Words of Worship: Forgiveness

forgiveness (noun) - the act of forgiving; to cease to feel resentment against an offender

Synonyms: absolution, pardon, remission

Antonyms: penalty, retribution

Forgiveness is a defining feature of the Christian faith, because when we enter into a relationship with Jesus we understand that He has forgiven us of all of our sins. If you're like me, sometimes that can be difficult to accept because it can be hard to not only forgive others of the sins they've committed against us, but also to forgive ourselves for the less than ideal things we may have done in our lives. Forgiveness isn't a sign of weakness, but of strength. It isn't an act of surrender, but of grace and mercy. God's forgiveness is powerful, beautiful, and inexplicably holy. In worship music, we sing songs of thanks for His forgiveness and joy that we can move forward to "go and sin no more."

This week's post has seven songs about the forgiveness of God along with Scripture references that I was led to with each entry. All Scripture passages are from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.

Before the Throne of God Above by Chris Rice (written by C. Bancroft, V. Cook)

Featured on Rice's 2006 album Peace Like a River: The Hymns Project, this is a beautiful hymn reminding us of power of Jesus, the Highest Priest, and how He defends us out of His love for us. Even when we are tempted by the enemy, He will be there by our side as we ask for forgiveness and repent.

Before the throne of God above/I have a strong and perfect plea/A great High Priest whose name is love/Who ever lives and pleads for me/My name is graven on His hands/My name is written on His heart/I know that while in heaven He stands/No tongue can bid me thence depart

Hebrews 4:14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

O Come to the Altar by Elevation Worship (written by W. Joye, M. Brock, C. Brown, S. Furtick)

Featured on Elevation's 2016 live album Here as in Heaven with vocals by worship leader Chris Brown (again, no, not that one), this song has been a favorite of mine from the very first time I heard it. When we're feeling broken and lost in the dark, all we have to do is bring our pain and fear to the altar of forgiveness and Jesus will take it on our behalf.

Are you hurting and broken within/Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin/Jesus is calling/Have you come to the end of yourself/Do you thirst for a drink from the well/Jesus is calling/O come to the altar/The Father's arms are open wide/Forgiveness was bought with/The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Romans 12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

How Can It Be by Lauren Daigle (written by J. Johnson, J. Ingram, P. Mabury)

Featured on her 2015 album How Can It Be, this song has become an iconic staple in Lauren Daigle's repertoire as well as remaining a beautiful and powerful worship song. There's no use in hiding any transgressions against the Lord, since He knows them all anyways, but confessing them with our mouths and asking God for forgiveness provides a huge relief and lightness to our hearts and spirits.

I am guilty/Ashamed of what I’ve done, what I’ve become/These hands are dirty/I dare not lift them up to the Holy One/You plead my cause, You right my wrongs/You break my chains, You overcome/You gave Your life to give me mine/You say that I am free, how can it be/How can it be

John 8:10-12 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of he world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the life that leads to life.”

You Are My King (Amazing Love) by Newsboys (written by B. Foote)

Featured on their 2003 album Adoration: The Worship Album, this classic worship song has been a Top 5 contender for me since I was a kid. Jesus went through unspeakable pain and torment on the cross in order to save us from our sins, and He did it all while pleading for our forgiveness because of how much He loves us

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken/I’m accepted, You were condemned/And I'm alive and well, Your Spirit is within me/Because You died and rose again/I’m forgiven because You were forsaken/I’m accepted, You were condemned/I’m alive and well, Your Spirit is within me/Because You died and rose again/Amazing love, how can it be/That You, my King, should die for me/Amazing love, I know it's true/And it's my joy to honor You/In all I do, to honor You.

John 18:37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Death Was Arrested by NorthPoint InsideOut ft. Seth Condrey (written by A. Kersh, B. Coker, P. Smith, R. Balltzglier)

Released as a single by NorthPoint in 2015 and featuring vocals from worship leader Seth Condrey, this has become one of the most influential worship songs out there, and I'm not sure I'll ever get tired of listening to it. Jesus finds us in our loneliness, takes us by the hand and the heart, and shows us how a life with Him can be if we trust Him to forgive and love us as only He can.

Alone in my sorrow and dead in my sin/Lost without hope with no place to begin/Your love made a way to let mercy come in/When death was arrested and my life began/Ash was redeemed, only beauty remains/And my orphan heart was given a name/My mourning grew quiet, my feet rose to dance/When death was arrested and my life began/Oh, Your grace so free washes over me/You have made me new, now life begins with You/It's your endless love pouring down on us/You have made us new, now life begins with You

Romans 7:24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

House Of The Lord by Phil Wickham (written by J. Smith, P. Wickham)

Featured on Wickham's 2021 album Hymn Of Heaven, this song is so joyful and full of praise that you can't help but clap, smile, and/or dance along. He frees us from our self-imposed prisons we build out of our sins so that we can be free with and through Him.

We worship the God who was, we worship the God who is/We worship the God who evermore will be/He opened the prison doors, He parted the raging sea/My God, He holds the victory/There's joy in the house of the Lord, there's joy in the house of the Lord today/And we won't be quiet, we shout out Your praise/There's joy in the house of the Lord, our God is surely in this place/And we won't be quiet, we shout out Your praise/Oh, oh, oh, we shout out Your praise

Matthew 8:26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

Psalm 51 (Wisdom in the Secret Heart) by Shane & Shane (written by S. Barnard)

Featured on Shane & Shane's 2015 album Psalms, Vol. 2, this song with lyrics taken straight from Psalm 51 is another song that gets the listener moving as they praise. The whole song is a plea to God for His forgiveness and to wash the author clean of their sin to help quiet their heart so that they may better hear Him.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity/And in sin did my mother conceived me/Behold, You delight in the truth and the inward me/And You teach me wisdom in the secret heart/My sins not far but right in front of me/Against You and You alone, God, I am guilty/Wash me thoroughly, cleanse me from iniquity/And teach me wisdom in the secret heart/Create in me a clean heart, oh God/Renew a right spirit within me, oh God/Cast me not away from Your presence/Take not Your Holy Spirit/Restore in me the joy of Your salvation/And teach me wisdom in the secret heart

Psalm 51:14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

I hope these songs bring you a similar peace to what they brought me over these past few days. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!