CeCe’s personality, inviting warmth and genuine love for God transcends her… Read Full Bio ↴CeCe’s personality, inviting warmth and genuine love for God transcends her music and has earned her millions of loyal fans around the world. Her industry accolades, nearly too numerous to count, include five Grammy Awards, 18 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and several gold and platinum-selling albums. CeCe’s collection of Top Ten R&B radio hits include “Count on Me,” her powerhouse duet with Whitney Houston, from the multi-platinum Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. The multi-format smash single sold 2 million copies and hit the Top Ten on “Oprah,” “The Tonight Show,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “Live with Regis & Kathie Lee”, the White House and many more.

The River
CeCe Winans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The river flows from the depths of my soul
Save your son from harm and danger
It's killing me, still I've gotta let him go
Trust in You cause You're not a stranger
You are a spark, Misses joy
Now save my innocent boy
I'll leave forever in your cradle
I'm talking to ya river

I know you're able to deliver
Won't you take him with ya river
Take care of him
That's my heart, my heart
Familiar friend it's your hand that he's in
Carry him with blessed assurance
Don't let him go til you know that he's safe
I pray to God the Father for amazing grace
I gave you all that I've got now save him
Now save him from Pharaoh's plot
Of killin' each child who's born a man
I'm talking to ya river
You're able to deliver
Won't you take him with you river
Take care of him; that's my heart, my heart
Now that I put him in the water
I pray for you to do what you've got to do
With my son, yeah
Let him go, let him go
I'm talking to ya river
I know you're able to deliver
Won't you take him with you river
Take care of him
Take care of him, my baby
I'm talking to ya river
I know you're able to deliver
Won't you take him with you river
How could I let my little boy go

Let him go, let him go
My baby boy

Overall Meaning

"The River" by CeCe Winans is a song that tells the story of a mother who relies on her faith to let go of her son and entrust his safety to God. In the first verse of the song, CeCe sings about how the river flows from the depths of her soul and pleads with it to save her son from harm and danger. She knows that letting go of her son is killing her, but she understands that she has to trust God because He is not a stranger to her.

In the second verse of the song, CeCe prays to the river to take care of her baby as she's putting him in the water. She pleads with the river to deliver her child to safety and protect him from Pharaoh's plot of killing each child who's born a man. Despite the pain of letting go of her baby, CeCe has faith that the river will keep her son safe, and she trusts that God will provide for her and her child.

The song is a powerful expression of the love of a mother and the importance of faith in the face of adversity. It speaks to the universal experience of parents everywhere who have to let go of their children and entrust them to the world, trusting that they will be protected and cared for.

Line by Line Meaning

The river flows from the depths of my soul
The source of my strength and hope for my son comes from within me.

Save your son from harm and danger
A plea to God to protect and keep the son safe from harm.

It's killing me, still I've gotta let him go
It pains the mother to let go of her son, but she knows it's necessary for his safety and future.

Trust in You cause You're not a stranger
A statement acknowledging God's presence and familiarity, and emphasizing the need for trust in Him.

You are a spark, Misses joy
God's grace and love is what ignites joy and hope within the mother's heart.

Now save my innocent boy
Another plea to God to save her son who is innocent and in danger.

I'll leave forever in your cradle
A declaration of the mother's trust in God to care for her son and to leave him in His hands.

I'm talking to ya river
The river is symbolically used as a representation of God, whom the mother is calling upon.

I know you're able to deliver
The mother's unwavering belief in God's power and ability to save her son.

Won't you take him with ya river
A request for God to take the son under His protection, using the river as an analogy.

Take care of him/That's my heart, my heart
A mother's heart is in her child, and entrusting him to God is the ultimate act of love and care.

Familiar friend it's your hand that he's in/Carry him with blessed assurance
God is recognized as a familiar friend and trusted to carry the son with assurance and protection.

Don't let him go til you know that he's safe
A plea for God to not let the son go until he is safe and secure.

I pray to God the Father for amazing grace
A prayer to God for His grace to be upon the son and his life.

I gave you all that I've got now save him
The mother acknowledges that she has done all that she can, and now relies on God to save her son.

Now save him from Pharaoh's plot/Of killing' each child who's born a man
The story of Moses is referenced, where Pharaoh had ordered the killing of all male babies. This is a plea for God to save the son from such danger.

Now that I put him in the water/I pray for you to do what you've got to do/With my son, yeah
The mother acknowledges that she has entrust her son to God's care by placing him in the water, and prays for God's ultimate plan for him.

Let him go, let him go/My baby boy
A final acknowledgement that letting go of her son is a difficult, but necessary act of the mother's love for her baby boy.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FINDLAY BROWN, TOBIAS WILNER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

De Andre Woods-Walker

2y↑8

Nobody does it better than CeCe! 🐐

Mysty’s Enchanted Eats

44w↑2

It’s crazy when I was a little girl I used to sing and listen to this song daily… now I’m 33 with a son of mine own and these words hit sooooo much deeper now.