Card received Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Religious Studies from Western Kentucky University. His studies in physics and astronomy allowed him to support himself while a student by working for six years at a planetarium. As of 2005, he is working on a Ph.D. in Classical Literature.
He Was Heard
Michael Card Lyrics
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With a lifeless sacrifice
While the crowd in anxious silence
Would wait outside
As he entered in his temple
They hoped he would be heard
God would give them a tomorrow
And the priest would stay alive
Would he be heard
Their only way they might be saved
Would he be heard
In the fullness of the promise time
The Final Priest did come
And He offered up a living sacrifice
Now we His children wait for Him
With hope and joyful praise
For we know that God has heard Him
For we know that He was raised
He offered cheerful praise and He was heard
He offered up His life and He was heard
So let us fix our eyes upon
The priest whom God did hear
For the joy that was before Him
He overcame the fear
Oh, once and all He paid the cost
Enduring all the shame
Taking up the cruel cross
Ignoring all the pain
Repeat Chorus
The song He Was Heard by Michael Card talks about the practice of offering sacrifices in the temple in the olden days, where only the priests were allowed to enter the temple to offer sacrifices to God. The people would wait outside anxiously, hoping that the priest would be heard by God and that they would be saved. The sacrifice offered by the priest was a lifeless one, which did not have any power of its own.
However, in the fullness of time, the Final Priest came, who was Jesus Himself. He offered up a living sacrifice – Himself – to God. This sacrifice had the ability to save people from their sins and give them a tomorrow. The song talks about how Jesus' sacrifice was cheerful and offered with joy, which is why He was heard by God. The song then encourages us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, as He is the priest whom God heard, and He overcame all the shame, pain and fear to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our salvation.
The song is a reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and how His sacrifice was heard by God. It encourages us to place our hope and joy in Him, knowing that He has overcome all the obstacles and has secured our salvation.
Line by Line Meaning
In the days of old the priest would come
In ancient times, it was common for a priest to come
With a lifeless sacrifice
The priest would bring an offering that was not alive
While the crowd in anxious silence
People outside would wait anxiously
Would wait outside
They would not be allowed to come in
As he entered in his temple
The priest would go into the place of worship
They hoped he would be heard
They hoped that God would listen to him
God would give them a tomorrow
God would give them a future
And the priest would stay alive
The priest's life would be spared
Their only choice, their only hope
Their only option and hope
Would he be heard
Would God listen to him
Their only way they might be saved
Their only salvation
In the fullness of the promise time
In the appointed time of promise fulfillment
The Final Priest did come
The ultimate priest arrived
And He offered up a living sacrifice
He presented a living sacrifice
Now we His children wait for Him
We as His offspring wait for Him
With hope and joyful praise
With hope and gladness in worship
For we know that God has heard Him
Because we know that God has heard His plea
For we know that He was raised
Because we know He was resurrected
He offered cheerful praise and He was heard
He praised joyfully and was heard
He offered up His life and He was heard
He sacrificed His life and was heard
So let us fix our eyes upon
Let us concentrate our gaze on
The priest whom God did hear
The priest that God listened to
For the joy that was before Him
For the future happiness He anticipated
He overcame the fear
He conquered His fear
Oh, once and all He paid the cost
Once and for all, He paid the price
Enduring all the shame
Braving all the dishonor
Taking up the cruel cross
Accepting the harsh burden of the cross
Ignoring all the pain
Disregarding all the suffering
Repeat Chorus
Repeat the chorus
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL J. CARD, RANDY LYNN SCRUGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind