Mining Secular Music for Biblical Nuggets

[GWH]

How about "True Believers" by Darius Rucker?

Church bells ringing on our wedding day
Climbed in that limo and rode away
Guess you'll always hear some people say
Man, they're never going to make it

We settled in and we settled down
In this quiet little seaside town
You are the rock I built my world around
And life will never break it

[Chorus]
We are one heartbeat in the darkness
We are one lasting answered prayer
We are one unbroken promise
And we are two, true believers

[Verse 2]
It wasn't easy getting here today
Sometimes you stumbled or I lost my way
But every roadblock was a chance to say
Take my hand I'm here beside you

We worked and made it through the toughest parts
Now every day is another chance to start
To look around and see where we are
It's where we were trying to get to

We are one before our God in Heaven
Oh, we are one road when the going gets rough
We are one now and forever
We are one name, one life, one flame

[Verse 3]
We are one before our God in Heaven
Oh, we are one road when the going gets rough
We are one now and forever
We are one name, one life, one flame

[Chorus]
We are one heartbeat in the darkness
We are one lasting answered prayer
We are one unbroken promise
And we are two, true believers

 

[GWH]

An Easter Hymn:

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign
He arose! (He arose) He arose! (He arose)
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed Jesus, my Savior!
Vainly they seal the dead Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose...
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep his prey Jesus, my Savior!
He tore the bars away Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign
He arose! (He arose)
He arose! (He arose)
Hallelujah! Christ arose!

[Okay, it isn't a secular song :^]

 

[MrE]

An Easter Hymn:



[Okay, it isn't a secular song :^]

Yes-- I thought the point of the thread was for secular songs with a message? But what constitutes "a secular song?"

Does it mean a song written or performed by a secular person? Or does it mean a song that doesn't specifically mention "God" that is written or performed by a secular person?

There are all kinds of examples of each.

 

[MrE]

Steve Earle is a liberal, socialist, whack-nut Leftist, married seven times, pro-abortion, drug addict---but this song linked below aligns perfectly with my Christian beliefs.

 

[GWH]

Yes-- I thought the point of the thread was for secular songs with a message? But what constitutes "a secular song?"

Does it mean a song written or performed by a secular person? Or does it mean a song that doesn't specifically mention "God" that is written or performed by a secular person?

There are all kinds of examples of each.

Yes, I made an exception for Easter.

Both of what you said are examples of secular.

Some songs and artists are borderline, such as that by Darius Rucker just previous.

 

[GWH]

Steve Earle is a liberal, socialist, whack-nut Leftist, married seven times, pro-abortion, drug addict---but this song linked below aligns perfectly with my Christian beliefs.

God is God lyrics:

I believe in prophecy
Some folks see things not everybody can see
And once in a while, they pass the secret along to you and me
And I believe in miracles
Something sacred burning in every bush and tree
We can all learn to sing the songs the angels sing
And I believe in God and God ain't me

I've traveled around the world
Stood on mighty mountains and gazed across the wilderness
Never seen a line in the sand or a diamond in the dust
And as our fate unfurls
Every day that passes, I'm sure about a little bit less
Even my money keeps telling me it's God I need to trust
And I believe in God and God ain't us

God, of my little understanding, don't care what name I call
Whether or not I believe doesn't matter at all
I receive the blessings
Every day on Earth's another chance to get it right
Let this little light of mine shine and rage against the night
Just another lesson
Maybe someone's watching and wondering what I got
Maybe this is why I'm here on Earth and maybe not
And I believe in God and God is God

I agree this song can be understood as containing nuggets that align with Christian beliefs.
Could "Christian" be added to the list of adjectives for SE that you provided?
IOW, is he now a moral, freedom-loving, Jesus-freak, righteous, part of Christ's bride, anti-murder, high on the HS?

 

[MrE]

I agree this song can be understood as containing nuggets that align with Christian beliefs.
Could "Christian" be added to the list of adjectives for SE that you provided?
IOW, is he now a moral, freedom-loving, Jesus-freak, righteous, part of Christ's bride, anti-murder, high on the HS?

He identifies as a person of faith, but not a Christian.

 

[GWH]

He identifies as a person of faith, but not a Christian.

Well heck, atheists are persons of faith and anti-Christians,
so hopefully he will be freed from drug-induced confusion and accept Christ!

 

[MrE]

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

And....

“Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ Then he will reply from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

“So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

"Princes of the Universe" by Queen can be interpreted as The Saints.

"Here we are, born to be kings
We're the princes of the universe"
Verse: "And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." (Revelation 1:6, Jubilee Bible)

Here we belong, fighting to survive
In a world with the darkest powers
Verse: "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings
We are immortal through faith in Jesus, and indeed we have Blood of Christ, The King of Kings, and he is from King David.
Verses: "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)

 

[GWH]

"Princes of the Universe" by Queen can be interpreted as The Saints.

"Here we are, born to be kings
We're the princes of the universe"
Verse: "And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." (Revelation 1:6, Jubilee Bible)

Here we belong, fighting to survive
In a world with the darkest powers
Verse: "For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings
We are immortal through faith in Jesus, and indeed we have Blood of Christ, The King of Kings, and he is from King David.
Verses: "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)

I can see how the lyrics prompted you to think of those verses,
and I see why you stopped mining where you did,
because the rest of the song gets even sillier:


I have no rival, no man can be my equal
Take me to the future of you all
Born to be kings, princes of the universe
Fighting and free, Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand

We were born to be princes of the universe
No man could understand
My power is in my own hand
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, people talk about you

People say you've had your day
I'm a man that will go far
Fly to the moon and reach for the stars
With my sword and head held high
Got to pass the test first time, yeah

I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day
But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time, Yeah, yeah
Alright, let's go, let's go, ha ha
Yeah, watch this man fly, wooh
Bring on the girls, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Here we are (here we are)...

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

I can see how the lyrics prompted you to think of those verses,
and I see why you stopped mining where you did,
because the rest of the song gets even sillier:


I have no rival, no man can be my equal
Take me to the future of you all
Born to be kings, princes of the universe
Fighting and free, Got your world in my hand
I'm here for your love and I'll make my stand

We were born to be princes of the universe
No man could understand
My power is in my own hand
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, people talk about you

People say you've had your day
I'm a man that will go far
Fly to the moon and reach for the stars
With my sword and head held high
Got to pass the test first time, yeah

I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day
But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time, Yeah, yeah
Alright, let's go, let's go, ha ha
Yeah, watch this man fly, wooh
Bring on the girls, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Here we are (here we are)...

Yeah well, I shared some of lines that I thought worked.
Some people do cleaner versions of the song, and Martin Luther use to take pub songs (Queen would be considered one in his day) and turn them into hymns, A Mighty Fortess is Our God is one.

 

[GWH]

Yeah well, I shared some of lines that I thought worked.
Some people do cleaner versions of the song, and Martin Luther use to take pub songs (Queen would be considered one in his day) and turn them into hymns, A Mighty Fortess is Our God is one.

Yes, I did something similar with "Hey Jude":

“Dear God”
(Tune: the Beatles’ “Hey Jude”)

Dear God, sometimes I’m bad;
take my sad song and make it better.
The minute I let you into my heart,
then I can start to make it better.

Dear Lord, give me your love;
teach me compassion for all my brothers.
The minute I let you under my skin,
then I’ll begin to love them better.

And anytime I feel the pain, I’ll call your name,
Why carry the world upon my shoulders.
For now I know that it’s a fool who plays it cool,
Ignoring your peace, your love, the gospel.

Jesus, I won’t let you down;
you have loved me, now I will love everyone.
The minute I let you into my heart,
then I could start to love them better.

I’ll put hate out and let love in, Jesus, begin,
I’m waiting for someone to perform with.
And don’t you know that it’s just you, Jesus, you’ll do;
The moment you came loving had meaning.

Dear God, I’m no longer sad;
got your glad song, and I feel better,
The minute I let you under my skin,
then I began to make it better, better, …
Da, da da, da da da da,… Dear God. (repeat and fade)