Forgiveness is what holds a Christian’s spirit together in peace.
Many songs about forgiveness read like a prayer from a poet to God, asking for the Lord’s enlightenment to embrace the forgiveness Jesus teaches, rather than being tormented by the burden of rage and resentment our mortal beings are condemned to face.
Our playlist collects the best Christian songs about forgiveness, guiding you back to the light and truth of God’s teachings, whether you need to forgive someone who’s hurt you, or you’re seeking forgiveness for your own wrongdoings.
Christian Songs About Forgiveness
1. Matthew West – Forgiveness
Forgiveness is hard to give away, and it’s common to think that forgiveness ‘always goes to those who don’t deserve it.’
But the doubts of Matthew West’s verse are removed by prayer and the warming knowledge that God will help you along your journey, making you a better person as you come closer to his word, “Show me how to love the unlovable, show me how to reach the unreachable, help me now to do the impossible; forgiveness.”
West’s track embeds a beautiful metaphor of how forgiveness not only sets others free from the burdens of their actions, but yourself as well;
“It’ll clear the bitterness away, it can even set a prisoner free, there’s no end to what its power can do, so let it go and be amazed, by what you see through the eyes of grace, the prisoner that it frees is really you.”
This is a track designed for anyone struggling with making peace, seeking heavenly guidance along their journey.
2. Kevin Levar – A Heart That Forgive
Kevin Levar’s song is mesmerisingly sparse, carrying the lush harmony of a gospel-style grand piano undertoned by soft cello lines.
This track is deeply soulful, Levar’s breathtaking vocal tone dancing with God-sent power, whilst painted with streaks of pain wholeheartedly natural to the human experience.
A Heart That Forgives is flooded with soul-cleansing energy and sentiments that uplift you into prayer and the longing for peace, its message so firmly anchored in honest belief that it can grip the suffering hearts of atheists as much as the most devout Christians.
This track carries a profound sense of healing, conjuring the glory of God within the weariest depths of oneself;
“I want a heart that forgives.. one that men can’t offend, ‘cause your word is deep within, one that loves without price like you Lord Jesus Christ … The heart that forgives is the heart that will live, totally free from the pain of the past and the heart that lets go, that is the heart that will know so much freedom.”
3. Tenth Avenue North – Forgive Me
Tenth Avenue North set their forgiveness track against a soundscape more like a #1 radio hit than what’s expected from Christian music.
Padded with a soothing church organ, this heartfelt ballad describes returning to the Lord after succumbing to temptations around you.
The narrator fearlessly glorifies his Saviour, asking for God’s forgiveness upon his lost soul; “Forgive me Lord, for living like I’m not yours, I forget how kind you are, you are light for my foolish heart, you are the light of my foolish heart.”
Tenth North Avenue summon the brave sense of honesty you need to truly forgive yourself, and to ask forgiveness from others;
“Oh God, I let intruders into the garden of my soul,” whilst crafting a song that comforts and encourages anyone afraid to admit their faults; “I hear you calling out my name, Lord, but I can’t look you in the eye. So I just stay away, I tried and tasted what’s forbidden, and it filled me with delight, but now I’m still hungry inside.”
4. Crowder – Forgiveness
Crowder’s track, Forgiveness, opens on one hell of a metaphor to demonstrate how far they have strayed from the Lord’s word, “I’m the one who held the nail, it was cold between my fingertips, I’ve hidden in the garden, I’ve denied you with my very lips.”
With such a powerful first verse, Crowder set the scene for a song instantly embraceable by anyone who has lost their path, feeling decimated by the betrayal of their belief.
Crowder detail their downfalls with the searing honesty needed to move forwards, “I’ve done things I wish I hadn’t done, I’ve seen things I wish I hadn’t seen … I could’ve been six feet under, I could’ve been lost forever … Here I am, a dead man walking.”
Forgiveness is beautifully uplifted by the chorus, inspired by the all-encompassing goodness of the Lord, “Forgiven! Child, there is freedom from all of it, say goodbye to every sin, you are forgiven.”
5. Sidewalk Prophets – Where Forgiveness Is
Sidewalk Prophet’s track mixes pop-punk with country vibes, against an iconically hopeful Christian atmosphere.
This track is centred around its chorus message, resonating amongst the hearts of anyone faced with a scary new start, “Now I’m letting go of anger, pride and pain, I’m going back to a place where hope collides with grace again, freedom’s where forgiveness is.”
Where Forgiveness Is tells the story of someone who thought they knew better than the Book, only to be wrecked by the sins they committed.
This is a soul-nourishing track for anybody needing to remember that only the Lord’s forgiveness can bless them with the new life they need, “Thought that I was right, knew that you were wrong, I chose the upper hand over open hands.”
6. Sovereign Grace Music – Forgiven
Forgiven is a traditional Christian song, written in a simple style to showcase the light of the Lord in all its purity. This track is like a prayer untangled deep from the soul of any Christian believer.
A soothing metaphor is laced within its spiritual lyrics – ‘laying down the stones’ before the Lord – representing how the burdensome weight of the sins you bear is relieved by the presence of the Lord, a figure eternally synonymous with forgiveness and new life.
Forgiven gives glory to God in every verse whilst confessing humanity’s sins in every line, “Lord, forgive us of our pride … forgive us for our love, of the things we wish to own … forgive us for our shame, when we can’t release the past … may we find our greatest treasure is in You alone.”