(1) The Waiting was… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands called The Waiting.
(1) The Waiting was a Christian pop rock band, consisting of Brad Olsen (vocals, guitar), Todd Olsen (guitar, vocals), Clark Leake (bass), and Brandon Thompson (drums, percussion).
Early albums by "The Waiting" were guitar driven alternative rock that drew fans with clever songwriting and introspective lyrics that stood out from most Christian rock of the day. The band's later albums moved towards a more polished pop sound and suffered less enthusiastic reviews for it. The Waiting officially broke up in late 2003.
As of 2009, the following was known about the band members:
- Brad Olsen continues write and record music. He resides in Salt Lake City, Utah and is an Arts Director at K2 The Church.
- Todd Olsen resides in Atlanta, Georgia working as a music producer.
- Clark Leake received a Masters in Theology from St. Vladimir Orthodox Seminary in May, 2007.
(2) The Waiting is an indie band from Limburg Province, The Netherlands, active since 2019. Members are:
Ruud Versteden - vocals, guitar
Len David - guitar, keys, vocals
Theo de Grood - bass
Franky Gomez - drums
Speak
The Waiting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The command of the commander upon the field of war
The instruction of the father, the laughter of the friend
I've heard every utterance and I can't comprehend
Just why I can't decide, I can't make the choice
Is it Your word that I'm in love with
Or the sound of Your voice?
Oh speak, speak to me
I'm as quiet as I can be
So speak, speak to me
From the Spirit on the water to the splitting of the sea
The beauty of Your form upon a raging Galilee
The cloud that filled the temple, the fire on desert sand
I've seen every step and still don't understand
Why I can't render a decision, I can't seem to choose
Is it Your journey I'm in love with
Or just the way You move?
I love the way You speak
In what You say and what You do
Give me ears so I can hear You
I need to hear You
From the burning of the bush that refused to be consumed
To the Spirit on a shepherd boy that ran through every tune
The terror of the King who carries vengeance in His hand
The love of the Messiah dying quiet as a lamb
The Waiting's song "Speak" can be interpreted as the singer's inner struggle to understand the divine. Through vivid imagery of biblical events and powerful figures, the song presents a range of experiences that the singer has witnessed and heard. From the whisper of a lover to the roar of a lion, the singer has heard every utterance, but still cannot comprehend the meaning behind what he hears. He struggles to understand whether he is in love with the word of God or just the sound of the divine voice. The singer's internal conflict is further emphasized in the second verse where he references the beauty of the divine form and the miracles that he has seen, but still cannot render a decision or choose a path to follow. In the end, the singer just wants to hear the divine speak so that he can understand better.
Line by Line Meaning
From the whisper of the lover to the lion's roar
From the softest murmur of affection to the most fearsome growl,
The command of the commander upon the field of war
The orders of a leader amidst battle,
The instruction of the father, the laughter of the friend
The guidance of a parent, the mirth of a companion,
I've heard every utterance and I can't comprehend
I've listened to everything and I still can't understand,
Just why I can't decide, I can't make the choice
I don't know why I can't make up my mind,
Is it Your word that I'm in love with or the sound of Your voice?
Am I in love with Your teachings or simply the way Your voice sounds?
From the Spirit on the water to the splitting of the sea
From the Holy Spirit moving over the waters to the parting of the Red Sea,
The beauty of Your form upon a raging Galilee
Your majesty amid a tempestuous Galilee,
The cloud that filled the temple, the fire on desert sand
The mist that filled the temple, the flame on the arid land,
I've seen every step and still don't understand
I've witnessed everything and still can't grasp the meaning,
Why I can't render a decision, I can't seem to choose
Why I can't make up my mind, why the decision eludes me,
Is it Your journey I'm in love with or just the way You move?
Am I attached to Your pilgrimage or simply the way You carry Yourself?
I love the way You speak
I adore Your manner of communication,
In what You say and what You do
Both in Your words and Your actions,
Give me ears so I can hear You
Grant me attentive ears that I may hear You clearly,
I need to hear You
Because I want to listen to You.
From the burning of the bush that refused to be consumed
From the shrub that blazed but didn't burn,
To the Spirit on a shepherd boy that ran through every tune
To the Holy Spirit upon a young keeper of sheep who composed songs,
The terror of the King who carries vengeance in His hand
The dread of the King who wields justice in His hand,
The love of the Messiah dying quiet as a lamb
The affection of the Messiah, who died meekly like a sheep.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben
on Staring at a Bird
Would love to hear a more detailed account of what this song meant to the writer. I’d say it’s at least in my top 100 songs of all time. It encourages me to try and see myself from Gods perspective and not let negativity keep me pinned down.