NeedToBreathe - Who Am I Lyrics
Lyrics
White lights and desperation
Hard times and conversation
No one should ever love me like you do
Sometimes my bad decisions
Define my false suspicions
No one should ever love me like you do
While I’m on this road you take my hand
Somehow you really love who I really am
I push you away, still you won’t let go
You grow your roses on my barren soul
Who am I, who am I, who am I
To be loved by you
Who am I, who am I, who am I
To be loved by you
Who am I, who am I, who am I
To be loved by you
Who am I, who am I, who am I
Last night, confidence was shaken
My wounds and my past was saying
No one should ever love me like you do
The way I put you through it, what you had to see
I’m a train wreck, I’m a mess, you see the best
and the worst in me
Still I can’t imagine that I’ve learned your trust
I don’t understand where your love comes from
Video
NEEDTOBREATHE - "Who Am I" [Official Video]
Meaning & Inspiration
Needtobreathe's "Who Am I," featured on their 2020 album *Out of Body*, delves into a profound exploration of unworthiness and the overwhelming nature of unconditional love. The song grapples with the internal turmoil of someone who feels defined by their past mistakes and insecurities, questioning how they could possibly be deserving of such grace. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of someone navigating "white lights and desperation" and "hard times," acknowledging that their "bad decisions" and "false suspicions" should logically preclude them from being truly loved. Yet, the central paradox of the song is the persistent, unwavering affection of another, a love that extends even when the subject actively pushes it away. This is beautifully captured in lines like "I push you away, still you won’t let go," and the poignant image of love "grow[ing] roses on my barren soul."
The recurring refrain, "Who am I... To be loved by you," is more than just a rhetorical question; it's a raw, vulnerable plea stemming from a deep-seated belief in personal inadequacy. This sentiment resonates powerfully with the scriptural concept of God's unfathomable love for humanity, despite our failings. Consider the prophet Isaiah's declaration: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8). The song's protagonist experiences a similar incomprehension of the source of this persistent love, reflecting the Apostle Paul's astonishment in Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The lyrics suggest a love that sees beyond the surface-level mess, recognizing the person beneath the imperfections, a divine characteristic highlighted in 1 Samuel 16:7: "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." The song’s exploration of seeing "the best and the worst" in someone and still choosing to love them is a powerful echo of God's perfect knowledge and acceptance of His creation, as David writes in Psalm 139:1-4, "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me... Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, Lord." Ultimately, "Who Am I" serves as an inspiring testament to a love that transcends our own limited understanding of our worth, mirroring the boundless, redemptive love offered through faith.