In this series, we’re exploring the lyrics of Watermark Music songs and creating prayer guides for each one as they release to streaming platforms. As you listen to the songs for the first time or the tenth time, we hope you remember the God-breathed Bible references that influence each of the songs.
“Grateful” was written by Davy Flowers in a stairwell on the Watermark campus after she read through Isaiah 53, a prophetic passage about what Jesus would endure throughout His life and ultimately His sacrifice for all of humanity. When asked about the writing process and meaning of the song, Davy said, “Even if I was able to give Him the most perfect, obedient life, it still wouldn’t be enough to match His love for me. My greatest response to God’s love is to receive it as a gift and to live a life of gratefulness. I want this song to spur prayers for gratitude to view the cross, the gospel, and our lives rightly and in the light of a greater story.”
Read through Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 before listening to “Grateful,” and then use this guide to help you rest in a state of gratitude toward Christ.
Stream “Grateful.”
VERSE 1
You carried the burden
Of all that I can’t afford
A cross for the guilty ones
You wore as if it was Yours
You made intercession
Even as I threw stones
What kind of love is this
What kind of love is this
- Reflect on the truth that Christ was “despised and rejected by men,” yet He still loves us.
- Confess where you have sinned and gone against God recently.
- Pray for a repentant heart when you lose sight of the overwhelming love God has for us, regardless of what we have done.
CHORUS
I’m grateful
Grateful
Grateful
Grateful
- Reflect on all you have to be grateful for and all the ways God has moved in your life.
- Confess when you have overlooked or ignored His grace and power.
- Pray for God to give you the perspective to be grateful, even in the midst of difficult circumstances and changes.
VERSE 2
Your life on the altar
To sacrifice all for love
A cross for the broken ones
You wore until it was done
You took on the fiercest grave
And came out victorious
What kind of love is this
What kind of love is this
- Reflect on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins.
- Confess the ways in which your definition of love does not align with who Christ is. Where are you looking for love and fulfillment apart from Christ?
- Pray and ask God to help you trust His power, strength, and victory over every struggle and temptation in your life.
BRIDGE
What can I say
What can I do
But say that I’m grateful for You
- Reflect on your heart posture toward God recently.
- Confess where you have tried to do things to earn God’s favor or approval recently.
- Pray to God in adoration and appreciation telling Him how grateful you are for who He is and everything He has done.
The repetition in this song is intentionally designed to focus on the importance of the appreciation and gratitude we should feel toward Christ in light of all He has done for us. The next time you listen to “Grateful,” may it be a reminder that God’s love for us is so overwhelmingly big and consistent regardless of our sin, and there is nothing we can do but be grateful for Him.