Picture in the Frame
Nathan Sheridan Lyrics

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Verse #1

Yes, I am a foolish man,
House built on the sand
With no foundation.
And I am a wicked one,
Just a prodigal son
With no man’s wisdom.

And I am a wretched thief
Nailed onto a tree
Begging for a savior

Pre-Chorus #1

So please now, hear my cries
Look into my eyes
And see what is behind the man I appear to be
A man that is suffering and groaning

Chorus #1

For you, God tear me down
Mold me inside out
Make me a strong foundation
So your light, your light will shine right through me.
Oh I am ready to change
To put a new picture in the frame
And I’ll never be the same

Verse #2

And I walk across these pardon seas
And they crash down on me
For I have so little faith
I come to know these earthly things
Like riches of a king
And they should mean so little to me
And I am consumed by fear
Wandering the desert for 40 years

Pre-Chorus #2

So please now, hear my cries
Look into my eyes
And see what is behind the man I appear to be
A man that is suffering and groaning

Chorus #2

For you, God tear me down
Mold me inside out
Make me a strong foundation
So your light, your light will shine right through me.

Oh I am ready to change
To put a new picture in the frame

And I’ll never be the same
(Oh) never be the same

Overall Meaning

In "Picture in the Frame" by Nathan Sheridan, we hear the cry of a man who recognizes his foolishness and wretchedness. He sees himself as a foolish man who has built his house on sand with no foundation. Furthermore, he is a wicked and prodigal son who has no man's wisdom. Despite his views about himself, he admits that he is a pilgrim with a desire to meet his saviour. The song goes on to describe this pilgrim's struggles, fears, and need for divine intervention.

In the pre-chorus sections, the music artist brings to light the personae behind the words. He calls out to God, to see beyond his façade of manliness to a man that is suffering and groaning. The chorus emphasizes his readiness to change and let God create a new picture that will frame his life. The writer is humble enough to surrender his life to the will of God and let the light of God shine through him. Hence, he implores God to use him as a strong foundation for His works.

"Picture in the Frame" is a song that speaks to the heart of the believer in search of a transformation. It delivers the message excellently to the listener through relatable imagery, repeated calls to action, and direct messages. Overall, the song's message is a call to surrender to the will of God and let Him have His way in one's life.

Line by Line Meaning

Yes, I am a foolish man,
I am aware of my foolishness and the instability it has caused in my life.

House built on the sand
My foundation is weak and my life is unstable.

With no foundation.
I have no strong basis to support my actions or decisions.

And I am a wicked one,
I have made bad choices in the past and have strayed from the path of righteousness.

Just a prodigal son
I have been lost and far from home in the past, but now I seek redemption.

With no man’s wisdom.
I lack the knowledge and guidance that would have helped me avoid my mistakes.

And I am a wretched thief
I have taken what wasn't mine and have hurt others in the process.

Nailed onto a tree
I have been punished for my wrongdoing and am in need of salvation.

Begging for a savior
I am humble and willing to accept help from a higher power to make things right.

So please now, hear my cries
I am calling out for help and asking for my prayers to be heard.

Look into my eyes
See the pain and struggle that I am facing.

And see what is behind the man I appear to be
My outer appearance may not reveal the depth of my inner turmoil.

A man that is suffering and groaning
I am in pain and need of healing in order to move forward.

For you, God tear me down
I am asking for God's help to break me down so that I can rebuild my life on a stronger foundation.

Mold me inside out
Change me from the inside out, transforming my thoughts and actions.

Make me a strong foundation
Help me build a strong foundation for my life so that I may become stable and secure.

So your light, your light will shine right through me.
By becoming a better person and having a strong relationship with God, I will be able to radiate positivity and love to those around me.

Oh I am ready to change
I have accepted my mistakes and am open to changing my ways.

To put a new picture in the frame
I want to create a new future for myself, leaving my previous mistakes behind.

And I’ll never be the same
I will be transformed by the help of God and will strive to live a life of goodness and righteousness.

And they should mean so little to me
The temptations and distractions of the world should not have a hold on me.

And I am consumed by fear
I am held back by my own fear and need to overcome it to move forward.

Wandering the desert for 40 years
I have been lost and unsure of my path for a long time.

Contributed by Annabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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