Though Ketchum first began recording in the mid-1980s, not until his 1991 record deal with Curb Records did he have a major hit with the album Past The Point Of Rescue. The title cut to the album was a Top 3 single, and other singles that met similar success included "Small Town Saturday Night" and "Sure Love".
In 1994 Ketchum toured Britain, issuing the single "Past The Point Of Rescue" on that side of the Atlantic. Though the single failed to make the UK Top 100 pop charts, it received extensive airplay on country radio. The album Every Little Word (of which the UK release featured a bonus disc of past US hits including "Past The Point...") made the Top 40 on the UK country charts and also did the same back in the US.
Ketchum continued to record and release new material. His final US releases were Father Time in 2008, and I'm the Troubadour in 2014.
His film credits included appearing in the 1988 film Heartbreak Hotel and a small role in the 1994 film Maverick.
Wings of a Dove
Hal Ketchum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The body grows weak and the spirit grows numb
When these things beset us, He won't forget us
He sends down His love on the wings of a dove
Chorus
On the wings of a snow-white dove
He sends His pure sweet love
A sign from above
On the wings of a dove
When Noah had drifted on the flood many days
He searched for land in various ways
Troubles, he had some, but he was not forgotten
He sent down His love on the wings of a dove
Chorus
Guitar break
When Jesus went down to the water that day
He was baptized in the usual way
And when it was done, God blessed his son
He sent down his love on the wings of dove
Chorus
Was a sign from above
On the wings of a dove
The lyrics of Hal Ketchum's "Wings of a Dove" discuss the presence of hope and love in difficult times. The song suggests that even when we face troubles and evils that beset us, we are not alone nor are we forgotten. The chorus repeats the idea that God sends His love to us through the wings of a dove, which is described as a symbol of purity and sweetness.
The song's first verse speaks to the physical and spiritual toll of hardships. The line "the body grows weak and the spirit grows numb" suggests that difficult circumstances can drain us both physically and emotionally. However, the following line asserts that despite these struggles, we are not forgotten. God's love is sent down to us through the wings of a dove. This idea is reinforced throughout the song with references to biblical stories such as Noah's Ark and Jesus' baptism.
Line by Line Meaning
When troubles surround us, when evils come
When we are faced with trials and difficulties
The body grows weak and the spirit grows numb
These troubles can cause physical and emotional exhaustion
When these things beset us, He won't forget us
Even in difficult times, God does not abandon us
He sends down His love on the wings of a dove
God's love and comfort come to us in unexpected ways
On the wings of a snow-white dove
The symbol of God's love and care is carried on the wings of a dove
He sends His pure sweet love
God's love is unconditional and pure
A sign from above
This gesture of love is a message from God
When Noah had drifted on the flood many days
The story of Noah and the flood is an example of being lost and hopeless
He searched for land in various ways
Noah had to endure many challenges and seek solutions
Troubles, he had some, but he was not forgotten
Noah, despite his troubles, was remembered and cared for by God
When Jesus went down to the water that day
Referencing Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River
He was baptized in the usual way
Jesus underwent a typical baptism ceremony
And when it was done, God blessed his son
God showed his favor and approval of Jesus
He sent down his love on the wings of dove
God expressed his love in a special way
Was a sign from above
This expression of love was divine in origin
Lyrics © LARRICK MUSIC CO, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Ferguson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind