In 2002, the band released their popular second album, Spoken For, which produced two more Top 10 hits. The combined success of the band's first two albums garnered a nomination for the Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist at the American Music Awards.
In 2004, MercyMe released Undone which produced two Top 10 hits: Here With Me which also hit Billboard's Top 100 chart that same year, and In The Blink of an Eye which, as of the end of 2005, was at #5 on R&R's top Christian hits. In 2005 they also released their Christmas album titled The Christmas Sessions.
2006 saw the release of the album Coming Up to Breathe, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Christian Albums, and #13 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Also released was Coming Up to Breathe Acoustic.
In 2007, MercyMe released their newest album, All That Is Within Me, which debuted at #15 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.
In 2010 they released The Generous Mr. Lovewell. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Christian Albums chart.
August 30, 2011 they released an album titled The Worship Sessions; it's currently exclusive to Family Christian Bookstores and can not be found on iTunes or Amazon.
The The Hurt & The Healer Songfacts says that their eighth major label studio album, The Hurt & Tye Healer, will be released on May 22, 2012. The record was produced by Brown Bannister and Dan Muckala and is centered around the concept of bringing healing to the hurting.
The First Time
MercyMe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I try to explain You
Like I can contain You
In so many words
But You are the ocean
And I’m on the shoreline
Thinking I know You
It’s so amazing
That You’d ever save me
I thought I knew Your face
I thought I’d tasted grace
But I have never felt anything close to this
Just when I’d seen it all
New mercy breaks the dawn
And with my eyes open wide
It feels like the first time, first time
It feels like the first time, first time
After all of my searching
And all of my reaching
I’m left with nothing
Nothing of worth
You treasure the broken
Over and over
Give me a hope
That can never be earned
It’s still amazing
That You’d ever save me
I thought I knew Your face
I thought I’d tasted grace
But I have never felt anything close to this
Just when I’d seen it all
New mercy breaks the dawn
And with my eyes open wide
It feels like the first time, first time
It feels like the first time, first time
And Your beauty
No eye has seen
Your majesty overwhelming
Your love for me
Is healing oh God
I thought I knew Your face
I thought I’d tasted grace
But it was nothing like this
Just when I’d seen it all
New mercy breaks the dawn
And with my eyes open wide
I feel the light for the first time, first time
Just like the first time, first time
I can see for the first time, first time
It's just like the first time
The lyrics to MercyMe’s song “The First Time” reflect a profound realization that God can never be fully understood or contained by mere words. The singer compares God to an ocean and himself to a shoreline. The vastness and immensity of God can never truly be grasped or fathomed by mere mortals like us. Despite our attempts to understand God through the scriptures, prayer, and worship, our comprehension will always be limited. The singer then acknowledges that God’s mercy is so amazing that he can hardly believe that he has been chosen to receive it.
The singer describes his past attempts to capture an understanding of God, but he realizes that he has barely scratched the surface. He once thought he knew God’s face and had experienced God’s grace, but he had never before felt anything close to this. The latest discovery of God’s mercy is breaking the dawn for him again and again. The singer is in awe of God’s beauty and overwhelming majesty, which no human eye has seen. The love that God has for him has become a source of healing. The singer concludes that with his eyes open wide, it still feels like the first time he has encountered God.
MercyMe’s “The First Time” is a tribute to an all-encompassing and never-ending God whose mercy is life-shaping. It is a song about the beauty of spiritual discovery and rediscovery. The lyrics suggest that God is too great to be understood or contained, and yet he knows us intimately and saves us. Ultimately, the song reminds us that no matter how far we wander, we can always find our way back to God.
Line by Line Meaning
Day after day
Continuously and without fail
I try to explain You
I attempt to describe who You are
Like I can contain You
As if I have the power to limit or control You
In so many words
Using various expressions and language
But You are the ocean
You are vast and boundless
And I’m on the shoreline
I am limited and small in comparison
Thinking I know You
Believing that I fully comprehend who You are
Like You could be learned
As if You are something that can be studied and understood fully
It’s so amazing
It is astonishing and hard to believe
That You’d ever save me
That You would choose to rescue and redeem me
I thought I knew Your face
I believed I had a deep understanding of Your character
I thought I’d tasted grace
I believed I had experienced Your unmerited favor
But I have never felt anything close to this
I have never had an encounter like this before
Just when I’d seen it all
Right when I believed there was nothing left to see
New mercy breaks the dawn
Fresh compassion arrives with each new day
And with my eyes open wide
Fully aware and conscious
It feels like the first time, first time
It feels like an initial and unprecedented experience
After all of my searching
Despite all of my efforts to find fulfillment
And all of my reaching
And attempting to obtain something unattainable
I’m left with nothing
I am empty-handed and without satisfaction
Nothing of worth
Nothing that has true value
You treasure the broken
You value and cherish those who are damaged and hurting
Over and over
Repeatedly and constantly
Give me a hope
Provide me with an expectancy and optimism
That can never be earned
That is undeserved and cannot be achieved through actions
And Your beauty
Your attractiveness and loveliness
No eye has seen
No one has witnessed or comprehended Your full splendor
Your majesty overwhelming
Your grandeur and excellence are overpowering
Your love for me
Your affection and devotion towards me
Is healing oh God
Brings restoration and wholeness, oh God
I feel the light for the first time, first time
I sense enlightenment and illumination for the first time ever
Just like the first time, first time
Similar to that initial and groundbreaking experience
I can see for the first time, first time
I can perceive and comprehend for the first time
It's just like the first time
It is exactly like the initial and unprecedented encounter
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JASON INGRAM, DAN MUCKALA, BART MILLARD, NATHAN COCHRAN, BARRY GRAUL, JIM BRYSON, MIKE SCHEUCHZER, ROBBY SHAFFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Samuel Alvarez
This was my favorite song when i was 11. I didn’t know the meaning of the lyrics but now they really make sense and mean a lot to me. Thank you MercyMe!
wiseapple85
Wow, I just heard this song...for the 'First Time'. ;) Wonderful, I love it! Praise God!!
Brandie
such a beautiful song it touched my soul in such a way that I can't even explain.. thank you MERCYME
Jody Hernandez
My all time favorite song... bless you.
Holly Madrid
The most beautiful song I have ever heard. My 2 year old son started singing it while we were on the road and I was in tears!!!! I love love LOVE Mercyme. This is what the world should be listening to.
LisaJJ
This song is so uplifting! Again, Thank you!!!
anoakstale
Beautiful Worship! Brought tears to my eyes!
RobertAdamsMinistries
how does this not have many views?
MKS Land
They so eloquently explain what it feels like to draw close to the Lord.
fashionista
Love it!!!!!