The songs on God Help Me celebrate God's sovereignty and that He is the ultimate Ruler over our lives. I love how this song expresses the truth of our earthly challenges. This song has been resonating with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God completely no matter our circumstances, personal distractions, or concerns.
It is refreshing how in this age of lyrical ambiguity, there is no question that this band is sold-out for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On this excellent album, Unspoken offers a great example of how you can write and sing lyrics unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and reach the lost with transparent confessions of faith. Every thought and lyric in this song and this album is rooted in Scripture, which I admire. I had the chance to speak with Chad Mattson about "God Help Me."
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
I've been studying the Psalms a lot this past year and have seen how many of our songs come from them. We don't necessarily write songs directly from Scripture, but they are based on Biblical truth. I remember how Steven Curtis Chapman used to put Bible verses for his songs in his album credits.
God's Word speaks to us. I remember all these scriptures from my childhood that my mother would speak over to me, and if you store the Word of God in your heart, when it comes to pass, we see it play out in our lives.
"God Help Me" is inspired by Psalm 18:6, "In my distress, I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears."
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Psalm 37:4-6(NKJV): "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday."
Psalm 55:18(NIV): "He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me."
Psalm 9:10(NKJV): "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."
Psalm 46:1(NIV): "The Lord is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble."
Psalm 119:114(NKJV): "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word."
Psalm 121:7-8(NKJV): "The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore."
2 Chronicles 20:17(NIV): "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'"
Romans 8:31(NKJV): "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:37(NKJV): "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
Romans 8:38-39(NKJV): "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Philippians 4:6-7(NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
What is the takeaway message?
"God Help Me" is about those desperate moments in life where all we can do is cry out to God. We've been there so many times. Prayer changes things because God loves us and hears our cries. If you're in a place of desperation or know someone who is, we hope this song encourages you. We are praying that the Lord impacts you and the people in your lives through "God Help Me" in powerful ways.
With this record, we want to encourage the body to live what the Word of God says, believe what it says, and stand up for what it says. The whole goal is to encourage each other in the faith.
In the music video, I wear a custom-made multicolored coat as a nod to the Biblical story of Joseph because he was a man who would have known a prayer like this intimately throughout his life.
God has already gone before us, behind us, and He's with us. All we have to do is keep holding on. We know that God is victorious, and we are more than conquerors in Christ. We know that we will get through whatever we are going through. We don't see how or when, but we know we will make it. The Bible says that the promises of God are passed down from generation to generation to those who fear Him.
Lyrics
When I'm at my end, tears pouring down
And I can't see past what's in front of me now
When it's all too much for this heart to take
There's one name I call, one prayer that I pray
God help me now, feels like there's no way out
But Jesus, You're faithful and able
And You've never once let me down
God help me now
No matter the pain my heart may feel
No wound cuts too deep for your love to heal
So when fear comes to find me and doubts start to grow
I lift up my eyes, I know just where to go
God help me now, feels like there's no way out
But Jesus, You're faithful and able
And You've never once let me down
God help me now
No one else, no one else
Has the power that's in Your name
Nowhere else Nowhere else
Can I run to and be saved
God help me now, feels like there's no way out
But Jesus, You're faithful and able
And You've never once let me down
God help me now
Closing Thoughts
"God Help Me" is a very convicting and sobering reminder that God brings trials to remind us how much we need Him. These songs give many glimpses of the authentic reality of life and our experiences, good and bad. Things don't always go as we want or even how we pray for God to work in our lives.
When you sing along with this great song, think of Matthew 8:26, where Jesus asks, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" So, have faith, don't be afraid, and know that with Jesus, you'll never be alone. The song's message challenges us to think about our doubts. It challenges us to examine how Jesus calls us to rely on Him and the power of His resurrection and to remember that He has overcome death and fear.
If you've put all your hope and trust in Jesus, nothing can separate you from His love. If you think about the type of faith we are called to have as believers, it is described as the faith of a mustard seed.
This song is full of truth that believers can cling to. What if we lived as though we believed the sincere words of this song? As followers of Jesus, we know we can trust God's Word. This song gives me more conviction to not feel worthless or afraid, especially during this pandemic. In many areas of our lives, we also spend much time worrying. We need to let that go and allow the Lord to be our Redeemer, and remember to pray, "God help me."
We can face our daily battles with more courage and strength because we know that whatever the outcome, based on His promise in Romans 8:28, "God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Spend time with God and let Him redeem and restore you. We are not at the end of our story. God's still writing our stories of redemption. God wants us to know that He's faithful to complete what He's started in all of us who have put our hope and trust in Jesus for salvation.
You can rest upon the wise words in Romans 8:31: "If our God is for us, who can stand against us?" Nothing can separate us from His love. For the Son has risen, and sin and death are conquered. As His children, we can all rest in the knowledge that we can fully trust in our God and lean not on our own understanding.
We are united in our struggles, spiritual warfare, and our desire for truth and relationship. The Lord wants us to spend time with Him every day. This song is a great reminder to spend time reading His Word--the Holy Bible--and to have a relationship with Him in prayer. No matter your circumstances, you need to remember and pray, "God help me now/Feels like there's no way out/But Jesus You're faithful and able/And You've never once let me down/God help me now." Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
NEW!BEHIND THE SONG
#1230 - Crowder
The popular artist talks about the power of prayer
ADVERTISEMENT
NEW!THE ESSENTIALS
Hannah Kerr
We highlight five of the artist's must-listen-to songs
NEW!NRT LISTS
Songs Fighting Prejudice
NRT staff highlights songs that tackle division and unity through music
NEW!HEARTSPEAK
#1 - Journey w/ Bullying
NRT's Paul Phillips opens up about his experience with bullying
NEW!MOVIE REVIEW
Am I Racist?
Matt Walsh's latest hit documentary takes on the DEI industry
