Shifting Sand Lyrics
So I can do the things I should despise
And everyday I am swayed
By whatever is on my mind
So I'm feeling precarious
The only problem I have with these mysteries
Is they're so mysterious
If I could just get a bit more
More than my fifteen minutes of faith
Then I'd be secure
Changed by every wave
My faith is like shifting sand
So I stand on grace
For my Thomas eyes to see
A slithering staff, a leprous hand
And lions resting lazily
And this soaked altar going ablaze
But you know I've seen so much
And I explained it away
My sand-castle faith it slipped away
Found myself standing on your grace
It'd been there all the time
I love this song. It always makes me feel better when I'm feeling down.
caedmons call did a good job on this one, especially lyrically
One of my least favorite Caedmon's songs, but I still like it.
This is a pretty straightforward song with some vivid imagery. "Thomas eyes" is a reference to Thomas who wanted to see Jesus' wounds before he would believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. The lines after that are some classic Old Testament miracles- the first two featuring Moses and the third feat. Daniel. I don't know what "back-side glory" refers to, but "this soaked altar going ablaze" is a reference to Elijah and the prophet showdown with the 300 (i think) prophets of Ba'al. They prayed to Ba'al, but their altar didn't catch fire. Elijah soaked his altar and even filled a moat around it, but when he prayed to Yahweh (God) fire came from the sky and destroyed the entire altar, burning up the water and even the stones.
I believe the "back-side glory" is referring to Ex 33:18-23 where God passed by Moses in the cleft of a rock and allowed Moses to see his back side on Mount Sinai because no one can see God's face in full and live. After this Moses face glowed when he came down from the Mount.
I believe the "back-side glory" is referring to Ex 33:18-23 where God passed by Moses in the cleft of a rock and allowed Moses to see his back side on Mount Sinai because no one can see God's face in full and live. After this Moses face glowed when he came down from the Mount.