The Plague

As I Lay Dying

Just like the spread of disease, ya, ya
Debt and guilt or guilt and decree
The masters that we please
Yet if we seek help for infirmities
We are made twice the sons of hell as before

Reach out your hand
Reach out your hand
Only to be plagued by disease
Reach out your hand. Reach out your hand
Only to be plagued by disease

While religion tries to blame what we cannot see
I accept that part of the problem is me
It was never a sacred mandate to accept conformity
Through select revelations that we choose to believe

Another blind guide replacing divine eyes
Familiarity is the great deception
Disguised by authority, sealing out subversion

Whitewashed tombs have hidden the truth
For we unknowingly worship icons of ordinary life

Reach out your hand to find forgiveness
Only to be plagued by disease
The horrors of beliefs and customs
Camouflaged by commonality

Reach out your hand, reach out your hand
Reach out your hand, reach out your hand

I still believe that there is hope for us
But I believe we must look outside
The sanctuaries of oppression
That have brought our world so much pain

Yeah
Another blind guide replacing divine eyes (eyes)
Whitewashed tombs (whitewashed tombs) have hidden the truth

Reach out your hand to find forgiveness
Only to be plagued by disease (plagued by disease)
Reach out your hand to find forgiveness (reach out your hand)
Only to be plagued by disease
Reach out your hand, reach out your hand


Lyrics submitted by grantelfen

The Plague Lyrics as written by Douglas Thomson White Doogie White

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Plague song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I may be completely wrong, but I think the song is about corruption in religion. Tim's saying that we've lost sight of what God really wants in favor of the agendas of religious leaders ("Another blind guide replacing divine eyes.") He encourages Christians to look beyond what is taught to them every Sunday and instead think for themselves and think about what God actually wants, not what our religious leaders or what we personally want and try to pass off as God's will. ("I still believe that there is hope for us, but I believe we must look outside the sanctuaries of oppression that have brought our world so much pain....")

    Granted, there are a few lines that I can't figure out in the song, such as "Reach out your hand, only to be plagued by disease," which is repeated enough that I have a feeling looking over it may have changed the entire meaning of the song.

    offtehdeependon May 12, 2010   Link

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