Raise the Chalice
Mortification Lyrics


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Effectual fervent supplication
Of the righteous
Remember your Lord's death
Repentance and remembrance
(James 5:16)

Raise the chalice
Blood flowing veins
Shredded flesh symbol
Bread of pain

Self examination, before you partake
Wish you hideous thoughts
You must now part

If you eat and drink
In an unworthy manner
You eat and drink
Judgement on yourself
[1 Cor. 11:27]

You cannot drink the Lord's cup
And the cup of demons
Double minded man
Unstable in all ways
[1 Cor. 10:21, James 1:8]

Unless you eat the flesh
Of the son of man
Unless you drink the blood
You have no life in you





Do this in remembrance of me
[John 6:53]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mortification's "Raise the Chalice" discuss the importance of the Lord's Supper and the significance of taking it in a worthy manner. The first lines mention "effectual fervent supplication of the righteous" which is a reference to James 5:16, where it states that the prayers of a righteous person have great power. The song then goes on to talk about the need for repentance and remembrance of the Lord's death during communion.


The chorus, "Raise the chalice, Blood flowing veins, Shredded flesh symbol, Bread of pain," is a metaphorical description of what is happening during communion. The chalice represents the wine which symbolizes the blood of Christ, and the bread represents his body which was broken and torn during his crucifixion.


The song then warns against taking communion in an unworthy manner, as doing so will result in judgement upon oneself. It references 1 Corinthians 11:27 which states, "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord." It also references 1 Corinthians 10:21 and James 1:8 which warn against being double-minded and unstable in one's faith.


The final lines of the song, "Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, Unless you drink the blood, You have no life in you," are a direct reference to John 6:53 where Jesus tells his followers that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life. Overall, the song emphasizes the importance of taking communion seriously and in a worthy manner, as it is a symbolic remembrance of the sacrifice that Jesus made for his followers.


Line by Line Meaning

Effectual fervent supplication
Powerful and heartfelt prayer


Of the righteous
From those who are morally good and just


Remember your Lord's death
Recall the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ


Repentance and remembrance
The act of confessing and asking for forgiveness, while keeping the act of sacrifice in memory


Raise the chalice
Lift the cup up high


Blood flowing veins
The concept of the blood of Christ that runs through our veins


Shredded flesh symbol
The reminder of Christ's physical suffering represented by the broken bread


Bread of pain
The acknowledgement of the emotional anguish that Christ faced on the cross


Self examination, before you partake
Take time to reflect on one's own conscience before sharing in the sacrament


Wish you hideous thoughts
Hope to remove immoral or evil thoughts from one's mind


You must now part
It is now time to consume the elements


If you eat and drink
In the event that you consume the bread and wine


In an unworthy manner
Performing the sacrament without proper reverence and remembrance


Judgement on yourself
Attracting condemnation for not respecting the sacrifice


You cannot drink the Lord's cup
It is impossible to honor God while also being swayed by evil entities


And the cup of demons
The opposing force that seeks to divert people away from God


Double minded man
Someone who is indecisive and conflicted in their beliefs


Unstable in all ways
Being unreliable and prone to temptation and sin


Unless you eat the flesh
Not participating in the sacrament makes it impossible to benefit from the sacrifice


Of the son of man
Referencing Jesus Christ's earthly existence


Unless you drink the blood
The importance of ingesting the symbolic blood


You have no life in you
Without acknowledging the gift of sacrifice, we will fail to truly nourish our spiritual life


Do this in remembrance of me
A reminder to honor Jesus Christ's sacrifice when performing the sacrament




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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