Atonement Selah
Shai Linne Lyrics


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I'm in the middle of a sticky situation- literally
My blood's dripping to a sickening degree
Who can speak of the agony? Legions attacking me
Beaten and raggedy, weakened through battery
With scraps of shrapnel in my back
I'm slapped, trapped- as a pack of strapped jackals attack
Ever look into the eyes of one who longs for your homicide?
If it's your time to die, is it wrong to be traumatized?
No urge to protect- curses burst from their breath
They stress I'm worthless, worthy of death and furnaces
From searching the text, they've perverted their steps
(They) prefer to neglect their virtuous rep- their threats are murderous
I'm viewed as unworthy- bruised and abused
By bloodthirsty dudes who refuse to love mercy
Perceiving through battered eyes a large crowd seething
Who won't be satisfied until my heart stops beating

Their eyes are telling me they want me dead
Their hunger for my blood must be fed
No one to intervene on my behalf
No one should have to walk along this path

I'm frightened, scared like eyeing the hypest bear or lion
I'm quite aware I'm dying- the sight is terrifying
No breaks, no way to escape from the horror
The weight of a hateful fate straight from the Torah
Some of the guys beat me- broke up my nose
One of my eyes completely closed from the blows
Disrobed from my clothes- my shame is evident
Beholding my foes' insane malevolence
With hearts set on monstrous violence, pompous tyrants
Got the go ahead from Pontius Pilate
So now I'm a victim- a classic case of
The implications of man's wicked imagination
His bitter agitation and twisted fascination
With assassinations through vivid lacerations
And now for the epitome of true affliction
Ladies and gentleman: welcome to my crucifixion

Everything's moving in slow motion
My tear's a stream, but my blood's an ocean
I'm far beyond the point of acting tough
The end can't come fast enough

The climax of my auditory horror story
No need for me to explore the gory in my oratory
Condemned by the high saddity deprived of pity
Two others crucified with me outside the city
Religious leadership offended by what I did there
I'm surrendered, stripped bear- suspended in mid-air
So everybody traveling the road to Jerusalem
Can look at us and see what the Romans will do to them
The shame of it- veins uncovered
Terrain rugged- nothing explains the pain suffered
Adequately, catastrophe as bad as can be
As gradually my life passes from me
Voices speaking blasphemously; subliminal
Reality means the physical is minimal
If you ask of me the principal?
I'm getting what I deserve cause actually I'm a criminal

It was the right verdict for my trial

here's no more time to be in denial
I'm trying to understand the illest riddle
Who's this man next to me in the middle?
His gracious words help me really see Him
"Lord, remember me when you get Your kingdom"




And I'm astounded when Jesus replies
"Today you'll be with me in paradise"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Shai Linne's song Atonement Selah describe the crucifixion of Jesus from his perspective. He sings about the physical and emotional pain he is experiencing as he is being crucified alongside two other criminals. The song is filled with vivid imagery, describing the wounds on his body, the hatred of the crowd, and the shame he feels being stripped and suspended in mid-air.


Linne's lyrics are also rich with theological themes related to the atonement. He recognizes that he is a criminal deserving of the punishment he is receiving, but also acknowledges that Jesus is innocent and yet willingly suffers for the sins of others. In the midst of his agony, Linne is able to turn to Jesus and find hope in his promise of paradise, even as he is dying.


Overall, Atonement Selah is a powerful meditation on the gravity of sin and the greatness of God's love demonstrated through the sacrifice of Christ.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm in the middle of a sticky situation- literally
I am in a difficult and unpleasant situation which makes me feel stuck


My blood's dripping to a sickening degree
I am bleeding heavily and disgustingly


Who can speak of the agony? Legions attacking me
I am suffering from excruciating pain caused by many enemies


Beaten and raggedy, weakened through battery
I am severely injured, exhausted, and powerless due to being attacked multiple times


With scraps of shrapnel in my back
I have sharp metal fragments embedded in my back


I'm slapped, trapped- as a pack of strapped jackals attack
I am being physically slapped and cornered by a group of attackers who act like savage animals


Ever look into the eyes of one who longs for your homicide?
Have you ever stared into the eyes of someone who desires to kill you?


If it's your time to die, is it wrong to be traumatized?
Is it inappropriate to be emotionally disturbed when one is about to die?


No urge to protect- curses burst from their breath
My attackers have no desire to protect me and are verbally insulting me with curses


They stress I'm worthless, worthy of death and furnaces
They emphasize that I am useless and deserve to die and be burned in a furnace


From searching the text, they've perverted their steps
They have deviated from the teachings of the scripture that they claim to follow


(They) prefer to neglect their virtuous rep- their threats are murderous
They choose to ignore their supposed moral standing and their threats indicate homicidal intentions


I'm viewed as unworthy- bruised and abused
I am considered worthless and have been physically harmed and mistreated


By bloodthirsty dudes who refuse to love mercy
I am being harmed by people who crave violence and do not show mercy


Perceiving through battered eyes a large crowd seething
I can see through my injured eyes that a big crowd is angry and agitated


Who won't be satisfied until my heart stops beating
They will continue to attack me and wish for my death until I am completely dead


Their eyes are telling me they want me dead
I can see from their eyes that they desire my death


Their hunger for my blood must be fed
They have an intense desire to see me bleed and suffer


No one to intervene on my behalf
No one is coming to save me or stop my attackers


No one should have to walk along this path
No one deserves to suffer like I am suffering


I'm frightened, scared like eyeing the hypest bear or lion
I am extremely terrified as if I am facing the strongest and fiercest animals


I'm quite aware I'm dying- the sight is terrifying
I know that I am dying and the experience is horrifying


No breaks, no way to escape from the horror
I have no breaks and no chance of getting away from the terrifying situation


The weight of a hateful fate straight from the Torah
I am bearing the consequences of a destiny full of hate and cruelty, as written in the Torah


Some of the guys beat me- broke up my nose
Some of the attackers hit me repeatedly and broke my nose


One of my eyes completely closed from the blows
One of my eyes is swollen shut because of the strikes


Disrobed from my clothes- my shame is evident
I have been stripped of my clothes, exposing my nakedness and vulnerability


Beholding my foes' insane malevolence
I am witnessing my enemies' extreme and malicious intentions


With hearts set on monstrous violence, pompous tyrants
My attackers have a desire to commit atrocious acts and act as if they are superior rulers


Got the go ahead from Pontius Pilate
They received permission from Pontius Pilate, a representative of the Roman authority, to harm me


So now I'm a victim- a classic case of
I am now just a victim, experiencing a common scenario of


The implications of man's wicked imagination
This situation is the result of humans' cruel and evil thoughts


His bitter agitation and twisted fascination
Their obsession and excitement with causing harm is fueled by resentment and sick delight


With assassinations through vivid lacerations
They derive pleasure from violently cutting and injuring their victims


And now for the epitome of true affliction
This is the height of extreme suffering


Ladies and gentleman: welcome to my crucifixion
This is the scene of my execution on a cross


Everything's moving in slow motion
My perception of time is altered and everything seems to be moving very slowly


My tear's a stream, but my blood's an ocean
I am shedding tears uncontrollably, but I am also bleeding profusely


I'm far beyond the point of acting tough
I am past the point of pretending to be strong


The end can't come fast enough
I am desperate for the pain and agony to end and for my death to come quickly


The climax of my auditory horror story
This is the peak moment of my horrifying experience that I am sharing through storytelling


No need for me to explore the gory in my oratory
I do not need to describe the extreme violence and pain in my speech


Condemned by the high saddity deprived of pity
I am judged unfavorably by the religious authorities and have been stripped of compassion


Two others crucified with me outside the city
There are two other people, also being executed on crosses, next to me outside the city


Religious leadership offended by what I did there
The religious leaders are upset by my actions and have deemed me guilty


I'm surrendered, stripped bear- suspended in mid-air
I have given up resisting, have been stripped of my clothes, and am hanging on the cross above the ground


So everybody traveling the road to Jerusalem
Everyone who comes and goes to Jerusalem can see me and what is being done to me


Can look at us and see what the Romans will do to them
They can take me as an example of what the Romans will do to those who oppose them or rebel


The shame of it- veins uncovered
I feel shame and humiliation because my veins are exposed and visible to everyone


Terrain rugged- nothing explains the pain suffered
The ground is rough and uneven, and there are no words to describe the amount of pain I am feeling


Adequately, catastrophe as bad as can be
There is no way to describe the scale of this disaster and how terrible it is


As gradually my life passes from me
As my life slowly drains out of me


Voices speaking blasphemously; subliminal
People around me are saying things that are disrespectful to God and meant to influence others subtly


Reality means the physical is minimal
What is really true is beyond just the physical, there is more to it


If you ask of me the principal?
If you inquire with me for the main lesson or idea?


I'm getting what I deserve cause actually I'm a criminal
I recognize that I am being punished justly because I am guilty of committing a crime


It was the right verdict for my trial
The judgment given in my trial was appropriate and correct


There's no more time to be in denial
It is too late to deny or reject what is happening to me


I'm trying to understand the illest riddle
I am attempting to comprehend the most difficult and complex mystery


Who's this man next to me in the middle?
I am questioning the identity of the man who is hanging on the cross next to me


His gracious words help me really see Him
The kind words he speaks to me give me a clearer picture of who he is


"Lord, remember me when you get Your kingdom"
I plead to him and ask him to remember me when he becomes the ruler of the kingdom


And I'm astounded when Jesus replies
I am bewildered by the response I receive from Jesus


"Today you'll be with me in paradise"
Jesus answers me that I will be with him in paradise that very day




Contributed by Natalie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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