# Can anyone explain these lyrics?



## Eoghan (Jan 28, 2009)

Take Us To The River 

Take us to the river
Take us there in unity
To sing a song of Your salvation
To win this generation for our King
A song of Your forgiveness
For it is with grace
That river flows
Take us to the river
In the city of our God 

Take us to the throne room
And give us ears
To hear the cry of Heaven
For that cry is mercy
Mercy to the fallen sons of men
Mercy it has triumphed
Triumphed over judgment
By Your blood
Take us to the throne room
In the city of our God 

The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us
This is the year of the Lord
The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us
This is the year of the Lord 

Take us to the mountain
Lift us in the shadow of Your hand
_Is this Your mighty angel
Who stands astride the ocean and the land_
In His hand Your mercy showers
O'er a dry and barren place
Take us to the mountain
In the city of our God 

For the Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us
This is the year of the Lord
For the Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon us
This is the year of the Lord 

Take us to the river
In the city of our God 


We were singing this Robin Mark(s?) song Sunday morning and we got to the bit about the angel - and I just stopped singing. What on earth is this verse about????

I get a little worried about shallow choruses but obscure ones 


Anyway is there anyway to backtrack these choruses and find out what they actually are meant to mean

-----Added 1/28/2009 at 08:04:24 EST-----

I did track down the writer/authors church and a report of their service at Ship of Fools: The Mystery Worshipper 

Stilll does not help my understanding of the lyrics though!


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## J.C. Philpot (Jan 28, 2009)

On the website of Robin Mark, he sais the following:



> Perhaps the most unusual verse in the song, and the one that draws most questions, is the third. In it I refer to the mighty angel standing with one foot on the ocean and one on the land. This picture of power, authority and the fulfilment of Gods purposes on his creation, is from Revelation 10.
> 
> I had been reading Revelation at the same time as my heart was being drawn to the themes of the song. In Revelation 10 it speaks of this great angel with a scroll in his hand. The apostle John wants to write down the things that are written on the scroll, but the voice of heaven stops him and he is instructed, rather, to take the scroll and eat it. "It will be sweet to the lips but bitter to the stomach." This picture of the angel and the little scroll is in the middle of a time of great tribulation for the earth.
> 
> ...



The complete article can be found at: The Official Robin Mark Website

Not my taste however, I prefer the inspired psalms and experimental Christocentric hymns.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 28, 2009)

Rev 10:5 mentions this position of an angel, but I'm not sure what the drift of this is from the author. There is an aroma of "Toronto blessing" brand desiring some ecstatic experience to it in my opinion, overall.


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## Hamalas (Jan 28, 2009)

I think this illustrates one of the key differences between many contemporary artists and the old Hymnists. Today it is common to find biblical allusions, references, and language in songs. However it is rare to find them used in context. Usually it doesn't come about through a careful exegesis of the passage, but through some sort of arbitrary, random association. In contrast to this, many of the classic hymns are the result of careful, dedicated exegesis, and the language used tries to correctly apply the biblical concepts.


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## JBaldwin (Jan 28, 2009)

Though I find this song to be a catchy tune, I cannot bring myself to sing it in our church (I choose the music we sing). in my opinion, it is important for the congregation to know and understand what it is they are singing, and this song is not clear. 

Though I find Robin Mark's music to be well-written and often fun to sing, His songs tend to have pentecostal leanings, and those ideas usually creep into the lyrics of his songs.


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## Eoghan (Jan 29, 2009)

Hamalas said:


> Today it is common to find biblical allusions, references, and language in songs. However it is rare to find them used in context. Usually it doesn't come about through a careful exegesis of the passage, but through some sort of arbitrary, random association.



I think you have just hit it on the head there. There is neither rhymn nor reason in the song. (OK there might be rhyme )

It is the random use of Biblical imagery I think which throws me off. I guess I am one of the few that can't get their brain out of gear and just coast with the emotion/imagery.


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## Wanderer (Jan 29, 2009)

Anytime I hear a new song in church, I usually won't sing it until I understand the lyrics. 

Christians should not be singing that which they do not understand or agree too.

I believe this is how much false doctrine is first introduced into the Church.


I know for a fact that music is the number one media used by Satan to spread his lies in the world. It only makes since he would try to creep into the Church false doctrine with songs that mostly seem scriptural.

Test everything with the Word of God. If ya can't see it is in accordance with his Word, toss it aside, it is rubbish.


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