Originally from Detroit, Michigan, the six original members were Keith Staten, Fred Hammond, Mitchell Jones, Karl Reid, Michael Brooks, and Michael Williams. In 1991 Staten and Brooks left the group and were replaced by Marvin Sapp, Maxx Frank, and Eddie Howard, Jr.. By 1994 Howard had left the group and Williams left a year later. Hammond also left to pursue a career with the group Radical For Christ. He was replaced by Montrell Darrett. By 2000, Marcus Cole and Chris Poole had taken the place of Sapp and Darrett on the group's last studio album. In 2002 Commissioned released a reunion album which brought back most of the group's former members and featured most of its greatest hits. The group performed live on stage during the 2002 Stellar Awards in Atlanta, Georgia.
(2) An urban Black gospel band with crossover appeal, Commissioned are an extremely evangelistic group in concert who put on such a dramatic show that the altars are routinely packed with repenters following their performances. Members Fred Hammond, Keith Staten, Michael Brooks and Marvin Sapp have all done many successful solo projects as well. They spent most of the '90s pursuing those careers, but found themselves back together in 2001 for a reunion tour and the first of another successful series of albums. ~ Bil Carpenter, Rovi
Work On Me
Commissioned Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know I was tired but I could see
All my skeletons hanging there
Right then I knew it was time
For them to leave
Just like the potter
Fashions a lump of clay
I stand before you
Oh please don't hide your face
Please take my willing heart
I'm determined to live right
Set up your construction site
Come on and work on me
No discussion no debate
Just renovate
So I can please you
Work on me Jesus
When I think of all the things
In my life that I can't get through
I'll replace the doubt and fear
With walls of faith
That cannot be removed
Just like potterβ¦
I'm determined to live rightβ¦
You know all my faults
And all my secret thoughts
Come on and work on me
To be perfect and upright
Day and night
Just wanna please you
Work on me Jesus
Come on, come on
Renew in me
A better way
I got to live by what you say
So take me and make me
Because
The wrongness in my life
You can make it right
You're the only thing that I have discovered
Here's my mind an open book
Come and take a look
If necessary
Rewrite it cover to cover
I'm determined to live right...
You know all my faults...
I'm determined to live right
Come on and work and work
So I can please you
Work me over
The song "Work On Me" by Commissioned talks about the need for personal growth and transformation. The singer starts by examining his own life and identifying his own faults and weaknesses. He compares himself to a lump of clay that needs to be fashioned by a potter into a work of art. The singer is willing to let go of his past mistakes and shortcomings and asks Jesus to work on him.
The song emphasizes the importance of faith and trusting in Jesus to help overcome the obstacles and doubts we face in life. The lyrics suggest that only through faith in Jesus can one truly be transformed into a better person. The singer implies that it is not a matter of discussion or debate, but rather a matter of complete renovation and renewal by Jesus Christ.
The chorus repeats the call for Jesus to work on the singer, to take his open book of a mind and rewrite it cover to cover, to make the wrong things in his life right. The song ends with a declaration of the singer's determination to live right and to please Jesus, asking Him to work him over.
Overall, the song is a powerful call for personal growth and transformation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Line by Line Meaning
I took a look in my closet
I took a look at my life
You know I was tired but I could see
Even though I was tired, I could see the truth
All my skeletons hanging there
All of my mistakes were hanging there for me to see
Right then I knew it was time
At that moment I realized I needed to change
For them to leave
I needed to let go of my mistakes
Just like the potter
Just as a potter creates something new from clay
Fashions a lump of clay
Molds and shapes the clay
He sees the famous work from the start
He envisions the final product from the beginning
I stand before you
I stand before God
Oh please don't hide your face
Please don't turn away from me
Please take my willing heart
Please accept my willingness to change
I'm determined to live right
I am committed to living a better life
Set up your construction site
Help me rebuild my life
Come on and work on me
Help me change
No discussion no debate
I trust you completely
Just renovate
Just change me
So I can please you
So I can make you happy
Work on me Jesus
Help me change, Jesus
When I think of all the things
When I think of all my struggles
In my life that I can't get through
That I can't overcome
I'll replace the doubt and fear
I will replace my doubts and fears
With walls of faith
With strong faith
That cannot be removed
That cannot be shaken
You know all my faults
You know all of my shortcomings
And all my secret thoughts
And all of my private thoughts
Come on and work on me
Help me change
To be perfect and upright
To be the best version of myself
Day and night
All the time
Just wanna please you
I want to make you happy
Work on me Jesus
Help me change, Jesus
Come on, come on
Please, help me
Renew in me
Make me new again
A better way
A better way of living
I got to live by what you say
I need to live by your word
So take me and make me
Help me change
Because
For this reason
The wrongness in my life
The mistakes in my life
You can make it right
You can make it better
You're the only thing that I have discovered
You are the only one who can help me change
Here's my mind an open book
I am open to change
Come and take a look
Please examine me
If necessary
If needed
Rewrite it cover to cover
Completely change me
Work me over
Help me change
Writer(s): fred hammond, mitchell jones, anson dawkins
Contributed by Ruby B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Faith full
Work on me JESUS
I took a look in my closet
You know I was tired of what I could see
All my skeletons hanging there
Right then I knew it was time
For them to leave
Just like the potter
Fashions a lump of clay
He sees the famous work from the start
I stand before you
Oh please don't hide your face
Please take my willing heart
I'm determined to live right
Set up your construction site
Come on and work on me
No discussion no debate
Just renovate
So I can please you
Work on me Jesus
When I think of all the things
In my life that I can improve
I replace the doubt and fear
With walls of faith
That cannot be removed
Just like potter...
I'm determined to live right...
You know all my faults
And all my secret thoughts
Come on work on me
To be perfect and upright
Day and night
Just wanna please you
Work on me Jesus
Come on come on
Renew in me
A better way
I got to live by what you say
So take me and make me
Because
The wrongness in my life
You can make it right
You're the only thing that I have discovered
Here's my mind an open book
Come and take a look
If necessary
Rewrite it cover to cover
I'm determined to live right...
I'm determined to live right
Come on and work and work
Come on and work and work
Come on and work and work
So I can please you...
bruce logan
This was one of the first, if not the first cut I heard from Commisioned. It definitely induced and gave way for the Holy Spirit to take control. Thank you Jesus!
Sherleta Dreux
This album came out when I first got saved! I Praise God for this group. The words to this song are so true. The entire album/cd is off the hook, every song is a message.
Latter Rain
Mb
Mia Gentry
Oh my God, I got saved in my living room listening to this song in 1994. Thank you for posting this song. I use this still when preaching. This song stripped me of my own will that day.And I was a confessed Muslim at the time.Glory to you God.
bruce logan
Right on! Praise God!
Sandra Brown
Woo hoo! Praise God!
Chris Craig
Mia Gentry your testimony is powerful I'm encouraged more when I hear testimonies like yours keep preaching. This one of my favorite all time gospel groups
Mechelle Renee
Great Song!! I grew up listening to Commissioned!!
jillove1
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bruce logan
Me too!