I talk to God about you
And I ain′t even met you yet
Everybody's waitin′ on you here
I can't wait to feel your heart beat
When I lay you on my chest
I'm already holding back my tears
I wanna be the dad that my dad was
I hope that I don′t mess this whole thing up

I pray you love like your momma
And you forgive just like she does
′Cause when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
'Cause that′s what I do, that's what I do
When I pray for you
Oh, when I pray for you

I know you′re gonna grow up some day
But don't forget to take your time
And take the time to call back home
It ain′t always gonna be easy
It ain't always gonna be fair
I know you ain't always gonna need me
But I promise that I′ll always be there

I pray you love like your momma
And you forgive just like she does
′Cause when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
'Cause that′s what I do, that's what I do
When I pray for you
Oh, when I pray for you

I talk to God about you
When everything around me breaks
I look up and hear him say

Love like your momma
And forgive just like she does
And when this life knocks you down
I hope you get down on your knees
′Cause that's what I do, that′s what I do
When I pray for you
When I pray for you
When I pray for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Caleb and Kelsey's song When I Pray for You are a powerful expression of a parent's hopes and dreams for their child, even before they've had a chance to meet them. The song speaks to the deep love and connection between a parent and child, and the desire to be the best possible role model for them.

The opening line, "I talk to God about you / And I ain't even met you yet," sets the tone for the entire song, highlighting the intense anticipation and love that the parent feels for their child. The lyrics convey a sense of responsibility and commitment to being present for the child throughout their life, even during difficult times when they may need guidance and support.

The chorus, with its repeated plea for the child to love and forgive like their mother, and to turn to prayer in times of hardship, reinforces the importance of faith and values in the child's upbringing. The final verse, where the parent acknowledges that life will not always be easy but the promise to always be there for the child, underscores the dedication and selflessness that parenthood requires.

Overall, When I Pray for You is a heartfelt tribute to the deep bond between parents and children, and the hopes and dreams that parents hold for their children.

Line by Line Meaning

I talk to God about you
I pray for my unborn child and think about how I want to be a good parent.

And I ain't even met you yet
I haven't met you face-to-face yet, but I already love you and care about you.

Everybody's waiting on you here
Everyone in our family is excited for your arrival and can't wait to meet you.

I can't wait to feel your heart beat when I lay you on my chest
I am eagerly anticipating the special moment when I first hold you and feel your heartbeat against mine.

I'm already holding back my tears
I'm so emotional and filled with joy and gratitude for the gift of becoming a parent that I'm holding back my tears.

I wanna be the dad that my dad was
I want to be a great dad like my own father was for me.

I hope that I don't mess this whole thing up
I'm worried about making mistakes as a parent but I'll do my best to raise you right.

I pray you love like your momma
I hope you inherit your mother's capacity to love deeply and unconditionally.

And you forgive just like she does
I hope you learn from your mother's example of forgiveness and grace.

'Cause when this life knocks you down
There will be tough times in life, but I hope you are able to bounce back from them.

I hope you get down on your knees
When you face challenges, I hope you turn to prayer as a source of strength and comfort.

'Cause that's what I do, that's what I do
As your parent, I pray for you often and turn to prayer myself when I face difficulties.

When I pray for you
When I pray for you, I ask God to bless you, protect you, and help guide you through life.

I know you're gonna grow up some day
I know that you'll grow up and become your own person with your own life path.

But don't forget to take your time
I encourage you to take things slow and savor life's moments.

And take the time to call back home
Even when you're out on your own, please remember that we'll always be here for you and we love hearing from you.

It ain't always gonna be easy
Life can be tough and challenging, but I believe in your ability to persevere.

It ain't always gonna be fair
Life isn't always fair, but I hope you learn to accept and navigate its ups and downs.

I know you ain't always gonna need me
As you grow up, you won't always need me like you do now, but I will always be here for you.

But I promise that I'll always be there
No matter what happens in life, I will always love you and be there for you.

When everything around me breaks
When things are falling apart and life feels difficult, I turn to prayer and faith to find strength and hope.

I look up and hear him say
When I pray, I feel like I'm in communication with God and I receive comforting messages of hope and love.

Writer(s): Jon Mark Nite, Justin Allen Ebach, James Shay Mooney, Daniel Smyers

Contributed by Alexandra T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.