self-justifying fail

And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Luke 16:15

I try to talk up

     my good acts

Yet I am still a sinner

     bound to that fact.

Without Jesus to justify me

     I’m just a failure.

I want to look holy

     so I’ll try to put on a show

But I’m really fooling no one

     because God already knows

Without Jesus to justify me

     I’m just a failure.

So I fall on God’s grace

     I call out to my Lord

I trust in Jesus to save me

     and I believe His Word.

Because Jesus justifies me

     I can be holy.

And I reject all efforts

     of boasting in what I do

I look up to One much better:

     “Jesus... I trust in You!”

Jesus justifies me.

That is what I need.