Cries of Woe
The Hedgerow Folk Lyrics
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You who woke the prophet's tongue
Breath of God that fills my lungs
My victory over death that stung me
Show me God of light and grace
The brightness of my father's face
How redemption knows my name
It's grace that brought my death to life
And stole away my wandering eyes
Oh bride behold the cross of Christ
And how we've been redeemed
By love that leads my heart to sing
Of power that can set me free
My every hour I believe that
You will have the victory
My cries of woe will turn
To hallelujah songs about my God
My heart will come awake
My bridled tongue will sing out loud again
Grace it covers me
And everything I know will be redeemed
Faith when I don't see
The one who authored love is leading me
The lyrics of The Hedgerow Folk's song "Cries of Woe" are a powerful expression of faith and the transformative power of God's grace. The song begins by acknowledging God's role in both ancient psalms and prophetic writings, and how His very breath fills our lungs and gives us life. The singer refers to the sting of death, no doubt a reference to personal struggles and challenges, but then pivots towards a plea for God to show the way towards redemption and forgiveness. The song's chorus emphasizes the central role of grace in the singer's life, with the phrase "grace that brought my death to life" highlighting the transformative power of faith. The lyrics are a reminder of how, despite our moments of darkness and despair, God's love is always there to help guide us towards the light.
Line by Line Meaning
You of whom the psalmist sung
Addressing God, who was previously praised in the book of Psalms
You who woke the prophet's tongue
God, who inspired prophets to speak
Breath of God that fills my lungs
God's life-giving spirit
My victory over death that stung me
The triumph over death that God has given the artist
Show me God of light and grace
Asking God to reveal himself and his unmerited favor
The brightness of my father's face
The glorious appearance of God the Father
How redemption knows my name
God's work of saving the singer is personal
And every sin I hide away
Acknowledging that all sins need to be confessed and given to God
It's grace that brought my death to life
God's unearned favor saved the artist from spiritual death
And stole away my wandering eyes
God delivered the artist from sinful desires and distractions
Oh bride behold the cross of Christ
Addressing Christians and reminding them of Christ's sacrifice on the cross
And how we've been redeemed
Reflecting on the fact that believers have been saved by Christ's sacrifice
By love that leads my heart to sing
God's love inspires the singer to worship
Of power that can set me free
God's ability to free the singer from sin and bondage
My every hour I believe that
The singer's faith in God is constant
You will have the victory
Believing that God will ultimately triumph over all things
My cries of woe will turn
Hope that sorrow will be replaced by joy
To hallelujah songs about my God
Worshipping God through joyful songs of praise
My heart will come awake
The singer's emotions will be enlivened by their faith
My bridled tongue will sing out loud again
The artist's voice will once again be used to praise God
Grace it covers me
God's unmerited favor protects and saves the artist
And everything I know will be redeemed
Believing that God will ultimately restore all things
Faith when I don't see
Trusting in God even when circumstances are uncertain
The one who authored love is leading me
Believing that God, who is the source of love, is guiding the artist's life
Contributed by Caroline O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.