Biography:
Talbot was born into a Methodist family with a musical background in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and started learning to play the guitar at an early age. At age 15 he dropped out of school and was performing as a guitarist for Mason Proffit, a country folk-rock band formed with his older brother Terry.
Talbot embarked on a spiritual journey that led him through Native American religion and Buddhism to Christianity. At this point he and his brother, Terry, joined the Jesus Movement, recording the album Reborn which was re-released by Sparrow Records (originally released as The Talbot Brothers on the Warner Brothers label).
Two solo albums followed for Talbot: John Michael Talbot (1976) and The New Earth (1977). Both of these were produced by Billy Ray Hearn.
Reading the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, he was inspired to begin studying at a Franciscan center in Indianapolis. He became a Roman Catholic and joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1978. He started a house of prayer, The Little Portion.
Talbot moved The Little Portion to Eureka Springs, Arkansas on land he had purchased during his Mason Proffit days. He founded his own community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, at Little Portion Hermitage as an "integrated monastic community" with celibate brothers and sisters, singles, and families. By 1989, Talbot had married Viola Pratka (with the permission of the Catholic Church). Pratka was a former Incarnate Word Sister who had come to the community in 1986.
Per the community's General Constitutions, Talbot's title is "General Minister and Spiritual Father". For many years, he has promoted the work of Mercy Corps.
The hermitage suffered a fire in April 2008 in which the chapel, library and many common areas were destroyed.
On April 10, 2010 the Bishop of Little Rock, Anthony Taylor, dedicated the new buildings. On October 2, 2010 the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage celebrated the opening of the new monastery church and common center.
We Shall Stand Forgiven
John Michael Talbot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And to you, my brothers and my sisters
I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and in my words
In the deeds that I've done, and in what I have failed to do,
I have sinned (I have sinned), I have sinned (I have sinned), I have sinned.
Now I see you, blessed Mary, sweet Virgin,
And all the angels and the saints who have gone before.
Now I ask you all of my brothers and my sisters to pray for me.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy upon us all.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy upon us all.
Forgive us, Oh Lord--
Forgive us, Oh Lord--
And we shall stand forgiven.
And we shall stand forgiven.
The lyrics to John Michael Talbot's song "We Shall Stand Forgiven" are a prayer of confession to God and to the fellow members of the Christian community. The singer acknowledges that they have sinned in their thoughts, words, and actions - both the things that they have done and the things that they have failed to do. In this confession, they ask for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the angels, and the saints who have gone before, as well as the prayers of their fellow believers. The repetition of the phrase "Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy upon us all" reinforces the plea for forgiveness and mercy.
The final lines of the song - "Forgive us, Oh Lord-- And we shall stand forgiven. And we shall stand forgiven" - express the hope and belief that God's forgiveness is available to those who confess their sins and ask for redemption. The use of the word "we" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of community in the Christian faith and the collective responsibility for sin and forgiveness.
Overall, "We Shall Stand Forgiven" is a powerful and humbling expression of the human experience of sin and the desire to be redeemed through the grace of God.
Line by Line Meaning
I confess to God, the Almighty
I admit to God, the all-powerful.
And to you, my brothers and my sisters
And I admit to you, my fellow human beings.
I have sinned through my own fault in my thoughts and in my words
I have done wrong in my mind and speech, and it is my own responsibility.
In the deeds that I've done, and in what I have failed to do,
I have done bad things, and also not done good things that I should.
I have sinned (I have sinned), I have sinned (I have sinned), I have sinned.
I have made mistakes and done wrong things repeatedly.
Now I see you, blessed Mary, sweet Virgin,
Now I see you, Mary, a holy and pure woman.
And all the angels and the saints who have gone before.
And also all the good people who have died and gone to heaven.
Now I ask you all of my brothers and my sisters to pray for me.
Now I ask all of you to pray for me.
Will you pray for me? (We will pray) Unto the Lord our God.
Can you pray for me? (We will pray) To God, our Lord.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy upon us all.
God, be kind to us. Jesus, be kind to us. God, be kind to all of us.
Forgive us, Oh Lord--
Please forgive us, God--
And we shall stand forgiven.
And we will be seen as forgiven.
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.