Crowder – Come as You Are

David Crowder Band (known currently as Crowder) began in 1996.  Crowder released 10 albums as David Crowder Band, and 6 albums and one EP as Crowder, including:

David Crowder Band

• Pour Over Me (1996)
• All I Can Say (1998)
• Can You Hear Us? (2002)
• Illuminate (2003)
• A Collision (2005)
• Remedy (2007)
• Remedy Club Tour – Live (2008)
• Church Music (2009)
• Give Us Rest (2012)
• All This for a King: The Essential Collection (2013)

Crowder

• iTunes Session (2012)
• Neon Steeple (2014)
• Neon Porch Extravaganza (EP, 2015)
• American Prodigal (2016)
• I Know a Ghost (2018)
• Milk & Honey (2021)
• Milk & Cookies: A Merry Crowder Christmas (2022)

David Crowder won eight Dove’s as David Crowder Band and another four as Crowder.

Also, check out my reviews of God Really Loves Us, Good God Almighty, and All My Hope.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

Crowder calls us out of despair into His loving arms.  Who is He?  Crowder doesn’t tell us directly, but he has provided direct references to Scripture that are obvious to Christians, including:

• Lay down burden and shame, which was spoken by Jesus
• Parable of the Prodigal Son
• That there is joy in the morning (implied contrast to darkness at night)

These references help Christians to see that Crowder is talking about Jesus.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

The entire song lines up with Scripture.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

Come out of sadness
From wherever you’ve been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin

In other words, come as you are.  After all, Jesus did not come for the righteous, but for sinners (Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32, Luke 19:10, and Romans 5:6-8).

Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal

Crowder calls for sinners to find mercy in God (Genesis 15:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 3:21-24, Romans 4:3-8, Romans 5:1-2, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:15-21, Romans 6:14, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 9:14-16, Romans 11:5-6, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:6, Galatians 5:4, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Titus 2:11, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, and James 2:23).

Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal

Repeats lines 7 and 8.

[Chorus (1)]

So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face

Crowder calls the burdened and shameful to come to Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30).

Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far

References the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart

See lines 1-4.

Come as you are

See Verse 1, lines 1-4.

[Verse 2]

There’s hope for the hopeless
And all those who’ve strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace

See Verse 1, lines 5-8.

There’s rest for the weary
Rest that endures

This is the other part of Matthew 11:28-30 that was referenced in Chorus (1), lines 1-4.

Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t cure

Repeats Verse 1, lines 7 and 8.

[Chorus (2)]

So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are

Repeats Chorus (1), lines 1-9.

Fall in his arms

That is, lean on Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

Come as you are

Repeats Chorus (1), line 9.

There’s joy for the morning

Borrows from part of Psalm 30:5.

Oh sinner be still

That is, be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can’t heal

Essentially repeats Verse 1, lines 7 and 8.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Most unbelievers will probably not be familiar with the aforementioned Scriptural references.  Thus, they have no basis, purely from hearing/reading the lyrics, that this is a Christian song.  They will think it’s religious because it mentions heaven, sinner, and grace.  While it calls them to lay down their burdens for “Him”, it’s not clear to them if they should run to Jesus, Allah, or Ra for rescue.

The word “sinner” to them means a mere mistake, not violating God’s Laws.

Score: 4/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus as the One to whom we must lay down our lives so that we could receive His mercy.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Crowder’s Come as You Are is good for Christians who have wandered from the faith.  It calls us to remember our first love and cling to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.  This glorifies Him.  However, unbelievers unfamiliar with Jesus’ words about burden and rest, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and darkness in the light/joy in the morning will probably not conclude it’s Christian, much less that this song calls them to follow Jesus.

This song might be useful to remind wayward Christians to return to Christ, calling them to come back home.  However, it doesn’t speak directly to God, proclaiming His value and worth.  Thus, I cannot recommend it for corporate worship.  Seeker-sensitive churches may want to look elsewhere.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: Come as You Are (listen to the song)

Artist: Crowder

Album: Neon Steeple

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 4:50

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*Copyright © 2014 Thankyou Music Ltd (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com excluding the UK & Europe which is adm. at IntegratedRights.com) / worshiptogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Valley Of Songs Music (BMI) Ariose Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.