Nichole Nordeman was raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she played the piano in church. She got her start when she entered a Gospel Music Association (GMA) contest in Los Angeles, California and was noticed by a music producer. She has won multiple GMA Dove Awards, including two awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her best-known songs include "Why," "This Mystery," "Holy", "Legacy," "Brave," and "What If." She also sang a song on the soundtrack Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia, called "I Will Believe"
Shine Your Light
Nichole Nordeman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why you got your secret locked inside?
Why you trying to keep it for your own
If he asks for bread
Tell me why, why you giving him a stone
You know
The reason for the hope
The reason that you're sleeping peacefully
Wasn't meant to be undisclosed
Oh, don't you know
When you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
When you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
Go and tell
Go and bring them water from a different well
Running with your candle into blackest night
To be salt and light
To the wide, wide world
'Cause when you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
When you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
Your heart is filled with wonder
Your cup is running over still
When you live in a city on a hill
(Shine your light)
(Shine your light)
(Shine...)
When you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
When you live in a city on a hill
You've got to shine your light
The lyrics to Nichole Nordeman's song Shine Your Light call attention to the fact that Christians have a message to proclaim to the world, and they shouldn't be hiding it away. The song opens with a series of questions, asking why someone would keep their faith hidden away, rather than sharing it with those around them. The lyrics suggest that the hope that Christians have in Jesus Christ is not something that should be kept secret, but rather should be proclaimed openly to the world. Nordeman explains that the joy and peace that Christians have in their hearts is not just for them, but for everyone who is willing to receive it.
The chorus of the song serves as a call to action, encouraging Christians to live their lives as lights in a dark world. Instead of hiding away or keeping their faith to themselves, Christians are called to share their faith with those around them, just as a city on a hill cannot be hidden. The second verse expands on this idea, suggesting that Christians should not shy away from sharing their faith with others, even when it might be difficult. Christians are called to be salt and light to the world, bringing the message of hope and the living water that can quench the thirst of those who seek it.
In summary, Shine Your Light is a call to action for Christians to live out their faith boldly and to share it freely with the world. The lyrics encourage Christians to be true to their beliefs, even in the face of opposition, and to be a source of hope and light to those who are lost in darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me why
Nicole is asking why someone is keeping their secret locked inside, instead of sharing it with others.
Why you got your secret locked inside?
Nichole is asking why someone is keeping their secret locked inside.
Why you trying to keep it for your own
Nichole is wondering why someone is trying to keep their secret to themselves.
If he asks for bread, Tell me why, why you giving him a stone
Nichole is pointing out that we should help those in need, and why someone would give them something useless like a stone, when they asked for bread.
You know, The reason for the hope That burns your soul
Nichole is saying that we should know the reason for the hope that burns in our soul.
The reason that you're sleeping peacefully Wasn't meant to be undisclosed
Nichole is saying that the reason we sleep peacefully should not be kept a secret.
Oh, don't you know
Nichole is encouraging us to know the reason behind the hope that we have.
When you live in a city on a hill You've got to shine your light
Nichole is saying that we should let our light shine when we live in a city on a hill.
Go and tell, Go and bring them water from a different well
Nichole is encouraging us to go and tell, and bring water from a different well, to those who are in need of it.
Running with your candle into blackest night To be salt and light To the wide, wide world
Nichole is encouraging us to use our candle to light up the world, and be an example of salt and light to the world.
Your heart is filled with wonder, Your cup is running over still
Nichole is saying that our heart is filled with wonder, and our cup runs over with blessings, so we should share these blessings with others.
When you live in a city on a hill You've got to shine your light
Nichole is saying that we should let our light shine when we live in a city on a hill.
(Shine your light) (Shine your light) (Shine...)
Nichole is using repetition to emphasize the importance of shining our light.
When you live in a city on a hill You've got to shine your light
Nichole is saying that we should let our light shine when we live in a city on a hill.
Contributed by Sophia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.