Foreword
Poor Bishop Hooper Lyrics
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Or a calculated mess?
When the formless darkness Your Spirit sorted
Out of hiding, hiding
Out of hiding, hiding
Out of hiding, hiding
Out of hiding, hiding
Out of hiding, hiding (architect and builder same)
Out of hiding, hiding (light then life came)
Out of hiding, hiding (all is right and beautiful)
Out of hiding, hiding (let′s make man the pinnable, let's make man the pinnacle)
Out of hiding, hiding (men couldn′t find his stride)
Out of hiding, hiding (try and try but wipe the slate)
Out of hiding, hiding (then Abraham with perfect promise, perfect promise)
Out of hiding, hiding (armed Your people with Your faithfulness)
Out of hiding, hiding (split red oceans at Your wishes)
Out of hiding, hiding (walked Your Chosen into life)
Out of hiding, hiding (zion land and prophets countless)
Out of hiding, hiding (none could answer the question quite right)
The opening lines of Poor Bishop Hooper's song Foreword delve into the creation story as told in the Bible. The lyrics question whether the beauty of creation was a reckless chaos or a meticulously calculated plan, with the formless darkness being sorted by God's Spirit out of hiding. The repetition of "Out of hiding, hiding" throughout the song emphasizes the idea of God revealing and bringing forth things that were previously hidden or unknown.
The following verses describe the many ways in which God has revealed himself and his plan throughout history, from the creation of man to the promise given to Abraham to the parting of the Red Sea. All of these events are examples of God bringing things out of hiding and into the light.
Overall, the song seems to be a celebration of God's power and presence throughout history, and a recognition that he is constantly revealing himself to us in new ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Was it a frantic beauty?
Did the creation of the world happen quickly and beautifully, without hesitation or doubt?
Or a calculated mess?
Or was it a carefully planned process that may have seemed chaotic at times?
When the formless darkness Your Spirit sorted
During the time when there was formless darkness, Your Spirit brought order and clarity.
Out of hiding, hiding
You emerged from a hidden place, revealing Yourself to the world.
Out of hiding, hiding (architect and builder same)
You, as the architect and builder, were one and the same in the creation of the world.
Out of hiding, hiding (light then life came)
With Your emergence, light and life came into existence.
Out of hiding, hiding (all is right and beautiful)
Your emergence brought forth a world that was right and beautiful.
Out of hiding, hiding (let′s make man the pinnable, let's make man the pinnacle)
The creation of humans was the ultimate goal, making them the highest point of creation.
Out of hiding, hiding (men couldn′t find his stride)
Although humans struggled to find their way, You were always present.
Out of hiding, hiding (try and try but wipe the slate)
Despite many attempts, humans continually failed and needed Your grace and forgiveness.
Out of hiding, hiding (then Abraham with perfect promise, perfect promise)
But with the promise made to Abraham, there was hope for the future.
Out of hiding, hiding (armed Your people with Your faithfulness)
Through Your faithfulness, You equipped Your people for the challenges they would face.
Out of hiding, hiding (split red oceans at Your wishes)
You demonstrated Your power by splitting the Red Sea as only You could.
Out of hiding, hiding (walked Your Chosen into life)
And through that demonstration, You led Your chosen people into new life.
Out of hiding, hiding (zion land and prophets countless)
Prophets were sent to guide and sustain Your people in the land of Zion.
Out of hiding, hiding (none could answer the question quite right)
Despite the guidance provided, there was no one who could fully understand Your ways.
Writer(s): Jesse Braswell Roberts
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Defender77
A joy to listen time and again. Thanks👍🕊️
Sou Peregrino
Amazing!
Craig Rasmussen
Hmmm .. When I posted this last week, it was a musical setting of the gemology of Jesus found in Matthew 1. Now, it has become something else entirely
Poor Bishop Hooper
Craig. Our lineage song can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIfQVkOB30A