I Can Only Imagine
MercyMe · Almost There
Pure, unguarded longing for the presence of God
What do these signals mean?
- Edifying: Points the heart toward God, truth, hope, or love.
- Worth Weighing: Real good and real concern together. Test it before you take it in.
- Take Caution: Leans toward what could dull or mislead. Approach carefully.
- Consider Avoiding: Celebrates what Scripture warns against. Little here builds up.
Weighed against Scripture
“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:”
When John saw the glorified Christ, he fell at His feet as though dead. The song's question 'or to my knees will I fall?' mirrors exactly this kind of overwhelming, involuntary awe.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Paul writes that no eye has seen or mind imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him. The song's repeated 'I can only imagine' is a direct expression of this holy limitation.
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
'In your presence there is fullness of joy' grounds the song's anticipation. The dance, the stillness, the hallelujah are all attempts to picture that fullness.
This song does one thing: it sits at the edge of eternity and wonders, with childlike honesty, what it will actually feel like to stand before Jesus. The questions it asks, will I dance, will I fall, will I even be able to speak, are not doubts but expressions of awe at something too large for words. There is no performance here, just a soul reaching forward. It has become one of the most recognized Christian songs of the modern era for good reason: the longing it names is universal among believers.
Not a single word of concern. The lyrics are entirely focused on anticipating eternity with Christ.
The whole song is oriented toward worship of Jesus. The honest uncertainty about how one will respond only deepens the reverence rather than undermining it.
Written from a place of genuine grief and hope, this song invites the listener to fix their imagination on eternity and the glory of God.
When you picture yourself actually standing before Jesus, what is the first feeling that comes, relief, joy, fear, or something you don't yet have a word for?