Lying in the Hands of God

Amazing song. Full of wonder and amazement. A Song of love and worship of women and against those who would preach against love. If you have never experienced love, why would you deny it to others? Save your sermons for someone else. Magical.

There are many ways to interpret this, and all of Dave's songs. One thing is certain though, this is not about "God". Dave does not believe in "God". In an interview with Rolling Stone he says that "God" is "more irritating than Santa Claus". Dave was raised in a Quaker home, which is a pacifist christian religion. It is thought that Dave really turned away from religion when his sister Anne passed in 1993. You can hear his battle with faith and religion in a lot of his songs. A lot of people misinterpret his songs as being religious, but they are not.

In "Christmas song" which seems to be the most religious song of his he paints a picture of a man (not a god) who was filled with love, and who says "I came to shed a little light on this darkening scene. Instead I fear I’ve spilled the blood of our children all around." The blood of our children all around. He paints a picture of Jesus's followers as " Less than golden-hearted, Gamblers and robbers , Drinkers and jokers, All soul searchers". He paints a picture of quite simply, a flawed but good man, who is filled with love, not some awesome divine power.

I obviously don't know Dave's thought process in writing this song. My interpretation of it is his worship of love, not God. From most of his lyrics it is very clear that Dave worships love.

"Save your sermons, for someone that's afraid to love. If you knew what I feel, then you couldn't be so sure" religion that tries to dictate who and how to love is preached by people who either have never been in love, or perhaps are afraid of a different kind of love that they have never experienced. Most Christian religions that believe in and preach "God" try to ingrain it into their followers heads that sex is wrong and dirty, and that homosexuality goes against nature and we should do everything in our power to try to prevent love where it exists there. Dave embraces love, wherever it is, and is clearly saying, if you have felt love that powerful you wouldn't be so sure about trying to deny that to someone else.

"I'll be here lying in the hands of God, I am in love with nothing less" his wife is nothing less than the idea of "God" to him, she is the creator of his children, and the epitome of his love.

"Here it comes dive right into me. Now the floor is the ceiling." Another reference to love, he also referred to being in love as being turned upside down in "Crush" where he asks "Am I right side up or upside down, and is this real or am I dreaming?" "If you never flew why would you? Cut the wings off a butterfly" If you've never been in love, how can you try to deny that to someone else?

I think it's definitely not a song to a general audience of those that don't believe in love. It's specifically to a woman who perhaps doesn't or isn't able to requite his love. His situation with his wife comes to mind, and reminds me a lot of my own love situation... I think this is evident in these lines:

Baby I'll be your soldier <---- Baby gives away that it's to a woman Gladly I'll do your bidding For just a taste of what you're holding For just a taste you could own me

Even though this love isn't requited (at least not as much as it should be), he is saying that "she" can't argue her way out of it because he really knows how to love (even an imperfect or fickle love).

Save your sermons for someone that's afraid to love
I'll be right here lying in the hands of god <---he takes refuge in God while he perfectly loves the imperfect

Overwhelmed by the power of the love he feels for her, his world is turned upside down:

Here it comes dive right into me Now the floor is the ceiling

These lines are somewhat sarcastic or provoking, challenging a girl who refused to allow herself to love. He basically wants to ruffle her feathers by saying "I don't think you can do it." It's a sort of reverse psychology.

If you never flew why would you? Cut the wings off a butterfly <----- He's the butterfly?

This part here I am not sure about, but I'll try:

If you knew what I feel then you couldn't be so sure I'll be right here lying in the hands of god

^I'm wondering if this is his pain, and he's saying that if she knew how bad she was hurting him, she wouldn't be so sure that he'd be alive (i.e. suicidal?). I could be way off on this...

Not sure about this below:

If you feel angels in your hair Teardrops of joy run down your face You will rise

I'm gonna take a good stab at this section:

Fill me up now drain me <--- fickle bi-polar girl makes him feel great, then leaves him Skin begins to grow back slowly <---takes him a while to heal from the pain Faster until I'm choking <---? I really should call my mother <--- alludes to being a young boy seeking comfort from hurt in his mother

I think this one is pretty clear too:

I am in love with nothing else <--- loves her above all else Teardrops of joy run off my face <--- feels joy from his love for her I will rise for someone that's afraid to love <---even if his love is unrequited, unfair, etc., he is going to be the tough one, loving perfectly (in a way, taking up the slack).

I love this song. I hope someday, we'll find out the exact significance of it, but I feel like it shares a lot of themes from his other songs that are seemingly about his wife (and likely about his feelings when he was pursuing her feverishly for years). Then again, I could be wrong about all this. But it's what it means to me...

dave matthews mocks the christian faith.

while he states he does not understand.

cool song. interesting opinion

Interesting posts...never thought of the drug reference...

I think this song, while confusing at points, is absolutely an attack on organized religion; a sarcastic one, in fact. I think he is in essence saying that he believes and he loves and that is all that matters. And that believing in God and love is much different and perhaps even more important than believing church, etc.

Baby I'll be your soldier Gladly I'll do your bidding For just a taste of what you're holding For just a taste you could own me --> I think this is almost a sarcastic way of making fun of ppl who are really into organized religion..."soldier" makes me think of someone who would defend and fight for something - maybe for their religious beliefs..."for just a taste of what your holding" = communion. "for just a taste you could own me" - making fun of the fact that communion could mean that the church owns you and you become their 'soldier'/defender/you would fight for them.

Save your sermons for someone that's afraid to love I'll be right here lying in the hands of god --> again, a little sarcastic..."save your sermons..." is like saying all that organized religion/sermons are for ppl that can't feel the love in their heart and they need something to believe in and to love and that fills their void; but as for me, I don't need that, I already believe and I already love and I'll be with God.

Here it comes dive right into me Now the floor is the ceiling --> I think this has dual meaning - 1) is that his belief in God comes into him and takes him out of the time and space reference (when as you read about spirituality, that is one of the first things that come up - that we are not this body, mind, etc...we are the soul. And the soul is not bound by time and space, as the body and mind is.) and 2) I think its also a sarcastic reference to what church/sermons do to people...makes them lose their minds in a way ("now the floor is the ceiling" - meaning not really knowing which way is up, down, right, wrong)

If you never flew why would you? Cut the wings off a butterfly --> If you never really thought out of the box or thought about things in this way...them why would you condemn someone for doing so

If you feel angels in your hair Teardrops of joy run down your face You will rise --> stating that if you can feel the little things, angels in your hair, etc...then you have experienced God, Love, etc and you can rise up and see what the bigger picture is.

Fill me up now drain me Skin begins to grow back slowly Faster until I'm choking I really should call my mother --> again sarcastic interpretation of what the church/organized religion...fills you up (with the sermons) then drains you (maybe a money reference? or drains you of good things bc religion teaches you to judge other people that aren't of the same religion, etc)...faster until I'm choking I think just means that they can be overbearing with forcing their beliefs on their parishioners...really should call my mother - love this bc I think again, its an attack on the fact that we are taught to always believe God is a man...but maybe his mother can save him...as in the Blessed Mother, as in Mother Earth, etc...bc when you have a spirtitual belief you realize that God and the mother are one in the same.

I am in love with nothing else Teardrops of joy run off my face I will rise for someone that's afraid to love --> he is in love with God, and nothing else bc God is in everything - his wife, his kids, his music. And he will rise up for someone that afraid to love - shows his non-judgement

Love this song, Dave is a musical genius

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=15839

here's a paragraph from the above link:

"Matthews added about the song's lyrical content: "I don't know whether it's a song about being lost or being f--kin' out of your mind because you licked some cactus or swallowed some mushroom somewhere and turned your head upside down. It could be "Hey! (hey), You! (you), Get off of my cloud." It could be a lot of things. I like songs that just create beautiful images and that's why I don't want to talk about the lyrics because I just think it's perfect. Some of the songs have to be open."

---I'm glad he said that, bcuz not one of yall's interpretations were anything close to what I got from this song.

like he said "I like songs that just create beautiful images... some songs have to be open."

the great thing about this song (and DMB in general) is that I have my interpretation of this song and you have yours, and yet neither one is wrong :-D

St. Gregory of Nyssa said, "Only wonder understands anything."

Dave appears to be a seeker, trying, like many of us, to sort through what we see and what we feel. One's seeking over the course of a lifetime takes on many shades and contours, moves in and out of shadows, but hopefully is gradually moving toward light.

We American's like our understanding pre-packaged and easy to consume, but it seems to me that deeper understanding resides more in wonder than linear, rational, scholastic thinking.

Dave reminds me of ee cummings, in that he has a pure honesty that recoils from from know-it-all, systematic, plastic, shallow answers, yet he is drawn to a selfless type of love (for his wife, for his kids, for the oppressed, for all people and all creation).

I'm inspired by Dave's on-going honest search and blessed that he's able to articulate his journey in a way that helps similar souls tap into a a type of understanding that ultimately stands in silent awe at the wonder.

best song on the new album. i'm obsessed!

WOW!!!! What can i say? This song is amazing. Dave Matthews Band is a gift from God. Phenomenal song! Phenomenal album!

Great song. Really Really touches you if you sit and actually listen.

Tim Reynolds first appearance on a DMB album since Under the Table and Dreaming. Tim's slide on this song is amazing as well.

Love Dave, Love the album, RIP Roi.