It is a simple concept. God isn't finished with us yet. But when Joel Hemphill sat down to write He's Still Working on Me in the late 1970s, he probably didn't realize he was drafting a song that would outlast almost every other contemporary Christian hit of that era. You’ve heard it. Your kids have likely sung it in Sunday school. It’s been covered by everyone from Southern Gospel quartets to Bill Gaither and even Elvis Presley’s backup singers.
There is a reason this track stuck. It isn't just a catchy tune for toddlers.
The Surprising Complexity Behind a "Kids' Song"
Most people categorize He's Still Working on Me as a children’s chorus. That’s a mistake. While the lyrics are accessible—comparing a human life to the creation of the sun, the moon, and the stars—the theology is actually quite heavy. It deals with the doctrine of sanctification. That’s a fancy way of saying "the messy process of becoming a better person."
Joel Hemphill, the man behind the pen, was part of The Hemphills, a powerhouse in the Southern Gospel circuit. They were winning Dove Awards while most of us were still trying to figure out how to use a rotary phone. Joel had a knack for taking high-level spiritual concepts and making them feel like a conversation over coffee.
The song first gained massive traction on the 1980 album Workin', but it truly exploded when it was featured on the Psalty the Singing Songbook series. If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, Psalty was the soundtrack of your childhood. Seeing a giant blue book sing about God’s "patience" made the song a global phenomenon.
Honestly, the mirror is a tough place to look sometimes. The song acknowledges that. It admits that "the mirror of God’s word" shows us exactly where we fall short. But instead of leaving the listener in a pit of guilt, it offers a way out. It says, "Hey, the Creator of the universe is still busy with you."
Why the World Fell in Love with a Construction Metaphor
We like things finished. We want the house built, the debt paid, and the diet over. But He's Still Working on Me uses the metaphor of a construction site. It’s loud. It’s dusty. There are tools everywhere.
Think about the lyrics for a second.
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"In the mirror of His word, reflections that I see, make me wonder why He never gave up on me."
That is a remarkably vulnerable line for a "simple" song. It resonates because everyone—from the CEO to the stay-at-home parent—feels like a "work in progress" at some point. The song suggests that the "signs of the times" aren't just about global events, but about the internal changes happening within a person.
The Joel Hemphill Legacy
Joel Hemphill didn't just write hits; he wrote staples. Along with his wife, LaBreeska, he pushed The Hemphills to the top of the charts with songs like "Joel 2:28" and "Consider the Lilies." But He's Still Working on Me has a different kind of legs.
It’s been translated into dozens of languages.
Why? Because the "unfinished" feeling is universal.
Interestingly, the song’s structure is a classic AABB rhyme scheme in the chorus, making it incredibly easy to memorize. This wasn't an accident. Hemphill knew that for a message to stick, it had to be "sticky." You hear it once, and you’re humming it for three days. It’s an earworm with a soul.
The Gaither Effect and the 90s Revival
If the 80s made the song a hit, the 90s made it an institution. The Gaither Homecoming series, which started as a spontaneous gathering of gospel legends, featured this song frequently.
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When you see a stage full of legends—people who have spent fifty years in the ministry—singing "He's still working on me," it changes the context. It’s no longer a cute kid’s song. It’s a testimony of endurance. It suggests that even at seventy or eighty years old, the "work" isn't done.
The song appeared on the 1994 Gaither Homecoming video Precious Memories, which helped cement its place in the American hymnal (even if it’s not in the physical book).
Addressing the "Simplicity" Criticism
Critics sometimes argue that songs like He's Still Working on Me are too "Pollyanna." They say it ignores the deep trauma and darkness of the human experience by wrapping it in a jaunty melody.
I disagree.
The song doesn't say life is easy. It says life is a process. The line "He made me just what I ought to be" is actually future-tense in its implication. It’s about potential. It’s about the fact that "God’s not finished" with the broken parts.
There’s a raw honesty in admitting you’re a "specimen" that requires a lot of "patience." It’s self-deprecating humor used for a spiritual purpose.
How to Apply the Message Today
We live in a "cancel culture" where one mistake can define you forever. In that environment, a song about continuous growth and divine patience is actually counter-cultural. It’s radical.
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If you are feeling stuck or like you’ve blown it one too many times, here is how to actually use the philosophy of this song to get your head back in the game:
1. Embrace the "Draft" Phase
Stop acting like you have to be the final version of yourself today. You’re a rough draft. Writers don't get mad at a first draft for having typos. They just keep editing. Treat your life the same way.
2. Watch Your Comparisons
The song mentions how God made the moon and the stars in a week, but He’s still working on "me." The point? People are more complex than galaxies. Don't compare your "construction phase" to someone else’s "finished facade." Most of what you see on social media is just a thin layer of paint over a lot of drywall dust anyway.
3. Practice Patient Self-Talk
The next time you mess up, instead of the usual spiral of "I'm a failure," try the song’s logic. "Okay, I'm under construction." It shifts the focus from your failure to the "Builder’s" capability.
4. Revisit the Classics
Actually go back and listen to the original Hemphills version or the Psalty version if you want a hit of nostalgia. There’s something about the unpolished, organic sound of 70s and 80s gospel that feels more "real" than the over-produced tracks of today.
Final Perspective on a Gospel Staple
He's Still Working on Me remains relevant because the human condition hasn't changed. We are still messy. We still need patience. And we still need to believe that our current state isn't our final state.
Joel Hemphill gave the world a gift: a way to admit we aren't okay while simultaneously believing we will be. It’s a song for the "don’t have it all together" crowd. And honestly? That’s all of us.
Take a breath. You're still on the workbench. The Master Builder hasn't walked off the job site yet.
Actionable Next Steps
- Listen to the evolution: Find the 1980 version by The Hemphills on a streaming service, then compare it to the Gaither Homecoming versions to hear how the song’s energy shifted over decades.
- Audit your "Works in Progress": Identify one area of your life where you are being too hard on yourself for not being "finished." Intentionally apply the "construction" mindset to that specific habit or relationship this week.
- Share the sentiment: If you know someone struggling with "perfectionism," send them the lyrics. Sometimes the simplest rhymes carry the most weight for someone who feels like they're failing.