God of Grace
Chris Bowater Lyrics


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God of grace
I turn my face to You
I cannot hide my nakedness
My shame my guilt are all before Your eyes
Strivings and all anguish tears in rags
Lie at my feet
And only grace provides the way
For me to stand complete
And Your grace clothes me
In righteousness
And Your mercy covers me
In love




Your life adorns and beautifies
I stand complete in You

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chris Bowater's "God of Grace" speak to the foundational Christian belief in the redemptive power of God's grace. In the first stanza, the singer acknowledges their own brokenness and vulnerability before God. They cannot hide their "nakedness" — a clear reference to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The singer lays their shame and guilt before God, acknowledging the futility of their human efforts ("strivings and all anguish tears in rags") to cover or atone for their sins.


The second stanza then exalts the transformative power of God's grace. The image of clothing is used to symbolize the way in which God's grace renders the singer righteous and beautiful, despite their inherent brokenness. God's mercy "covers" the singer, meaning that their sins are no longer visible or held against them. They are fully adorned with God's own life and completion, made whole through His grace.


In conclusion, "God of Grace" is a beautiful and poignant meditation on the significance of God's grace in the life of a believer. The song acknowledges human frailty and vulnerability before God but also reminds us of the incredible transformative power of His grace.


Line by Line Meaning

God of grace
O God characterized by kindness and love.


I turn my face to You
I direct my attention to You.


I cannot hide my nakedness
I cannot conceal my flaws and shortcomings.


My shame my guilt are all before Your eyes
You see all of my wrongs, and I am ashamed.


Strivings and all anguish tears in rags
All of my efforts to alleviate my pain and distress are in shambles.


Lie at my feet
They are insignificant and futile compared to Your divine intervention.


And only grace provides the way
Your undeserved kindness is the only solution.


For me to stand complete
To become whole and perfect, I need Your grace.


And Your grace clothes me
Your kindness covers me.


In righteousness
In moral perfection.


And Your mercy covers me
Your compassion envelopes me.


In love
In selfless devotion.


Your life adorns and beautifies
Through Your influence, I am made more attractive and appealing.


I stand complete in You
I am fully satisfied and fulfilled in Your presence.




Contributed by Adalyn N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@lizabetx483

This song has remained in my heart for decades. Thank you Mr. Bowater.

@kevinboil1515

Thankyou Chris you blessed me at NLCM&encouraged us all in Christ

@davidrobinson293

Our nakedness and shame are clothed by Christ's righteousness. He is the only one who can complete us.

@stanleyhierons1218

Love this song!!!..❤️❤️❤️

@888Eck

I still have this song and many of your cassettes. Wonderful songs. Thank You.

@loisholden6022

Thanks for this song which came to mind today- wonderful words

@Gr8mindMaestro

I have searched for this song for years. Thanks for uploading.

@theresamiddleton2248

I sang this song at my baptism Still love it

@revjohnjames5466

Hallelujah! Saved by Grace alone. A beautiful hymn

@juliannacamile8951

Amo essa música desde que nasci. Não conhecia a letra, apenas a melodia de um CD antigo que meus pais tinham. E essa frase se tornou meu lema de vida: "I Stand Complete in You", God❤

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