testament to the redemptive power of divine grace, offering a stark contrast between a life steeped in brokenness and the transformative encounter with Christ. The song immediately captures attention with its raw, autobiographical narrative, portraying a speaker born into disadvantage and burdened by an inherited propensity for struggle. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of a "troubled start," attributing to a "daddy's hand" both a physical inheritance and a spiritual inclination towards "wandering feet and a restless heart." This imagery powerfully resonates with the universal human condition of being born into a fallen world, inherently prone to sin and separation from God, a truth echoed in Romans 3:23 which declares that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. The journey described is one marked by constant "loss" until the speaker's path converges with "the rugged cross," the pivotal moment where Jesus' sacrifice brings about reconciliation and transforms a "prodigal" back into a beloved child, a clear callback to the lost son found in Luke 15 and the ministry of reconciliation described in 2 Corinthians 5:18.
The core of "Wretch No More" pulsates with a re-imagining of the classic hymn "Amazing Grace," adopting its powerful declaration of liberation while adding Micah Tyler’s personal testimony. The chorus, declaring "Amazing grace / What love divine / That saw a slave / Wrapped up in chains / And said 'he's mine'," beautifully illustrates the spiritual bondage humanity experiences under sin, a state from which only Christ can deliver. This imagery of slavery to sin is deeply rooted in Scripture, as seen in John 8:34, where Jesus states that everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. God's declaration, "he's mine," speaks to the profound act of adoption and belonging that occurs when one accepts Christ, moving from spiritual orphanhood to being an heir in God’s family, as Ephesians 1:5 explains. The lines "How sweet the day / Love won the war / Heaven came down / And said I've been found / I'm a wretch no more" celebrate Christ's triumphant victory over sin and death (Colossians 2:15) and the joyous discovery of one who was lost, symbolizing the ultimate transformation from a state of spiritual destitution to one of complete acceptance and new identity in Christ, embodying the new creation found in 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Micah Tyler continues to explore the depth of this divine transaction, articulating the unexplainable mystery of grace in the lines, "To this day I can't explain / Why He chose to make the trade / His beauty for my shame and scorn / His victory for my crown of thorns." This segment eloquently captures the essence of substitutionary atonement, where Jesus willingly bore our sin and shame on the cross (Isaiah 53:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21), offering His perfect righteousness and ultimate triumph in return for our spiritual poverty and suffering. The song honestly acknowledges the ongoing human struggle, recognizing that "on the days I lose my step / And troubles make my heart forget," moments of doubt and spiritual fatigue are inevitable. Yet, it swiftly pivots to the steadfast faithfulness of God, assuring that "His kindness brings me back again / To the place where mercy took me in." This unwavering grace, consistently drawing us back to the source of salvation, is a powerful reminder of God’s enduring compassion and mercy, fresh every morning as lamented in Lamentations 3:22-23.
The bridge serves as a profound declaration of identity, reiterating the radical nature of God’s transformation. "Out of the gutter / Out of the trash / You've called me beautiful / Out of the darkness / And shame of the past / You've called me to be yours" uses stark, relatable language to convey the depths of human brokenness from which Christ redeems. It’s a testament to God's ability to see value and beauty where humanity sees only discard, elevating the broken to a place of beloved belonging. This echoes biblical truths such as Isaiah 43:1, where God declares, "You are mine," and Psalm 139:14, affirming that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." The repeated "Hallelujah" is a simple yet potent outburst of praise, a universal expression of worship for the divine love that reclaims, restores, and redefines. The song culminates in a powerful reaffirmation of being "found" and having a "crown" placed, symbolizing not just acceptance but royal sonship, sealing the truth that through Christ, the declaration "I'm a wretch no more" is not just a hope, but a present reality for every believer.