John Mark McMillan is an indie rock artist from Charlotte, North Carolina, … Read Full Bio ↴John Mark McMillan is an indie rock artist from Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, where he grew up playing in local rock bands. In June of 2005, McMillan released his first album, Hope Anthology Volume One. Just a few months after the release of this album, McMillan lost his best friend in a tragic accident, bringing him into a troubling time. It was the grief caused by this accident, and the subsequent rise from it, that inspired him to create his second anthology, The Song Inside The Sounds of Breaking Down. This included the track "How He Loves". The song was successful despite the album's independent release, and has been covered by several well-known artists within the Christian music industry (Kim Walker of Jesus Culture and David Crowder Band among others). In 2008, McMillan independently released his third album The Medicine. The Medicine was subsequently re-released in 2010 on Integrity Media, along with the single "Skeleton Bones".

A new album titled The Economy was released in Fall 2011.

Seen A Darkness
John Mark McMillan Lyrics

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We have seen a darkness
But we have seen a light
We have felt the love
Of a hope's hot blood
In the machinery of night

We have seen a darkness
But we have seen the sun

We have come undone
To a love's hot song
In a symphony of blood

The valley of the shadow knows our name
We have seen a night
But we have seen the day
Dressed in the blood of love's hot veins
We have overcome
Yeah, we have overcome

Born into the grave
But born a second time
We've been born again
Into loves hot hands
On someone else's dime

The valley of the shadow knows our name
We have seen a night
But we have seen the day
Dressed in the blood of loves hot veins
We have overcome
Yeah, we have overcome

You have called us loved
And you have called us wanted

One time we were bruised
We were bankrupt and haunted

Overall Meaning

The song "Seen A Darkness" by John Mark McMillan describes the experience of overcoming difficult circumstances and finding hope in the midst of darkness. The lyrics use powerful and often metaphorical language to convey this idea. The first verse contrasts darkness and light, love and despair, evoking a sense of the internal struggle between hope and despair that many people face. The second verse describes coming undone to the music of love, as if surrendering to a greater force that can lead to transformation.

The chorus draws on biblical references to the valley of the shadow, alluding to the Christian idea of the metaphorical valley of death and the power of resurrection to overcome it. The lines "dressed in the blood of loves hot veins" and "born again into loves hot hands" also draw on Christian imagery and ideas of redemption and sacrifice. The final verse suggests that the experience of being loved and wanted was transformative, helping to heal past hurts and overcome the haunting memories of difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

We have seen a darkness
We have experienced difficult times

But we have seen a light
But we have also experienced good times

We have felt the love
We have experienced the feeling of being loved

Of a hope's hot blood
From a passionate source of hope and inspiration

In the machinery of night
Amidst dark times and situations

But we have seen the sun
But we have also experienced brighter times

We have come undone
We have fallen apart

To a love's hot song
But have been healed through the power of love

In a symphony of blood
Through a powerful and intense experience of love and sacrifice

The valley of the shadow knows our name
We are familiar with difficult and trying times

We have seen a night
We have experienced darkness and struggles