Matthew West – The God Who Stays

American songwriter and artist Matthew West began his career in 1997.  He released thirteen albums and one EP, including:

• September Sun (1997)
• Every Step of the Way (1998)
  
• Happy (2003)
• History (2005)
• Sellout (2006)
• Something to Say (2008)
• The Story of Your Life (2010)
• The Heart of Christmas (2011)
• Into the Light (2012)
• Live Forever (2015)
• All In (2017)
• Brand New (2020)
• Walking Miracles (EP, 2020)
• My Story Your Glory (2023)

West won three GMA Dove awards, including Recorded Music Packaging of the Year (Happy, 2005) Special Event Album of the Year (Music Inspired by The Story, 2012 [as a contributor]), and Songwriter of the Year (2018).

Also, check out my reviews of Truth Be Told, Hello, My Name Is, and Day One.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Matthew-west-the-god-who-stays-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Though West considers himself a lost cause, God doesn’t.  God is with Matthew, willing to receive West when West is ready to come.  It won’t be based on works, alluding to grace.  Past lawbreaking and spiritual darkness do not separate West from God’s love.  It also happens to be the only point that West makes that separates his God from others (e.g.; Allah) to whom this song could have applied.

While I am confident that Christians who have studied their Scripture will interpret “somehow” and “You don’t work that way” as the Gospel, West could have done a better job explaining what the “somehow” and “that way” is, as though he doesn’t know what God’s plan is.  I don’t expect songs to be well-articulated sermons, but surely we could do better than “somehow”?  For example, it could have included repentance and faith.  I’m happy that West proclaims that he is learning about God’s way, but he could have informed us what “God’s way” is.  “Not based on works” is a good start though.

Score: 7/10

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

Technically speaking, the whole song aligns with Scripture.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-6: West states these things about himself because he knows his heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: Although West doesn’t tell us how God sees West, Christians will conclude that God sees West as someone worth redeeming, not because there’s anything special about West, but because of God’s love for West (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

[Chorus]

Line 1: God will not leave or forsake West (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:8-9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 118:6, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Hebrews 13:5-6).

Line 2: Repeats line 1.

Lines 3-6: Points to the part within Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:20 where the father runs, embraces, and kisses his wayward and spendthrift son.

Lines 7 and 8: This is clarified in Bridge.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: Much like Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:8, West hid from God because he was ashamed of the things he did and the kind of person he became.

Lines 3 and 4: West believed that good works would save Him.  However, he realized that they cannot (Acts 13:39, Romans 3:20-21, Romans 4:13, Romans 9:32, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:10-13, and Galatians 5:4).

[Bridge]

Lines 1-12: Contains a similar list to Romans 8:38-39 of things that cannot separate us from God.  Lines 8 and 12 repeats line 3.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

I have mixed feelings concerning an unbeliever’s interpretation.  On the one hand, West explicitly uses the word “God” and describes Him as present, pursuing, welcoming, and many things that won’t separate him from God’s love.  Gaining His approval is not based on good deeds.  However, on the other hand, there is nothing about the cross, the cost of following Jesus, or that salvation is through repentance and faith.  There is no call to action that will compel them to forsake their folly and follow Jesus.  West tells them that he is “learning” God’s ways, but doesn’t share that with them.

It sounds great to follow a God who loves, with our past mistakes that won’t separate us from His love.  However, this song can easily lead them towards a version of Christianity where they can live how they want and God will accept them.  That is not the Gospel.

Score: 5/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that His ways are better than West’s, that He is present, and West is no longer separated from God, veiled somewhat by not providing a call to action or that God’s ways involve repentance and faith.

Score: 8/10

Closing Comments

Matthew West’s The God Who Stays is mixed.  Christians who understand the Gospel will be reminded that God will not abandon us and that our past doesn’t separate us from God’s love, and that West is learning more about God’s ways, bringing God glory.  However. West could have done a better job sharing with us what “His ways” are.  For example, the concept of repentance, that following Jesus has a cost, and that salvation came through Christ’s death and resurrection.  This is especially important for unbelievers, who could be easily led into false conversion upon hearing these lyrics.

This song is workable for personal use; However, I cannot recommend it for corporate worship.

Final Score: 8/10

Artist Info

Track: The God Who Stays (listen to the song)

Artist: Matthew West

Album: Brand New

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2020

Duration: 3:57

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