It’s the hardest thing to give away / And the last thing on your mind today / It always goes to those who don’t deserve / It’s the opposite of how you feel / When they pain they caused is just too real / Takes everything you have to say the word / Forgiveness / It flies in the face of all your pride / It moves away the mad inside / It’s always anger’s own worst enemy / Even when the jury and the judge / Say you’ve got a right to hold a grudge / It’s the whisper in your ear saying “set it free” / Forgiveness / Show me how / To love the unlovable / Show me how / To reach the unreachable / Help me now / To do the impossible / Forgiveness, forgiveness / Help me now / To do the impossible / Forgiveness / It’ll clear the bitterness away / It can even set a prisoner free / There is no end to what its power can do / So let it go and be amazed by what you see through eyes of grace / The prisoner that it really frees is you / Forgiveness I want finally set it free / Show me how / To see what
Your mercy sees / Help me now / To give what You gave to me / Forgiveness


Bass: David Childress / Drums: Chris McHugh / Guitars: Tom Bukovac and Peter Kipley / Piano: Jeff Pardo / Keyboards and Programming: Peter Kipley / Strings: The Roy G. Biv String Vibe / Concertmaster: David Davidson / String Arrangemenzt: Peter Kipley / Background Vocals: Matthew West / Choir: Sara Lavagnino, Aubrey Swander, Courtlan Clement, Joel West, Emily West, Erynn Lavagnino, Angie LoSchiavo, Tom LoSchiavo, Jackson Ford, and Christine Ford // Written by Matthew West © 2012 Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing / External Combustion Music / Songs for Delaney (ASCAP)

Behind the Song:
RENEE’S 20 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MEAGAN WAS KILLED BY A DRUNK DRIVER NAMED ERIC. THE YOUNG MAN WHO TOOK HER LIFE WAS SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS IN PRISON. RENEE HAS BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT DRUNK DRIVING AT SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES SINCE THE LOSS OF HER PRECIOUS DAUGHTER. BUT GOD HELPED HER DO THE IMPOSSIBLE. SHE REACHED OUT TO ERIC IN PRISON AND SAID “I FORGIVE YOU.” ERIC GOT SAVED AS A RESULT OF HER ACT OF COMPASSION. THEN RENEE APPEALED TO THE COURTS AND HAD HIS SENTENCE CUT IN HALF. HE GETS OUT OF PRISON THIS FALL! SHE CONSIDERS ERIC LIKE A SON TO HER, AND SOON THEY WILL BE SPEAKING SIDE BY SIDE ABOUT THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS! - Matthew West