This is the first song in a while that I have printed the complete lyrics for you to read but each verse and each line packs a powerful WHALOPE for me. Forgiveness is a foundational part of the Christian faith and yet is so gross when we have to extend it to those around us. I am too often tempted to think that I have no one that I need to forgive because no heinous wrong has been done to me. But then I hear myself thinking hurt-filled thoughts: “I can’t believe what she said” “How could they treat me like that?” The hurt turns to dislike, distrust or even disgust. The yucky part comes when I face my need to forgive and hunger to hold on to my outrage instead. The Chorus here says it best: Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them Cause I feel like the one losin’. Listen to the song and read the lyrics…powerful.
I can’t believe what she said
I can’t believe what he did
Oh, don’t they know it’s wrong
Don’t they know it’s wrong
Well maybe there’s something I missed
But how could they treat me like this
It’s wearing out my heart
The way they disregard
This is love or this is hate…
We all have a choice to make
Oh, Father wont You forgive them
They don’t know what they’ve been doin’ (oh no)
Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them
Cause I feel like the one losin’
Well it’s only the dead that can live
But still I wrestle with this
To lose the pain that’s mine
Seventy times seven times
Cause Lord it doesn’t feel right
For me to turn a blind eye
Though I guess it’s not that much
When I think of what You’ve done.
This is love or this is hate…
We gotta a choice to make
Oh Father won’t You forgive them
They don’t know what they’ve been doin’ (oh no)
Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them
Cause I feel like the one losin’
Why do we think that our hate’s gonna break a hard heart
We’re rippin arms over wars that don’t need to be fought
Cause pride wont let us lay our weapons on the ground
We build our bridges up but it’s just to burn them down
We think our pain is own apologies and get them to stop
Well truth be told it doesn’t matter if their sorry or not
Cause freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
Of Your mercy and Your grace, Father, send Your angels down
