Equally Skilled

This song is directly out of Micah 7, check it out

Jon pretty much writes the aches of his heart here. He feels like he is the only one who truly wants God and feels like He's not even there "I feel like a fruitpicker who arrived after the harvest" (not in a bragging sense, but in a prayerful and desperation sense). Throughout the song he sings about the perverted justice in the world, even among brothers and sisters in Christ "The godly people are all gone". In the end of the song, Jon closes with reassurance that God will judge fairly in the end "And both of His hands are equally skilled".

Hi!

Its important to know that this song is paraphrasing Micah, an Old Testament prophet. Under the New Covenant, Christians don't receive punishment from the Lord. Instead, Christ bore that punishment for you. Looking ahead to Christ, Isaiah in ch 53 says

   "But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
   he was crushed for our iniquities; 
   the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
   and by his wounds we are healed."

Trouble in this life is a consequence of the fallen nature of the world. Nevertheless, God graciously brings things that are good for us out of those tough circumstances if we look to see it. On this topic, I urge you to watch Louie Giglio's "Hope" DVD.

With love, Steve

Uh... Where's the rest of the song? lol... Here's the rest: At perverting justice Both of our hands Both of our hands

The day of justice comes And is even now swiftly arriving

Don't trust anyone at all Not your best friend or even your wife For the son hates the father The daughter despises even her mother

Look! Your enemies are right Right in the room of your very household

And both of their hands are equally skilled Are equally skilled

No, don't gloat over me For though I fall, though I fall I will rise again Though I sit here in the darkness The Lord, the Lord alone He will be my light I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for the wrongs I've done against Him After that He'll take my case Bringing me to the light and to justice For all that I have suffered

And both of His hands are equally skilled Are equally skilled

What a beautiful song....

i think the title explains it all. that man is equally skilled to do great things and terrible things. we can praise god and just as "equally skilled"ly do horrible things

Wow, I hadn't noticed that, johnielsen08, thanks for bringing it up. After checking it out, yeah, its pretty much straight from the Bible, Micah 7:1-9. Great song!

Jon Foreman is a GENIUS when it comes to songwriting!!!! This is an AWESOME song!!! My favorite part is the chorus... so nicely said!

I love the line near the end where he says "I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for the wrongs I've done against him", recognizing that we will all sit in the judgement seat to face the wrath of our God we've all wronged. Which by itself is incredibly depressing and terrifying. But then he follows "After that he'll take my case, bringing me to light and justice for all I have suffered". So then God (Or Jesus) becomes our advocate, bringing justice to all the injustice we've suffered in life. Which is so much more uplifting and hopeful! That who should be our judge now become our advocate! And every tear we've cried in life has not been in vain!
I just love that part. It makes me so hopeful, puts things in perspective a bit.

here's ALL the lyrics

How miserable I am I feel like a fruit-picker who arrived here After the harvest There's nothing here at all Nothing at all here that could placate my hunger The godly people are all gone There's not one honest soul left alive Here on the planet We're all murderers and thieves Setting traps here for even our brothers

And both of our hands are equally skilled At doing evil, equally skilled At bribing the judges, equally skilled At perverting justice Both of our hands Both of our hands

The day of justice comes And is even now swiftly arriving Don't trust anyone at all Not your best friend or even your wife For the son hates the father The daughter despises even her mother Look, your enemies arrive Right in the room of your very household

And both of their hands are equally skilled At doing evil, equally skilled At bribing the judges, equally skilled At perverting justice Both of their hands Both of their hands

No, don't gloat over me Though I fall, though I fall I will rise again Though I sit here in darkness The Lord, the Lord alone He will be my light I will be patient as the Lord Punishes me for the wrongs I've done Against Him After that, He'll take my case Bringing me to light and the justice For all I have suffered

And both of His hands Are equally skilled At ruining evil, equally skilled At judging the judges, equally skilled Administering justice Both of His hands

Both of His hands Are equally skilled At showing me mercy, equally skilled At loving the loveless, equally skilled Administering justice Both of His hands Both of His hands