How Can It Be

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a raw confession of guilt and shame, the speaker feeling utterly unworthy. They describe "dirty hands" and a reluctance to approach a "Holy one." Yet, a powerful "You" is actively working to "break my chains" and declare freedom. This stark contrast immediately sets up the central, bewildered question: "How can it be?" The core tension lies in the speaker's profound internal doubt against an overwhelming external grace. The narrator admits to "hiding" and being "afraid I've let you down," wrestling with the belief that the "You" could "still love me." This internal conflict highlights the human struggle to accept unconditional forgiveness when self-condemnation runs deep. The lyrics suggest a battle between ingrained unworthiness and a radical, unearned acceptance. The lyrical craft effectively amplifies this tension through powerful contrasts. The speaker's passive state of "guilty," "ashamed," and "hiding" is met with the "You"'s dynamic, active intervention: "plead my cause," "right my wrongs," "break my chains." This litany of redemptive actions culminates in the ultimate sacrifice, "You gave Your life / To give me mine," making the speaker's repeated, incredulous question, "How can it be?", resonate with profound wonder and disbelief. Ultimately, these lyrics hit hard because they capture the deeply human experience of feeling undeserving of love and forgiveness. The shift from self-reproach to the dawning realization that "in Your eyes there's only grace now" is emotionally potent. It's not just a statement of freedom, but an exploration of the staggering, almost unbelievable nature of being truly "made new" even "though I fall." The song's power lies in articulating this journey from profound shame to an astonished embrace of unmerited grace.