Planetshakers - Alive Again (Live In Manila) Lyrics
Lyrics
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
Oh this, is it I leave it all behind The past, mistakes I wished I could rewind
I am moving forward, today As Your grace lights up the way You will never lead me, astray So I'll never run away
Now, I'm drawing closer Now, I'm drawing closer No matter where, no matter when I am reaching out again Now, I'm drawing closer! I'm drawing closer to You
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
Through, the things That I don't understand Oh I, will praise To You I lift my hands
'Cause I am moving forward, today As Your grace lights up the way You will never lead me, astray So I'll never run away
And now, I'm drawing closer Now, I'm drawing closer No matter where, no matter when I am reaching out again, again Now, I'm drawing closer! I'm drawing closer to You
And as I draw close, to You You draw close to me All that I want, is You 'Cause with You I am free And now, I'm drawing closer And now I'm drawing closer! I'm drawing closer to You
O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o-o-o-ohh O-o-oh, o-o, o-o-ohh
Closer to You In every season, I am drawing Closer to You In every season, I am drawing Closer to You...
Video
'ALIVE AGAIN' | LIVE in Manila | Official Planetshakers Music Video
Meaning & Inspiration
There is a distinct restlessness in how Planetshakers builds a song. From behind the mic, I often find myself wary of high-tempo anthems that demand immediate participation; they tend to prioritize the kinetic energy of the room over the gravity of the confession. In "Drawing Closer," the singability is undeniable, but it relies on a repetitive, almost dizzying momentum that leaves little room for the kind of quiet reflection usually required for repentance.
When we sing, "I leave it all behind / The past, mistakes / I wished I could rewind," we are inviting the congregation into a moment of vulnerability. Yet, the music pivots so quickly into a major-key surge that the "mistakes" barely have time to register as heavy. It feels like sprinting past a grave instead of pausing to acknowledge what was buried. If we aren't careful, we turn the act of leaving the past behind into a shallow exercise of willpower rather than a profound reliance on the finished work of the Cross.
The chorus lands on: "And as I draw close, to You / You draw close to me." It’s a nod to James 4:8, an invitation to intimacy. But look at that verse in its entirety: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
We love the first half of that promise because it places the initiative in our own hands. If I move, He moves. It’s an easy syllogism for a Sunday morning. But the "Landing" here feels a bit thin. By reducing the mystery of God’s nearness to a simple mechanical exchange—I move, You move—we risk framing grace as a reward for our proximity.
Is the path to the Cross clear here? Mostly, it’s a path to the front of the stage. The song creates a high-pressure environment where "reaching out" feels like the primary goal. My struggle as a leader is that after the final "O-o-oh" fades and the lights dim, I fear the congregation is left holding nothing more than the phantom memory of a beat. They haven't been forced to confront their own brokenness, nor have they been saturated in the reality that God pursued them long before they ever thought to "reach out."
I’m left wondering: if we stripped away the driving rhythm, would the lyrics still carry the weight of someone truly coming home to their Father? Or would they just feel like a checklist of spiritual movements? We have to be better than just keeping time. We have to make sure the movement we’re encouraging is actually toward the Crucified One, not just toward a feeling of forward momentum.