As with most aspiring musical groups, By the Tree got their start playing a series of small venues — predominantly churches — throughout the southern and southwestern United States. Their near-constant touring cultivated a sizeable fan base.
In 1999 they released two independent, self-produced CDs, which they sold at their concerts. By 2001, these two CDs had sold a combined 30,000 units, which more than recouped their production costs, and additionally brought them to the attention of the Gospel music industry.
The band eventually signed with Fervent Records, part of the BMG music publishing company. Their first national U.S. commercial recording was Invade My Soul. The album charted in the Billboard Top 40 in the Contemporary Christian and Independent categories. The album eventually went on to win two Dove Awards: The album itself won Best Modern Rock/Alternative Album, and the album's title track won Best Recorded Song.
The band has gone through numerous lineup changes since signing with Fervent. Drummer Aaron Blanton joined the group prior to the recording of Invade My Soul, and bassist Ben Davis joined in 2002 for the recording of These Days. Original member Kevin Rhoads left the band shortly after the release of These Days and was replaced by Charlie Goddard, who left the band in 2003 to join the Jeff Deyo Band.
By the Tree has released four albums under the Fervent label, and they remain one of the more popular acts in Contemporary Christian music.
Chuck Dennie now lives in Franklin, TN with his wife Joanne.
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/bythetree
Your Presence
By the Tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a thought in motion love
Is not a game that can be played
It's crazy how You read my mind
Like a twisted thought of reasoning
Your words are so divine
I want to be in Your presence
Come give me grace for this moment
I wanna be found where You are
Looking for this promised land
My attempts they seem to fail
I'm sinking in this desert sand
I feel like Moses wandering around
Except that not like Him
I can not seem to find myself a cloud
I want to be in Your presence
I want to be where You are
Come give me grace for this moment
I wanna be found where You are
Come and start a fire and let me be your flame
I need to know that you are with me
Wanna hear you call my name
I want to be in Your presence
I want to be where You are
Come give me grace for this moment
I wanna be found where You are
And I want to be in Your presence
I want to be where You are
Come give me grace for this moment
I wanna be found where You are
In "Your Presence," By The Tree sings about a desire to be in the presence of God. The song starts with the realization that God knows the singer inside out, including their thoughts and feelings, and it's a relationship that the singer wants to cherish. The chorus continues with a plea for grace and to be found in God's presence. The singer acknowledges that they have been looking for this spiritual place, but they haven't been able to find it on their own. They realize that God is the only one who can show them the way.
The lyrics suggest an ongoing struggle to connect with God, represented by a "promised land" that the singer is searching for. The metaphor of the "desert sand" exemplifies the challenges and difficulties of this journey. The singer compares their journey to that of Moses, but their journey is different because they cannot seem to find themselves a "cloud," an allusion to the biblical story of Moses being led by a cloud in the wilderness. Finally, the song ends with a plea to God to light a fire within them and call them by name.
"Your Presence" is a song that speaks to the aspirations of many Christians who yearn to have a closer relationship with God. The lyrics are raw, honest, and heartfelt, revealing the struggles and questions that we sometimes have in our spiritual lives. The song recognizes that we do not have all the answers, and we need grace and guidance to find our way. It's a reminder that God is the only one who can fill the void in our lives, and being in His presence is the ultimate destination.
Line by Line Meaning
It's funny how You say my name
The way God calls us by our name is both humorous and comforting
Like a thought in motion love
God's love is constantly moving and present, like a never-ending thought
Is not a game that can be played
Love is not something that can be controlled or manipulated like a game
It's crazy how You read my mind
God understands our thoughts and reasoning in a way that seems unbelievable
Like a twisted thought of reasoning
Sometimes our thoughts are jumbled and unclear, but God is able to see through it all
Your words are so divine
God's words are holy and come from a place of endless wisdom
Looking for this promised land
We all strive to find something better, which is our promised land
My attempts they seem to fail
Despite our attempts, we often fall short in finding what we are looking for
I'm sinking in this desert sand
In our search, we can feel lost and alone like we are drowning in the vastness of the desert
I feel like Moses wandering around
Similar to Moses wandering in the wilderness, we too can feel lost while searching
Except that not like Him
Although we may feel lost, we are not alone like Moses was
I can not seem to find myself a cloud
We may be searching for a sign of guidance from God, but struggle to find it
Come and start a fire and let me be your flame
Asking God to ignite our passion and lead us through the darkness
I need to know that you are with me
In our quest, we need reassurance of God's presence and love
Wanna hear you call my name
Hearing God call us by name is a powerful sign of affection and guidance
And I want to be in Your presence
Expressing a deep desire to be closer to God
I want to be where You are
Longing for a deeper connection with God
Come give me grace for this moment
Asking for God's unmerited favor and help in the present
I wanna be found where You are
Desiring to be found in God's love and presence
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES DENNIE, CHUCK DENNIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind