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Blessed To Be A Witness
Ben Harper Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Corcovado parted the sky
And through the darkness
On us He shined
Crucified in stone
Still His blood is my own
Glory behold all my eyes have seen

I am blessed to be a witness

Some have flown away
And can't be with us here today
Like the hills of my home
Some have crumbled and now are gone
Gather around for today won't come again

I am blessed to be a witness

So much sorrow and pain
Still I will not live in vain
Like good questions never asked
Is wisdom wasted on the past
Only by the grace of God go I

I am blessed to be a witness

Overall Meaning

The song starts off with a vivid image of Corcovado, which is a mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that is home to the famous statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). The lyric "parted the sky" signifies the moment when the light shone through the darkness onto the listener, which could be seen as a metaphor for a spiritual awakening. The reference to Christ being "crucified in stone" can be interpreted in different ways, but it could convey the idea of how the teachings of Christ through the Bible have been steadfastly preserved through time, as if carved in stone. The following lines "still His blood is my own, Glory behold all my eyes have seen" could be interpreted as a recognition of the suffering that Christ endured as a sacrifice for humankind's sins, a realization and appreciation of what has been saved and achieved through that sacrifice.


The chorus of the song, "I am blessed to be a witness," is a proclamation of gratitude for the opportunity to experience such profound moments of life, good and bad, and to learn something from them. The second verse is a reminder of those who are no longer with us, be it gone physically or emotionally. The "hills of my home" line could be a reference to the memory of childhood or of a place that has a significant emotional attachment, and how time can bring changes to them. The idea of "Gather around for today won't come again" emphasizes how important it is to cherish moments that are fleeting and precious.


The final verse opens with pain and sorrow, and the determination to not let it define our lives. The lyric "like good questions never asked, is wisdom wasted on the past" offers a thought-provoking question about the value of experiences that we have missed out on or regretted in life. The closing line of the song, "only by the grace of God go I," acknowledges that everything in life is uncertain, and we can only hope for the best through grace.


Line by Line Meaning

Corcovado parted the sky
The beauty of nature is a divine spectacle to behold.


And through the darkness
Even in the darkest of times, light can shine through.


On us He shined
We are all worthy of being illuminated by the light of the divine.


Crucified in stone
The memory of those who have passed on lives on through monuments and memorials.


Still His blood is my own
We are all connected through our shared humanity and the sacrifices made for it.


Glory behold all my eyes have seen
The experiences and beauty of life are awe-inspiring and miraculous.


I am blessed to be a witness
I am grateful for the opportunity to witness the wonders of life and the world around me.


Some have flown away
People we love and admire may have left our lives, but we can still honor their memory.


And can't be with us here today
We may miss those who have gone, but we carry their influence with us always.


Like the hills of my home
Our surroundings and memories are an important part of who we are.


Some have crumbled and now are gone
Things we hold dear may change or disappear over time, but their impact remains.


Gather around for today won't come again
We should cherish each moment, as they are fleeting and can't be relived.


So much sorrow and pain
Life can be difficult and heartbreaking, but we must persist and strive for better.


Still I will not live in vain
Our actions and choices have meaning and purpose, and we can make a positive impact on the world.


Like good questions never asked
We often overlook important information and fail to gain valuable insights.


Is wisdom wasted on the past
We can learn from the past but should also apply those lessons to the present and future.


Only by the grace of God go I
We should acknowledge our privilege and blessings, and use them to help others.


I am blessed to be a witness
Again, I am grateful for the opportunity to witness the beauty and complexity of life.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: BEN C HARPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Slade M.

This was played at my fathers wake back in 2006. it still tears me down to rubble when I hear it.

Vera Scroggins

Love the drums...I am blessed.❤️🙏 Let go of the past and enter the Grace. Love .

Roc Straz

Best word in the English vocabulary is Grace and when we all put His in front it, well then that is everything that God and His Loving Grace Blesses Us.

Delores Spencer

🎶 I AM BLESSED.. I AM BLESSED . I AM BLESSED.. I AM BLESSED TO BE A WITNESS...

Pratap Kumar Behera

So soulful singing with enchanting drum beats

manuel maurizot

Culte et indémodable, pure son.

Ben SkyWalker & Vestara Kai Straziuso’s

Thank you honey for this song and everything else.

vie

That's what I wanted to be, only a witness wherever I went 😊

Joseph Kendrigan

This hymn calms my soul.

Roc Straz

Thank You for my prayers amen

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