Worship song of the Month (Nov): Good to Me

by Miriam David

What worship song has been on your heart this month and why?

Good to Me - by Audrey Assad 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKosVfAEUPE

I started listening to worship music when I arrived at university and started seeking out my faith for the first time. We all have certain songs that remind us of a good summer, our childhood, or our favourite year in secondary school. In the same way, I can categorise certain worship songs into sections of my spiritual journey since then. For example, ‘Come As You Are’ by Crowder will always remind me of many evenings spent walking across the Exeter campus to the Catholic Chaplaincy, full of trepidation and repentance and determination to renew my relationship with God.

When I heard ‘Good to Me’ by Audrey Assad for the first time, I knew there was no one part of my spiritual journey to which it related: past, present or future. It related to them all. Its lyrics are perennially relevant, because God is always good. Yet the more I have listened to it, especially this month, the more truths it has revealed to me.

Are there any particular verses in the song that remind you or lead you to scripture?

The best worship songs always use scripture and lead us to a deeper understanding of it; and this song does just that. Throughout this song there are several lines directly relating to Scripture:

Verse 1:

I put all my hope
On the truth of Your promise

And I steady my heart
On the ground of Your goodness

What is the truth of His promise? On what grounds do I steady my heart? There are more, but here are the scriptural verses that first spring to mind: ‘You will be my people and I will be your God’ (Jeremiah 30:22) and ‘I will be with you always; yes, to the end of time’ (Matthew 28:20).

Verse 2:

When I’m bowed down with sorrow
I will lift up Your name
And the foxes in the vineyard
Will not steal my joy

‘The foxes in the vineyard’ is a reference to the Song of Solomon (Song of Songs 2:15). In the context of the song, the author describes the love God expects of His people, but the obstacles created by those who seek to undermine fidelity to God.

Those who tell us not to ‘go’, those who give us occasion to sin, those (and this can include ourselves!) who do little things to steal our joy, seek to prevent our continual return to God in repentance and trust. This verse reminds me that joy is a fruit of Christian life, but even in sorrow I must praise He who desires only my love.

In what moments has this song helped you?

           
I used this song at my Chaplaincy Adoration evening this month, and there’s a particular verse that always comes to mind during my adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament:

And I lift my eyes
To the hills where my help is found
Your voice fills the night
Raise my head up and hear the sound

It is in those evenings that I lift my eyes to gaze on Him, where I look to for help, and in the silence I hear His voice fill the night.

What I like about this song is that I can be in the middle of an existential crisis, floods of tears, lonely, or filled with contentment, fellowship and a sense of purpose, and I will sing these words just the same. Depending on my situation, they are hope for the future, or affirmation of the present. Equally, regardless of my situation, they are always true.

What do you think is the song’s biggest message?

In understanding the true message of the song, I’ve realised its chronology is important for me; it puts the truth of God’s promise first and the experience of His goodness second.

In my journey of faith, I had to recognise His truth before I could open my heart to Him. I had to know that Jesus was God, before I could allow Him to change my life. Through the sacraments, we are given concrete examples of God’s goodness as often as we please to participate in them, but if we do not acknowledge them to be true, then we cut ourselves off from their graces. He was good to me long before I hoped in His promise, but I had to recognise His truth before I could open myself up to experience His goodness and mercy.

Your goodness and mercy shall follow me
All my life
I'll trust in Your promise
And your goodness and mercy shall follow me
All my life
I'll trust in Your promise
Your goodness and mercy shall follow me
All my life
I will trust in Your promise

Because of these words, I think the song’s biggest take away is that God cares about your personal situation, He wants you to bring that to Him. But He does not change. That is why we can trust Him. He is always good. Much like the song, when I place my hope in this truth of His promise, his goodness seems never-ending. That goodness is what I need to bring everything in my life into perspective.

Because You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me
You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me
You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me, good to me
You are good to me

Who would you recommend this song to, and are there other songs you would recommend on the same theme?

I would recommend this song to anyone who has struggled praying, or going to Adoration, recently. There can be a lot of pressure to feel a certain way when we talk to God or meet Him face-to-face. I hope this song brings home the fact that our faith is based on truth, not feeling. He promised He would be with us always. He has been good to us. Whether we are joyful or sad, whether we feel like He can hear us or not, our primary call is to acknowledge His mercy and goodness. The feelings will follow.

I recommend pretty much all of Audrey’s Assad music for further listening.

Prayer to end on:

Dear Lord,

Allow us to place all our trust and hope in You and Your promises for our lives. May our eyes be open to your goodness all around us. May we lift your name in sorrow and in joy. May we bear witness to the fact that life is good and proclaim that truth to the world.

Amen.