Duncan began his solo career in 1985 with his old label Light Records following the dissolution in 1984 of his prior musical endeavor Sweet Comfort Band. Since then, he has recorded for four different labels, including his own imprint, Red Road Records. His material since after 2012 has been self-released with 2019's SHINE the most recent. In 1992, CCM Industry trade magazine Christian Research Report named his album MERCY their Album of the Year.
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go
Bryan Duncan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine oceans depths its flow
May richer, fuller be
O light that foll'west all my way
I yield my flickering torch to thee
My heart restores its borrowed rayThat in thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be
O joy that seekest me through pain
I cannot close my heart to thee
I trace the rainbow through the rain
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be
The lyrics of Bryan Duncan's song O Love That Will Not Let Me Go express a powerful and unwavering love that transcends all human understanding. The song is about surrendering to this love, letting go of one's own will and giving oneself over completely to it. The opening line, "O love that will not let me go," refers to a love that is unrelenting and will never give up on the singer, no matter what they have done or may do in the future. The singer expresses their tiredness and exhaustion with the world, and how they find rest in this love. They also make a vow to give their life back to this love, to allow it to take over completely so that it may flow even more freely and fully.
The second verse speaks of this love as a light that guides the way. The singer acknowledges that their own light is weak and flickering, and that they must yield it to this greater light. They hope that by doing so, their heart will be filled with more warmth and brightness. This love is described as a joy that shines even in the midst of pain and suffering. The singer cannot deny it, even in their darkest moments. They believe that this joy will lead them to a future where there will be no more tears.
Overall, the lyrics of this song are about a deep and unbreakable connection to a love that is greater than themselves. It is about surrendering to it completely and allowing it to transform their life. It is a song of hope and trust in something beyond the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
O love that will not let me go
A declaration of love to an unwavering force that has kept him going.
I rest my weary soul in thee
In this ever-present love, he finds comfort and rest from the struggles of life.
I give thee back the life I owe
He acknowledges that his very being is a gift from this love and dedicates his life to it.
That in thine oceans depths its flow
He desires that his life will be enriched in every way possible as it flows within this vast and endless love.
May richer, fuller be
He hopes that his life will be made more abundant and meaningful through his connection to this love.
O light that foll'west all my way
He recognizes this love as a guiding light that has been a constant presence throughout his life.
I yield my flickering torch to thee
He surrenders his own faltering light to be replaced by the pure and unwavering light of this love.
My heart restores its borrowed ray
Through his connection to this love, his own heart is rejuvenated and strengthened.
That in thy sunshine's blaze its day
He envisions his heart being renewed and enlivened by basking in the radiant warmth of this love.
May brighter, fairer be
He hopes that his renewed heart will radiate and reflect the beauty and goodness of this love.
O joy that seekest me through pain
He sees joy as an integral part of this love, even in the midst of pain and suffering.
I cannot close my heart to thee
He acknowledges that he can never truly separate from this love, even if he tried.
I trace the rainbow through the rain
Through this love, he sees hope and beauty even in the midst of life's trials and hardships.
And feel the promise is not vain
He is assured that the good promised by this love will come to fruition.
That morn shall tearless be
He believes in a future free from pain and sorrow, a world where tears will be no more.
Contributed by Miles S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.