Mercy Kept Me

Lyrics

# THAT’S WHY I’M STILL HERE

[Intro]

[Slow gospel piano, Hammond B3 underneath, deep bass, brushed drums building gradually]

[Lead]
I’ve got a reason I’m still standing.

Not because I did everything right.

Not because I was always strong.

There were some days
I was running on mercy.

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Verse 1]

[Lead]
I made some choices
I wish I could take back
Went down roads
I should’ve never traveled

Trusted people
I should’ve watched closer
Ignored warnings
God had already given

But when the consequences came
He didn’t leave me there

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
When I was ashamed

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
When I didn’t know
how to fix what I broke

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
That’s why I’m still here

[Choir]
Still here!

[Chorus]

[Lead]
That’s why I’m still here

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
After everything I’ve been through

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
I should’ve lost my way

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
I should’ve given up

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
But the Lord stayed with me

[Choir]
That’s why I’m still here!

[Verse 2]

[Lead]
I’ve had nights
when I couldn’t sleep
because my own mind
wouldn’t leave me alone

Replaying conversations
counting every mistake
wondering how I let
certain things go so far

But morning kept coming

And somehow
strength kept showing up with it

[Choir]
New mercy!

[Lead]
Lamentations says,
“His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning.”

[Choir]
Great is Thy faithfulness!

[Lead]
So every morning
I got another chance

[Choir]
Another chance!

[Lead]
Another chance to pray

[Choir]
Another chance!

[Lead]
Another chance to get it right

[Choir]
Another chance!

[Minister Break]

[Band drops to piano and organ]

[Lead]
Can I talk to somebody
who’s embarrassed by part of your story?

You keep wishing
you could erase that chapter.

But you’re still here.

You learned something.

You know what not to touch now.

You know who not to follow now.

You know what happens
when you ignore God now.

So don’t waste the lesson.

Psalm 118:17 says,
“I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.”

You survived it
for a reason.

Not to brag about the mess.

To testify about the mercy.

[Choir]
Tell about the mercy!

[Lead]
Tell how He kept you!

[Choir]
Tell about the mercy!

[Lead]
Tell how He corrected you!

[Choir]
Tell about the mercy!

[Lead]
Tell how He gave you
another chance!

[Choir]
Tell about the mercy!

[Chorus]

[Lead]
That’s why I’m still here

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
When I made the wrong turn

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
When I trusted the wrong voice

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
When I got tired of myself

[Choir]
Mercy kept me!

[Lead]
The Lord didn’t throw me away

[Choir]
That’s why I’m still here!

[Drive]

[Lead]
I made it through the bad decision!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
Made it through the disappointment!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
Made it through the embarrassment!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
Made it through the loss!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
Made it through people talking!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
Made it through my own mistakes!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
And I learned my lesson!

[Choir]
Still here!

[Lead]
And I’m walking different now!

[Choir]
STILL HERE!

[Final Vamp]

[Lead]
Grace didn’t excuse me

[Choir]
It changed me!

[Lead]
Mercy didn’t leave me there

[Choir]
It changed me!

[Lead]
God corrected me

[Choir]
And kept me!

[Lead]
God humbled me

[Choir]
And kept me!

[Lead]
God forgave me

[Choir]
And kept me!

[Lead]
God gave me another morning

[Choir]
And kept me!

[Lead]
So when you see me praising—

[Choir]
There’s a reason!

[Lead]
When you see me crying—

[Choir]
There’s a reason!

[Lead]
When you hear me say,
“Thank You, Jesus”—

[Choir]
THERE’S A REASON!

[Outro]

[Lead]
I know what could’ve happened.

I know how far it could’ve gone.

I know what I deserved.

And I know what mercy did.

That’s why—

[Choir]
I’M STILL HERE!

[Lead]
Thank You, Jesus.

[Choir]
STILL HERE!