This soulful song is the 1984 musical work of art, and labor of love, “Hallelujah”, by singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen.
1. I heard there was a secret chord
2. That David played, and it pleased the Lord
3. But you don’t really care for music, do you?
4. Well it goes like this, the fourth, the fifth
5. The minor fall and the major lift
6. The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Verse 2
7. Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
Hard times test our faith in the war that rages between our ego and spirit. Life's challenges can test the faith of even those who strongly believe.
8. You saw her bathing on the roof
Life's many temptations and vices are undoubtedly irresistible. Also a Bathsheba bathing on the roof in the courtyard moonlight reference.
9. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
In the Old Testament Second Samuel, King David was tempted upon seeing Bathsheba bathing in her courtyard from the roof of his palace.
10. And she tied you to her kitchen chair
King David had her brought to his chambers and indulged in earthly pleasures of the flesh, resulting in a pregnancy.
11. And she broke your throne and she cut your hair
The chaos that results from sinful behavior can take down even the mightiest of all of us, even kings are not immune to the destruction.
The wrong woman can break down everything. In Judges 16:4-28 Samson falls in love and reveals his vulnerability to Delilah saying,
"If my hair were cut, I would lose my strength and be as weak as anybody else.” When Delilah realized that he had told her the truth, she betrayed him.
12. And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
But even though total disasters and destruction our sin causes us, we still sing Hallelujah
Verse 3
13. Now baby I’ve been here before
This expression of familiar ground is directed towards my wife and life. And how I have seen this all this before, this is nothing new.
14. I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor
15. I used to live alone before I knew ya
Before I was saved by God's grace, before I knew Jesus and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, before I felt God's personal love for me, I lived alone and life was like hell (line 19) before I met Him. I also literally lived alone before meeting my Proverbs 31 wife, before I found my faith.
16. I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not easy, it takes real work, obedience, honor, loyalty, meekness, and more.
17. Listen Love is not a victory march
Love is not about winning victories, love is about submission and the humbleness that only comes from being broken people, hence the broken hallelujah.
18. No it’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
Cohen's lyrical intertwining of biblical and spiritual alliteration with the elation found when the bond of spiritual, emotional, and physical love is first formed (Line 12, And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah...), but then sadly and predictably lost. The depth of these words is pure musical genius.
Verse 4
(In this Verse You = God)
19. Now there was a time when You let me know
20. What’s really going on below Before finding God, life was like HELL. Without God, the world seemed like a different place.
21. But now You never show that to me do You? After becoming a believer and having faith in Jesus Christ, coming to believe the Bible is true, suddenly the world didn't seem scary like hell anymore. I came to see things differently.
22. And remember when I moved in You? That first moment of amazing grace was when I first came to believe that God was real and the Gospel true.
23. And the holy dove oh we were moving too
Luke 3:22 (NIV) And the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
24. Now every breath we draw is Hallelujah
After coming to believe, the Holy Spirit moved in, now we are one, and with every breath I breathe I Thank the Lord.
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him." - John 1:32
Doves are found throughout the Bible in a literal and symbolic way, from Noah and the Ark to the baptism of Jesus Christ. A common expression of the Holy Spirit throughout Christian history has been a dove.
Verse 5
25. Now you say I used His name in vain
For unbelievers who doubt God's existence and power say prayers are useless.
26. I say you don't even know His name
I say they don't know God, they don't have a relationship with Jesus,
and thus cannot tap into His power or feel His unfailing love.
27. But if I do, well really, what's it to you?
So what if I believe God's Word (The Holy Bible) to be true?
If you don't believe, then what does it matter to you for those that do?
28. There's a blaze of light in every Word
Every single Word of God is blazing in the light of truth and power.
29. It doesn't matter which you heard
Every word, verse, chapter, and book of the Bible has tremendous power.
30. The holy or the broken Hallelujah
Verse 6:
31. Maybe there's a God above
(Now some people say) Atheists lack belief in the existence of God,
while agnostics don't believe it's possible to know for sure that a God exists
32. But all they ever learned from love
Most unbelievers only know of human love and its limits.
33. Is how to shoot someone who outdrew ya
34. It's not a cry you hear at night
35. It's not someone who's seen the light
36. No it's a cold and it's a very broken Hallelujah.
Verse 7
37. I did my best, it wasn't much
38. I could not feel, so I learned to touch
39. I've told the Truth, I didn't come to fool you
|40. And even though it all went wrong
41. I'll stand before the LORD of Song
42. With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
11/28/2023 0730