I’m Sorry (a lament) Lyrics
No, no, no
No, no
[Verse 1: TobyMac]
We started out strong
But somewhere along
We lost our way
Done things in Your name
I'm so ashamed
I don't have the words to say
We've killed and destroyed
Stolen and blamed
All in Your name
You told us to give
Told us to love
But we chose to take
You laid down Your life
Put power aside
Showed us the Way and the Truth
We roll into church
Open the Word
And forget that we're called to include
[Pre-Chorus: TobyMac]
Now, it's long overdue
But I can't dilute
What we seem to havе put on the shelf
I can't speak for us all
But I gotta bеlieve
I'm speakin' for more than myself
When I say…
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
[Verse 2: TobyMac]
We say that we're one
But we're broken up
By anything that can divide
Our color o' skin
The clothes we're in
That valley's deep and wide
We overlook the broken
The homeless
And discard the poor
While we celebrate the rich and beautiful
With a wide-open door
I'm sorry we're nothing like You
You chose to bear a Cross
We choose to give You parts of us
And rarely the parts that cost
Now, it's long overdue
But I can't dilute
What we seem to have put on the shelf
I can't speak for us all
But I gotta believe
I'm speakin' for more than myself
When I say…
[Chorus: TobyMac & Choir]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
[Bridge: TobyMac]
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up, Lord
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up, Lord
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up
[Chorus: TobyMac & Choir]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
No, no, no
I'm sorry, so sorry
No, no, no
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up, Lord
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up
Wake us up, wake us up, wake us up, Lord
[Outro: TobyMac]
Blessed are the poor in spirit
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
Blessed are they that mourn
For they shall be comforted
Blessed are the meek
For they shall inherit the Earth
Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness
For they shall be filled
Blessed are the merciful
For they shall obtain mercy
Blessed are the pure in heart
For they shall see God
Blessed are the peacemakers
For they shall be called the children of God
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake
About
Based on 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 and Matthew 5, 6, and 7, “I’m Sorry” is a lament—a passionate expression of grief or sorrow—written before the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 revival of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Though sorrowful, this atypical, piano-led TobyMac song still retains a theme of repentance back to God.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The day before the song released, Toby shared to Instagram and Twitter with the story behind the song. Even though they have different graphics, they both contain the same story, which reads:
Over a year ago as I stood with my wife and a group of friends on the Arbel Cliffs in Israel, our tour guide began to recite by memory the sermon on the mount… completely unannounced. The words of Jesus from Matthew 5, 6 and 7 struck me as If I had never read them before… I realized just how far we have strayed from what Jesus is asking of us. This (song) is simply my response, not judgement. I am deeply sorry for how far we have fallen short. And Godly sorrow leads to repentance. The church is God’s plan, and I love it… that’s why I had to write the song, “I’m sorry.”
On the day following the song’s release, Toby shared the following prayer to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram:
MY PRAYER….
FATHER GOD TEACH US YOUR WAYS.
TEACH US TO LOVE THE THINGS YOU LOVE.
TO CARE ABOUT ALL THAT YOU CARE ABOUT.
FORGIVE US FOR WHEN WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT.
AND OPEN OUR EYES TO TO WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED OF US.
LET US BE YOUR HANDS AND FEET.
GATHER US AND LET US LOOK TO YOU AS ONE,
LAYING DOWN OUR DIFFERENCES, OUR POLITICS, AND OUR EGOS,
HUMBLED IN YOUR PRESENCE. MAY WE BE THE CHURCH,
THE PRESENCE IN THIS WORLD THAT YOU HAVE ASKED US TO BE…
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
AMEN
In a tweet and Instagram caption, Toby promoted the single sharing:
“I’m Sorry” my new song laments our falling short of what Jesus asks of us as His Church (The Body) in Matthew 5, 6 and 7.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance. That is the heart of “I’m Sorry”. We are the church, we can do what he has asked of us together by His mercy.
The collaboration with Tommee Profitt was teased back on September 12, 2019 via Twitter, confirming the lament’s pre-coronavirus and pre-BLM themes, not that there aren’t still themes of anti-racism.
Toby officially announced the single via Instagram three days before its release, sharing the song’s inspiration and style of lament.
- 2.The Goodness
- 3.Deeper
- 7.Life On It
- 8.Faithfully
- 9.Cornerstone
- 10.Found
- 11.Fire’s Burnin’
- 12.Space
- 13.21 Years
- 14.I’m Sorry (a lament)
- 15.Rest
