St. Peter
Ina Wroldsen Lyrics


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In the middle of hell
lies a little St. Peter
in a hospital bed
burning up

With a cloth to his head
he is ridden by fever
and I can't even tell
whether the demons have won

And his mother is there with his brother tied to her back
praying as hard as she can to a god in a land that I think he forgot

In the middle of hell
where death by mosquito
is as everyday as my coffee or your cigarette

And she says God bless me
she says God bless me
and I shake my head
cause I can't see God in this hospital bed

She says God bless me
she says God bless me
and I look away
but as she lets go of my hand for the first time in this place

I pray
Amen
Amen

I got plenty to give
but there's nothing to offer
and the little I brought
comes far too late

But I urge him to leave
with a bottle of water
he is 7 years old
sleeping outside pearly gates

And his mother looks at me with eyes I will never let go
they are angry and sad beyond measure and mad with a child-bearing love that I know

In the middle of hell
we just sit with each other
on a hospital bed
begging for death to go home

And she says God bless me
she says God bless me
and I shake my head
cause I can't see God in this hospital bed

She says God bless me
she says God bless me
and I look away
but as she lets go of my hand for the first time in this place

I pray
Amen
Amen

In the middle of hell
lies a little St. Peter




in a hospital bed
burning up

Overall Meaning

The song "St. Peter" by Ina Wroldsen narrates a heart-wrenching story about the struggles of a family as they deal with sickness, death, and the desperate search for hope in the midst of hellish circumstances. In the first verse, the listener is introduced to a young boy, referred to as "a little St. Peter," lying in a hospital bed with a cloth on his head, struggling with fever in the midst of a mosquito-infested and disease-ridden environment. The singer cannot tell if the demons have won or if hope still exists for the boy's recovery.


The second verse brings the listener deeper into the emotional turmoil of the situation as the boy's mother prays for her son's healing and survival in a land that feels forgotten by God. The song suggests that even in the midst of such challenging circumstances, the human spirit remains strong and passionate, as evidenced by the mother's determination and love for her child.


The chorus centers around the repeated phrase, "God bless me," which serves as a desperate plea for help and hope in desperate times. The singer finds it hard to see God in this situation and struggles with how to respond. The song ends with the singer praying the word "Amen" in a final plea for resolution and peace.


Line by Line Meaning

In the middle of hell
This situation is a living hell.


lies a little St. Peter
There is a sick child named St. Peter present in this situation.


in a hospital bed
St. Peter is in the hospital.


burning up
St. Peter is very sick and has a high fever.


With a cloth to his head
A wet towel is draped over St. Peter's forehead to help reduce his fever.


he is ridden by fever
St. Peter is suffering from fever and is in pain.


and I can't even tell
I do not know if St. Peter will survive.


whether the demons have won
The illness could be caused by evil spirits.


And his mother is there with his brother tied to her back
St. Peter's mother is present and carrying his younger sibling on her back.


praying as hard as she can to a god in a land that I think he forgot
St. Peter's mother is praying to God, but feels like God has forgotten them in their time of need.


where death by mosquito
Death is a common occurrence in this place, even from something as small as a mosquito bite.


is as everyday as my coffee or your cigarette
People here are used to death and it occurs as frequently as morning coffee or smoking a cigarette.


And she says God bless me
St. Peter's mother asks for a blessing from God.


she says God bless me
St. Peter's mother repeats her plea for God's blessing.


and I shake my head
I cannot see God in this tragic situation.


cause I can't see God in this hospital bed
I cannot see any divine intervention in the midst of St. Peter's suffering.


and I look away
I turn my gaze elsewhere, overwhelmed by the circumstances.


but as she lets go of my hand for the first time in this place
St. Peter's mother releases my hand for the first time in this situation.


I pray
I offer a prayer of hope and healing for St. Peter and his family.


Amen
Amen, meaning 'so be it,' is a declaration of affirmation for my prayer.


I got plenty to give
I have resources and the desire to help.


but there's nothing to offer
Despite my desire to help, there seems to be nothing I can do to alleviate the family's suffering.


and the little I brought
Even the meager resources I brought seem insufficient.


comes far too late
Unfortunately, any assistance I can offer comes too late to help St. Peter in this critical situation.


But I urge him to leave
I try to advise and offer St. Peter a water bottle for hydration.


with a bottle of water
I offer St. Peter a bottle of water to drink.


he is 7 years old
St. Peter is only 7 years old and too young to be experiencing such profound suffering.


sleeping outside pearly gates
Despite being in the hospital, St. Peter's future looks grim and it is as though he is outside the gates of heaven.


And his mother looks at me with eyes I will never let go
St. Peter's mother's despair and grief are powerfully conveyed in her intense gaze that I will always remember.


they are angry and sad beyond measure
St. Peter's mother and her eyes convey an anger, sadness, and pain that are overwhelming and immense.


and mad with a child-bearing love that I know
Despite her grief, St. Peter's mother's fierce love for her children is palpable and deeply moving.


we just sit with each other
In the presence of such immense suffering, all we can do is sit together and share our grief.


begging for death to go home
In the face of ongoing and unbearable suffering, we beg for the end to come and bring St. Peter relief.




Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: INA WROLDSEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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