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With Me words and music by Daniel Bourassa and Jonny Kiedrowski
Feeling downcast has been a regular part of my story. I’ve had longings that went unmet, losses that left me hopeless, and sometimes I just woke up feeling sad and couldn’t explain why. And in these times (or sometimes in these seasons) I have often been drawn to music as a source of comfort.
Music that Comforts
Music has a unique ability to give expression to what I’m feeling or to encourage me by holding out hope. But it can also help me wallow in self-pity, hold fast to lies, or find strength in false hopes. At times I’ve felt understood in the midst of lyrics that claim all is lost. Or I’ve found strength in false promises that one day I’ll get the love or fulfillment that I deserve.
And Christian music isn’t immune to false hopes. I’ve myself written lyrics that exalted self-esteem more so than Christ. And sometimes lyrics are beautiful and true but the same song could play on secular radio or be sung by a Mormon and they also would think it is beautiful and true. I’ve written and heard many songs where if you don’t bring an understanding of the gospel to the song then you may easily be left worshiping something other than Christ (such as believing in yourself or a god who makes everything go your way). This is because there is no explicit mention of who Jesus is or what he has done. That doesn’t mean those songs are bad or wrong – there are many songs like this that I can still worship the Lord with. But it does suggest that there is also a place for lyrics that help us express our sorrows while telling us why we can take hope in the person and work of Christ.
So music is often worshipful, comforting, and hope-giving. But it matters who we are worshiping, why we feel comforted, and what we are placing our hope in.
Truth and True Hope
In January 2020 I set out to write a song where I could honestly cry out to God when I’m cast down but then have encouragement based in what Jesus has actually done.
You see the Bible doesn’t promote just “being positive.” The Bible is the most un-positive book imaginable: we live in a fallen, broken world wrecked by sin, and death. Not only that, apart from Christ we are enemies of a holy God (Romans 5:10) deserving of his wrath (Romans 1:18) awaiting eternity of torment (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and unable to do one thing to earn salvation (Titus 3:5). But this un-positive message is met not with blind optimism but with the fulfillment of all God’s promises in his Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).
So God does not tell us to downplay the pain we experience in our world. If Jesus is our example, it is right and good to grieve (John 11:33-35). It is right and good to lament (Matthew 23:37-39). You will never come to Jesus if you optimistically maintain that “things aren’t that bad” or that “everything is going to be alright.” God doesn’t promote self-deception but redemption. And we’ll never experience the deep fellowship of our heavenly Father’s warm embrace if we don’t renounce our sin and self-sufficiency and turn to Christ in repentance for sin (Luke 15:18-20) and for grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Because of Christ we can honestly bring our pain to him. For those who believe in who Jesus is and what he came to do, there is comfort and hope in our salvation: that right now in the midst of my pain and for endless ages in glory Jesus will always be with me.
Works of Christ and Words of Scripture
And so the song With Me is meant to mirror the pattern of many Psalms that move from lament to hope in God as we remind ourselves of who he is and what he’s done. But unlike the Psalms, we have an even greater revelation of the grace and goodness of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ. So honest lament joins the work of Christ and our hope in Christ.
But also one of my goals was to use as much biblical language in the song as possible. Every verse draws on words, phrases, or metaphors found in Scripture itself. Below is a breakdown of all the passages that I drew from or that support the concepts of each verse (scroll down to view the chart).
The Recording
The final version and recording of With Me would not have been possible without the humility, kindness, and skills of our worship pastor, Jonny Kiedrowski. Jonny made edits to the tune and lyrics, wrote and recorded guitar parts, and mixed it all together. Because of Jonny’s labors the song has the potential to be shared and used by God to move others to worship Christ.
And the artwork for the song was designed by our brother, Luke Regan. Luke’s design was based on the metaphors of waters and waves throughout the song. As he explained, “We might be tossed about, overwhelmed, dirty in sin but God is with me and washes me.”
God is so gracious to allow us to participate in promoting the worship of his Son. I pray that God would be pleased to use this song to move many to worship the person of Christ as they find hope in him.
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Download Chords and Lyrics
Breakdown of Scriptures
| Verse 1 | |
| O my soul, why are you cast down Waves and breakers sound Over my head |
Psalm 42:5a - Why are you cast down, O my soul, Psalm 42:7b - all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. |
| I’m a breath, passing shadow with thirst that I can’t quench |
Psalm 144:4 - Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. Psalm 42:2a - My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. |
| Here in silence I long for your presence |
Psalm 62:1a - For God alone my soul waits in silence; |
| Verse 2 | |
| You’ve kept count as I tossed about Bow your heavens down You know my frame |
Psalm 56:8a - You have kept count of my tossings Psalm 144:5a - Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Psalm 103:14a - For he knows our frame; |
| I am dust, but your steadfast love is what holds me up |
Psalm 103:14b - he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 94:18b - your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. |
| I am waiting Your promises remain |
Psalm 27:14 - Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 119:148 - My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. |
| Pre-Chorus | |
| When you feel far away Help me to remember Help me to remember |
Psalm 10:1a - Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Psalm 63:6 - when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; |
| Chorus | |
| Jesus, you died for us Took on flesh to be A sacrifice for sin in me |
Romans 5:8 - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 1:14a – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, Hebrews 10:12 - But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, |
| Because, only by your blood I have been redeemed |
Ephesians 1:7a - In him we have redemption through his blood, |
| You will always be with me | Matthew 28:20b - And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” |
| Verse 3 | |
| Cast down soul, see the hope I’ve found Consolation now My salvation I will praise you again |
Psalm 42:11 - Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 94:19 - When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. |
| Help me to remember | Psalm 63:6 - when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; |
| Bridge | |
| As far as east from west you have removed my sin |
Psalm 103:12 - as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. |
| Exchanging every rag I’ve worn For your righteousness |
Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) - But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags 2 Cor. 5:21 - For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. |
| I walk by faith Let your word light my way |
2 Corinthians 5:7 - for we walk by faith, not by sight. Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. |
| ‘til I come to the Father By his glorious grace |
1 Peter 3:18a - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, Ephesians 1:6a - to the praise of his glorious grace |
| Pre-Chorus 2 | |
| You may Feel far away |
Psalm 10:1a - Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? |
| But this won’t last forever this won’t last forever |
Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. |
| Chorus 2 | |
| Jesus, you’ve invited us By faith to receive |
Matthew 22:9 - Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ Romans 3:25a - whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. |
| to the waters come and drink | Isaiah 55:1a “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; John 7:37b - “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. |
| Given, sweetest communion Life eternally |
2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV) - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. John 10:28 - I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. |
| You will always be with me | Revelation 21:3 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. |
