Cope lived in Houston, Texas during his high school years and attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He has been closely associated with the music of Especially for Youth (EFY), with seven EFY albums having songs he composed. He also has served as an LDS missionary in Switzerland and France from 1980-1982. He currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and serves as an LDS Bishop.
Hallelujahs
Kenneth Cope Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
A lightning flash, my pounding heart
A breaching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that You are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
Unveil our Savior as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
Unveil our Savior as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise then this
And my soul wells up
O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
Unveil our Savior as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
O Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
The song "Hallelujahs" by Kenneth Cope celebrates the beauty and power of nature as a testament to the glory of God. The opening lines describe the awe-inspiring sight of a purple sky at sunset, with the singer wading through the ocean as dolphins play nearby. The sensory experience of the taste of salt and the dance of the waves inspires the singer's soul to well up with hallelujahs, or shouts of praise.
Throughout the song, the singer reflects on various impressive natural phenomena, from lightning flashes and breaching whales to shooting stars and the moon's craters. These wonders of the natural world all testify to the power and majesty of God, and the song calls on all of creation to join in singing his praises. The repetition of the phrase "oh praise Him all His mighty works" reinforces this idea, emphasizing that every aspect of creation has the ability to communicate God's greatness.
Ultimately, the song suggests that the highest form of praise is simply the experience of being alive, with all of the sensory experiences and natural beauty that entails. The pulse of life within the singer's wrist, the fallen snow and rising mist, all evoke a sense of wonder and gratitude that inspires hallelujahs from the soul.
Line by Line Meaning
A purple sky to close the day
As the sun sets and the sky fades from orange to purple, I am struck by the beauty of God’s creation.
I wade the surf where dolphins play
I am immersed in the joyfulness of life as dolphins frolic around me in the ocean.
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
As I taste the saltiness of the ocean, I am mesmerized by the rhythmic movements of the waves, which are a testament to God's power.
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
All the beauty and power around me bring forth a sense of overwhelming joy and gratitude, which manifests as the repeated exclamation of 'hallelujah'.
A lightning flash, my pounding heart
I am overcome with awe and excitement as a bolt of lightning illuminates the darkness, causing my heart to race.
A breaching whale, a shooting star
The majestic sight of a whale jumping out of the water and a shooting star lighting up the night sky are powerful reminders of God's greatness.
Give testimony that You are
These awe-inspiring events serve as evidence of God's existence.
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
This line serves as a call for all of God's creations to sing praises to Him for the power and magnificence that He bestows.
There is no language where you can't be heard
God's presence and communication are not limited by language barriers; He can be understood and worshiped anywhere in the world.
Your song goes out to all the Earth
God's message and power are not confined to one location or group of people; instead, His influence extends throughout the whole planet Earth.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
This repeated exclamation is a way of expressing profound gratitude and joy for all of God's amazing works.
O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
From the moon's pockmarked surface to the delicate wings of a sparrow, all things in nature can be seen as reflections of God's power and creativity.
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
Even the threatening sound of thunder and the mysterious beauty of Saturn's rings can be interpreted as testimonies to God's omnipotence.
Unveil our Savior as you sing
Let God's power and message be revealed to all through the beauty and complexity of His creations.
The pulse of life within my wrist
The awareness of my own heartbeat serves as a reminder of the preciousness of life and the greatness of God's handiwork.
A fallen snow, a rising mist
The beauty of falling snowflakes and rising mist further emphasizes the magnificence of God's creations.
There is no higher praise then this
Expressing gratitude and joy for God's works is the ultimate form of worship and adoration.
And my soul wells up
My sense of gratitude and joy fills me and overflows from me in the form of repeated exclamation of 'hallelujah'.
O my soul wells up
The sense of joy and gratitude that fills my soul is so intense that it is almost overwhelming.
O Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
This is a repetition of the exclamation of joy and gratitude for God's works that has been felt throughout the entire song.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS RICE, CHRISTOPHER M. RICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
stuckIN801
Mom always played this Sunday morning and I always awoke to this beautiful arrangement. I'll never forget those days.
rtiffany taylor
How peaceful and heavenly. Great message favorite music! Praise the Lord our Redeemer!
Sequentially Compact
Even as an atheist I find this song very moving. Even with.. well basically, one single lyric.
Louisa Fowler
@pepe valadez who created the beautiful music and talents?
pepe valadez
@annette d. God is a matter of geography and chronology. If you were born in Egypt, China or Africa 3000 or 4000 years ago, you have had the gods they used to have.
No one, ever, has seen him.
Everything, absolutely, is mithology, Greek, Egypcian, Norwegian, Aztec, Maya, Christians, etc., etc., etc.. are the same. They created gods that only exist in their minds.
pepe valadez
@Sequentially Compact Yes ! Indeed I was catholic and after several years of investigation, realised that god does not exist. I am a musician and have been playing music for over 50 years. We do exist, athiests exist and, if someone believe it or not, it's not our problem. It is not necessary to believe in god to enjoy this beautiful music.
Sequentially Compact
Well that doesn't exactly alter the fact that atheists exist.
MeetMyFist
I don't believe in athiests.
Eduardo Bueno
I was there when he released this album. This song was a very important moment for me. I love the soothing sound. To this day I don't think any other album or a latter-day-saint composer was as grand and majestic... pure, and full of the Spirit of the Lord.
Qnoy Vegas
This song makes me love my Savior evenmore....